Master of Data Analytics classmates developing AI-powered grapevine disease detection system
When Roberto Reyna, Carlos Juarez, and Emmanuel Santiago enrolled in the Master of Data Analytics program at University of Niagara Falls Canada, they were looking to sharpen their skills in one of the fastest-growing fields in technology. What they didn’t expect was to leave with a company in the making.
The three are among this spring’s convocation graduates, and they’re marking the milestone with more than a diploma. The AI-powered vineyard disease detection system they developed as a capstone project has evolved into a real business venture, Le CREXS.
The idea at the heart of the venture that earned them a joint-first place finish at the Global University Systems Business Pitch Competition hosted by Arden University in the United Kingdom last year, is both technically ambitious and practically grounded. It’s an AI-powered system that uses vineyard imagery and data analysis to support the early detection of grapevine diseases.
For wine growers, catching disease early can mean the difference between a healthy harvest and significant crop loss. It can reduce the need for over-application of pesticide use, instead allowing for targeted, responsible use.
“The goal is to help growers identify risks earlier, improve decision making in the field, and reduce unnecessary crop loss and chemical use,” explained Roberto.
The team – then a group of four – built the concept through their capstone project before taking it to the international stage where judges recognized its potential to meaningfully address grapevine disease challenges through artificial intelligence. The competition win was a turning point, confirming that what had begun as an academic exercise has real traction beyond the classroom.
“(Most) students go to school, study, and then when they graduate, they get a job in a company, and that’s it. But when you see an opportunity, you have to take it,” said Emmanuel.
What drives the project, Roberto explained, is the rare convergence of disciplines it represents. “What makes this work especially meaningful is that it connects academic research, applied AI, and a real agricultural challenge in the Niagara region,” he said. “We’ve been focused not only on building the model, but on understanding how this kind of technology can become useful in real vineyard conditions.”
That focus on real-world applicability has defined every stage of the project’s development. The core AI model is already built and has been tested internally, but the team is clear-eyed about what comes next. Winning a pitch competition and building a viable business are two different things, and they’re approaching the gap between them methodically.
“At this stage, it’s less about building more features and more about making sure the system actually works in the field and fits how growers operate day to day,” Roberto added.
The team has been reaching out to vineyard operators across the Niagara region, gathering feedback and working toward establishing a pilot project that will put the system to the test in actual growing conditions. Ontario’s wine country, with its concentration of vineyards and well-document vulnerability to crop disease makes for an ideal proving ground.
Preparing for that next step has meant building business fluency to match their technical expertise. Through the Niagara Falls Innovation Hub, a UNF partner, the three men completed the Business Basics and Investor Ready programs in 2025, developing the commercial and entrepreneurial skills needed to take an idea from prototype to market.
“The Innovation Hub has been so supportive,” Roberto said, adding the mentors there have helped them get market-ready and providing a business address.
Throughout the journey, the support of UNF’s faculty has been a constant. Emmanuel said the guidance and feedback from professors was invaluable, not only in shaping the technical rigour of their work, but in helping them think through the broader implications of what they were building.
“Right from the start, they put a lot of energy toward making sure we do everything right so that we were on the right path to make this happen,” Roberto added.
Beyond their entrepreneurial success, the three graduates also distinguished themselves academically, each graduating with a GPA above 4.0. Their venture, Le CREXS, reflects the same commitment to excellence, guided by its slogan: ‘See Beyond the Leaf. Detect disease risk before it becomes obvious.’
At Spring Convocation, they find themselves at an unusual and energizing crossroads. They’ll be celebrating the end of one chapter while standing at the very beginning of another. While their academic work may be done, the work, in every meaningful sense, is just getting started.
Making Their Mark is a series of graduating student profiles celebrating the Class of 2026. Roberto, Carlos, and Emmanuel will be among the more than 900 graduands crossing the stage at UNF’s inaugural Convocation on May 21.
