Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Agriculture

FarmWise raises $45 million to expand AI-powered farm equipment

by Leave a Comment

Farm automation startup FarmWise Labs has completed an oversubscribed $45 million Series B funding round, led by leading ag-tech venture firms Fall Line Capital and Middleland Capital, with participation from GV and Taylor Farms, a grower and processor of leafy greens and fresh vegetables.

Existing investors Calibrate Ventures, Playground Global, SVG Ventures and the venture arm of Wilbur Ellis also participated in the round. To date, FarmWise has raised $65 million in equity.

With this round, Clay Mitchell, co-founder and managing director of Fall Line Capital and a fifth-generation Iowa farmer joins the FarmWise board of directors. [Read more…] about FarmWise raises $45 million to expand AI-powered farm equipment

Continental and Octiva to develop autonomous mobile robots for agriculture

by Leave a Comment

Continental and Dutch-Belgian technology company Octiva are partnering to develop autonomous mobile robotic solutions for horticulture applications.

The agreement follows Continental’s announcement that it has started the volume production of autonomous mobile robots for intralogistics.

The new AMRs being developed with Octiva will become part of Continental’s second product line “Agriculture” in the market of autonomous mobile robots. [Read more…] about Continental and Octiva to develop autonomous mobile robots for agriculture

AGCO taps mobility software experts Apex.AI for its robotic planting concept

by Leave a Comment

Apex.AI, a company developing safety-certified software for mobility and autonomous applications, says that AGCO, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural machinery and precision agriculture technology, is adding new capabilities to its Fendt Xaver concept vehicle, an autonomous farming robot, by incorporating Apex.OS, a software development kit (SDK).

Apex.AI has enabled AGCO’s engineering team to integrate several autonomous driving components into the Fendt Xaver in a tight timeframe, including lidar object detection, collision checking and planning, using the state-of-the-art framework and developer tools that come with Apex.OS.

This technical partnership expands an existing relationship between the two companies. In December 2021, AGCO announced a strategic investment in Apex.AI. [Read more…] about AGCO taps mobility software experts Apex.AI for its robotic planting concept

John Deere forms joint venture with GUSS Automation

by Leave a Comment

Farm machinery manufacturer John Deere has formed a joint venture with GUSS Automation, based in Kingsburg, California.

GUSS (Global Unmanned Spray System) is a pioneer in semi-autonomous orchard and vineyard sprayers.

High-value crops, such as orchards and vineyards, generate significantly higher value per acre than grains or oilseeds. [Read more…] about John Deere forms joint venture with GUSS Automation

Yamaha Motor Ventures leads $7.5 million funding round for Verge Ag

by Leave a Comment

Yamaha Motor Ventures, the strategic business development and investment arm of Yamaha Motor, has led a $7.5 million Series A funding round for Verge Ag, a precision agriculture company.

Verge claims to be the developer of the world’s first AI-powered interactive software that enables farmers to plan, simulate, and validate the movement of equipment in the field and execute field operations efficiently.

Nolan Paul, partner and Global Ag Tech lead for Yamaha Motor Ventures, says: “This investment in Verge Ag underlines our thesis that precision farming technologies are mission critical to a sustainable future for agriculture. [Read more…] about Yamaha Motor Ventures leads $7.5 million funding round for Verge Ag

Abundant Robots launches to help farmers streamline harvesting process

by Leave a Comment

Abundant Robots, a startup automating the apple harvesting process to deliver high-quality produce to consumers, has launched to raise up to $20 million in seed capital via equity crowdfunding site WAX.

The launch comes just weeks after the corporate innovation venture studio and startup incubator Wavemaker Labs Asia (agtech-focused division of Wavemaker Labs’ overall brand) purchased Abundant Robotics’ intellectual property.

This acquisition is part of Wavermaker Labs’ larger strategy to bring intelligent automation solutions to market and help shape a future of food that is more efficient and sustainable, and is filled with prosperity, thoughtful sourcing and improved food quality from seed to fork. [Read more…] about Abundant Robots launches to help farmers streamline harvesting process

SVG Ventures selects 10 startups for accelerator program

by Leave a Comment

SVG Ventures | THRIVE has chosen 10 global startups selected to join the 8th cohort (THRIVE VIII) of their award winning accelerator program, aimed at the agricultural technology sector.

The 10 companies were selected from an applicant pool of over 800 startups from across 78 countries.

The competitive selection process, conducted in collaboration with THRIVE’s corporate partners, focused on startups’ potential impact on sustainability as well as commercial success. [Read more…] about SVG Ventures selects 10 startups for accelerator program

Quest Industrial showcases robotic palletizing for dairy industry

by Leave a Comment

Quest Industrial has been showcasing the “numerous benefits” that its Box Bot Robotic Palletizer brings to the dairy industry at the recent CheeseExpo, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Quest is an award-winning, Fanuc Authorized system integrator and certified vision specialist, and its systems are capable of direct food contact with US Department of Agriculture compliant and washdown designs.

For many in the dairy industry, production can be challenging due to tight facilities with fixed equipment. This is where the Box Bot shines. [Read more…] about Quest Industrial showcases robotic palletizing for dairy industry

Scientist invents cheese-tasting robot

by Leave a Comment

A scientist at the University of Copenhagen has invented what could be described as a “cheese-tasting robot”, describing it as “the world’s very first cheese robot”. 

The robotic system is currently operational and helping a multinational Danish dairy products company – Arla – with the quality control of its cheeses.

According to the University of Copenhagen researcher behind the invention, the robot can save dairy companies time and money, while contributing to more sustainable production in the long term. [Read more…] about Scientist invents cheese-tasting robot

Verdant Robotics launches multi-action agricultural robot for ‘superhuman farming’

by Leave a Comment

Verdant Robotics has launched what it says is “the first multi-action autonomous farm robot for specialty crops” which will enable “superhuman farming”.

To meet farmers’ demands for more sustainable and profitable growing practices, Verdant Robotics has expanded its robot-as-a-service (RaaS) model to ensure access for more specialty crop farmers.

Founded in late 2018 by a leading roboticist, a software engineer, and a California farmer, Verdant has raised $21.5 million to develop the industry’s first multi-action, autonomous farm-robot capable of millimeter-accurate spraying, laser weeding, and AI-based digital crop modeling. [Read more…] about Verdant Robotics launches multi-action agricultural robot for ‘superhuman farming’