Hippo Harvest’s Post

Faced with challenges such as labor availability and rising costs, farm groups and companies in the West have been making a big push in recent years toward automation of specialty crops. One obstacle they’ve encountered is that there are few places for robotics startups to test their equipment or demonstrate it for growers. Enter Reservoir Farms, a pair of planned on-farm robotics incubators set to begin operations in Salinas, Calif., and Merced, Calif., respectively, in early 2025. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gthTGuTY 

Faced with challenges such as labor availability and rising costs, farm groups and companies in the West have been making a big push in recent years toward automation of specialty crops. One obstacle they’ve encountered is that there are few places for robotics startups to test their equipment or demonstrate it for growers. Enter Reservoir Farms, a pair of planned on-farm robotics incubators set to begin operation in 2025.

We’re excited to share that Leaf Agriculture has successfully raised $11.3 million in their Series A funding round, led by Spero Ventures with participation from S2G Ventures, Radicle Growth, and SP Ventures, among others. As an investor, we’re proud to support Leaf’s mission to transform farm data accessibility. Leaf is revolutionizing the agtech space by standardizing unstructured farm data and integrating it into a seamless API. Their technology empowers over 80 companies, including industry giants like Bayer and Syngenta, to harness agricultural data more effectively. This new funding will enable Leaf to build out their commercial go-to-market team and enhance their product to support AI-driven insights and end-to-end data management. We believe in Leaf’s vision to modernize agriculture by bridging the gap between cutting-edge tech and traditional farming practices. Congratulations to the Leaf Agriculture team on this incredible milestone—we’re excited to continue this journey together! 🌱 Learn more at https://withleaf.io/ G. Bailey Stockdale #AgTech #FarmData #SeriesA #SperoVentures #SPVentures

Last week at the Western Growers board meeting, I presented the Carbon Robotics case study, the first of its kind, as a deep dive into a financial and operational analysis of #agtech. In this study, TRIANGLE FARMS INC & Braga Fresh Family Farms allowed us (Western Growers) to publish their historical costs and results of #laserweeding, along with the operational changes they had to make. The goal of these case studies is to accelerate #agtech adoption and commercialization by allowing growers to compare their costs to the examples in these studies, thus making more confident decisions. Additionally, these studies aim to help startup companies understand how to frame their value proposition and how that translates into product design/implementation. Assuming the first two goals are achieved, this could also help #VentureCapital firms evaluate potential investment opportunities. As Walt pointed out last week, via (Audre Kapacinskas), the investing landscape has changed drastically, and not for the better. The ultimate hope is to present a clear picture of what companies are on the right track and what companies need to re-think their strategies. Western Growers is also offering a service for its members that allows access to run the numbers for their own operations (see Walt Duflock's post, linked below). I have always been excited about bringing solutions to the critical system that farming is, and I believe this effort will bring great value. A big thank you to my fellow Western Growers teammates: Masha Polischuk, Ann Donahue, Kara Timmins, and their teams for making this effort as polished as it is. Check out the links below for more information. Link to Walt's post: https://lnkd.in/gU6PX4v6 Link to the case study: https://lnkd.in/gBfjFJyb

On a hot summer day in Kansas, Clint Brauer oversees bright yellow robots tirelessly weeding his fields. These battery-powered machines, operating autonomously, are part of Brauer's mission to reduce chemical reliance in farming and promote environmental health. After returning to his family farm due to his father’s Parkinson’s disease, Brauer founded Greenfield, an agricultural tech company that builds and programs these robots. Currently, 20 farmers use Greenfield’s robotic services, aiming to weed 5,000 acres this year. Chemical weedkillers, used extensively over the last 50 years, have been linked to various health issues and environmental damage. Brauer’s robots offer a solution, minimizing the need for harmful chemicals and improving soil health. Greenfield has garnered significant financial backing, including investment from Chipotle’s venture fund, raising about $12 million to date. Other companies, like Aigen Robotics, are also innovating in this space with solar-powered robots designed to autonomously manage weeds. Despite some skepticism from farmers and experts about the scalability and cost of these robots, regenerative agriculture proponents see potential in integrating them into broader sustainable practices. Kansas farmer Torrey Ball, a user of Greenfield’s robots, hopes they can eventually help him eliminate chemical dependency entirely, improving both health outcomes and water quality on his farm. This movement towards robotic weeding represents a significant step towards sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eraEbvv2

Our latest Sifted article featuring two of our agritech entrepreneurs is live! Matija Zulj, founder and CEO of AGRIVI and Lucas Simons, CEO of SCOPEinsight have something in common: they're both trying to change farmers’ minds in regards to adopting new technologies to mitigate climate change and help agriculture reduce its impact on the planet. 🌱💻🌍 👉 Find out more about the startups trying to help farmers make the most of tech’s innovations: https://lnkd.in/d6ynUNp2

🚀 🚨 Friday Funding Alert! 🚨 🚀 🌱💻 Agriful Software just raised $3M in seed funding to empower farmers with cutting-edge technology! 🚀🌾 This substantial investment reflects the confidence in Agriful's mission to revolutionize agriculture through software innovation. With this funding, they're poised to expand their reach and impact in the farming community. What makes Agriful Software stand out? Their platform offers farmers powerful tools to streamline operations, optimize yields, and make data-driven decisions. From crop management to supply chain optimization, Agriful is empowering farmers to thrive in an ever-changing landscape. But it's not just about efficiency—it's about empowerment. Agriful Software is leveling the playing field for farmers of all sizes, providing access to technology that was once reserved for large-scale operations. By democratizing agricultural technology, they're helping farmers increase productivity and sustainability. 👏 Let's continue to support companies that are using technology to drive positive change in the agriculture industry and beyond. #AgTech #SeedFunding #EmpoweringFarmers #AgrifulSoftware #InnovationInAgriculture

Think farming is all about dirt and tractors? Think again! 🌱👩💻 Uncover the tech transforming our food supply chain, featuring Jenny Lemieux of Vivid Machines on today's episode of Collisions YYC. Vivid Machines is an ag-tech company based in Toronto and backed by Calgary-based venture capital fund, Tall Grass Ventures. Listen in as we discuss the industry's evolution, challenges, and opportunities and gain insights into the future of autonomous equipment and scalable agriculture business models. Tune in by searching Collisions YYC anywhere you stream podcasts. #CollisionsYYC #AgTech #FutureOfFarming #VividMachines Time stamps of note: [00:00] Using computer vision to optimize fruit farming. [04:13] Connecting food supply chain via data insights. [06:29] Fruit industry advances in technology and standardization. [09:37] Technology now enables shaping apples for harvest. [14:07] Farm-focused technology adoption eases supply chain integration. [17:34] Improving technology to increase fruit yield. [22:30] Concerns about universal compatibility and communication systems. [24:42] Farm technology: Have we solved row crops? [31:22] Pioneering analog agriculture leads to modern innovation. [34:14] Market similarities and challenges in global production. [39:10] "Challenges of building scalable research-based solutions."

Like the US - South Africa's agritech sector is experiencing rapid growth, driven by factors such as the increasing adoption of precision agriculture technologies, the growing demand for food security, and the government's support for agritech innovation. According to a recent report by the World Bank, the South African agritech market is expected to reach $1.4 billion by 2025. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including: - The increasing adoption of precision agriculture technologies such as GPS-enabled tractors, drones, and sensors. These technologies are helping farmers to improve their yields, reduce their costs, and make more informed decisions about their farming practices. - The growing demand for food security. The population of South Africa is growing rapidly, and the country is facing a number of challenges to food production, such as climate change and water scarcity. Agritech is helping to address these challenges by developing new technologies that can help to increase food production and improve food security. - The government's support for agritech innovation. The South African government has launched a number of initiatives to support the growth of the agritech sector, such as the National Agricultural Development Strategy and the National Rural Development Programme. These initiatives are providing funding and other forms of support to agritech startups and businesses. BMEC is a leading provider of technical solutions to the agritech sector. We have a team of experienced engineers who can help you to develop and implement new agritech solutions. We also have a deep understanding of the South African agritech market, which allows us to provide you with tailored advice and support. If you are looking for a technical partner to help you grow your agritech business, BMEC is the right choice. We have the expertise and experience to help you succeed. #agritech #SouthAfrica #agriculture #technology #innovation #farming #sustainability #foodsecurity #precisionagriculture #engineering #productdevelopment #CapeTown #IoT #AI #robotics #drones #sensors #dataanalytics #cpp #arduino #espressif #flutter #android #iOS