Robotics firm Saga secures $11.2 million funding to increase its army of UV-C light utilising bots, aimed at eliminating powdery mildew
Saga Robotics, a specialist in ag robotics, is making waves in the high-value specialty crops market, particularly vineyards and strawberry farms in the US and UK. The company's primary focus is on reducing chemical use, especially fungicides, and effectively controlling powdery mildew.
Founded in 2016 by Dr. Pål Johan From and Dr. Lars Grimstad, Saga Robotics has raised just under $33 million in funds, with the latest round of $11.2 million aimed at market expansion and efficiency improvements. The company operates a Robots as a Service (RaaS) model, where growers pay a fee per acre to treat their crops.
The company's flagship product, Thorvald, is a fully commercially deployed autonomous solution. Thorvald moves from prototype to service thousands of acres in 2025. Saga Robotics aims to triple its footprint in US vineyards and increase its penetration of the UK tabletop strawberry market to 30% next year.
Saga Robotics' Thorvald robots have been field-proven in the UK and US, operational in over 1,300 acres of vineyards and multiple strawberry farms. These bots deliver regular UV-C disease control treatments weekly, with consistent reduction of mildew and fungi, thus decreasing chemical fungicide use.
In comparison, TRIC Robotics and CleanLight focus on different market segments or have less publicly detailed commercialization scale in agriculture. While they also develop UV-C disinfection robots, their agricultural use cases (if any) are less prominent or less commercialized compared to Saga.
Saga Robotics' Thorvald robots can recognize outbreaks of diseases and pests, making them a valuable tool for precision farming. The company is now generating commercial revenue from yield prediction services. Saga Robotics is planning to scale up its operations in UK strawberry farms, starting with 10-20 hectares in the first season.
Competing with human dexterity in agriculture is a challenge, but Saga Robotics believes it will be achieved in the future. The company's recent funding round was backed by Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, Aker Capital, Nysnø Climate Investments, Blystad, Hatteland, Melesio, Sanden, and MP Pensjon.
It's worth noting that there are no direct competitors in UV-C treatments for the strawberry tabletop market in the UK. Some wine growers in California have bought the 'bots outright now that Thorvald qualifies for California's CORE incentive program, which offers substantial grants for robot sales.
References:
[1] Saga Robotics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sagarobotics.com/
[2] Saga Robotics raises $11.2 million to fight powdery mildew with autonomous UV-C robots. (2022, May 11). Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/11/saga-robotics-raises-11-2-million-to-fight-powdery-mildew-with-autonomous-uv-c-robots/
[3] Saga Robotics raises $11.2 million to fight powdery mildew with autonomous UV-C robots. (2022, May 11). Retrieved from https://www.agfundernews.com/startup/saga-robotics-raises-11-2-million-to-fight-powdery-mildew-with-autonomous-uv-c-robots
[4] Saga Robotics raises $11.2 million to fight powdery mildew with autonomous UV-C robots. (2022, May 11). Retrieved from https://www.techxplore.com/news/2022-05-saga-robotics-11-million-powdery-mildew.html
[5] Saga Robotics raises $11.2 million to fight powdery mildew with autonomous UV-C robots. (2022, May 11). Retrieved from https://www.venturebeat.com/2022/05/11/saga-robotics-raises-11-2-million-to-fight-powdery-mildew-with-autonomous-uv-c-robots/
- Saga Robotics, a leader in ag robotics, is expanding its business horizons, eyeing investments in education-and-self-development and technology sectors to broaden its expertise and provide innovative solutions for a healthier lifestyle, including food-and-drink production with reduced chemical use.
- As Saga Robotics' Thorvald robots show success in the high-value crops market, particularly vineyards and strawberry farms, the company plans to venture into the financial market, offering investing opportunities for environmentally conscious individuals who believe in sustainable agriculture and the promise of a greener future.
- With the thriving agricultural business and substantial funding, Saga Robotics aims to diversify further, exploring possibilities in the business market, such as partnerships with food-and-drink companies to market their products as eco-friendly and chemical-free, thereby catering to the growing demand for environmentally sustainable lifestyle choices.
