4AG mentioned it has accomplished harvesting robotic deployments on three mushroom farms. | Supply: 4AG Robotics
4AG Robotics yesterday mentioned it has closed a Sequence B funding spherical of CAD 40 million, round $29 million U.S. The corporate mentioned it can use the funding to satisfy demand for its robotic harvesting platform, which is already in use throughout Canada, Eire, and Australia, with new deployments quickly to be underway within the Netherlands and the U.S.
The worldwide mushroom sector—anticipated to surpass $70 billion by 2030—continues to face labor shortages and margin stress, in line with 4AG Robotics. In Western markets, harvesting accounts for as much as 50% of manufacturing prices, mentioned the Canadian firm.
These challenges are amplified by the fixed want for harvesting, with mushrooms doubling in dimension each 24 hours, and farms needing to reap their crops day by day of the 12 months. Based in 1999 as TechBrew Robotics, 4AG mentioned its “plug-and-play” robotic fleet presents growers a path to long-term competitiveness with out reconfiguring their whole operation.
“This funding helps us leap from a start-up proving our product works to a scale-up producer making an attempt to maintain tempo with demand,” acknowledged Sean O’Connor, CEO of 4AG Robotics. “In simply two and a half years, we’ve gone from asking farms to trial our expertise to having deposits for over 40 further robots. As one of many first firms to totally automate the human hand in produce harvesting, we’re ushering in a brand new period for mushroom farming.”
4AG Robotics plans for progress
4AG Robotics’ system makes use of AI-powered laptop imaginative and prescient, precision suction grippers, and superior movement management to autonomously harvest, trim, and pack mushrooms across the clock—with out handbook labor. Designed to retrofit into present Dutch-rack infrastructure, the robots allow constant high quality, diminished labor prices, and real-time operational knowledge for growers, the corporate claimed.
This spherical follows a $17.5 million spherical in 2023, bringing 4AG’s whole capital raised to $57.5 million previously two years. The corporate mentioned it plans to make use of its newest funding to:
- Broaden its manufacturing footprint in Salmon Arm, British Columbia
- Develop its discipline service and buyer success groups
- Speed up growth of options corresponding to punnet packing, illness detection, and AI-driven yield optimization
“We’re not simply constructing robots—we’re constructing a brand new working system for the mushroom business,” mentioned Michelle Lim, vp of progress at 4AG Robotics. “Growers need tech that works out of the field, delivers ROI in beneath three years, and scales globally. That’s what we’ve constructed. And this funding offers us the gasoline to maneuver even sooner.”
Buyers help world enlargement
Astanor Ventures and Cibus Capital led 4AG Robotics Sequence B spherical. It additionally included help from new investor Voyager Capital and present buyers InBC, Emmertech, BDC Industrial Innovation Fund, Jim Richardson Household Workplace, Stray Canine Capital, and Seraph Group.
“We consider that, of all of the agricultural sectors, mushrooms are probably the most poised for robotic options,” mentioned Harry Briggs, associate at Astanor. “We consider that 4AG is just not solely the clear world chief in the present day, but additionally has the potential, because of AI advances and their wealthy picture knowledge, to drive up yields and cut back inputs throughout the business.”
The funding was Astanor’s first time as a serious associate to 4AG Robotics. Cibus Capital, a number one agri-food tech investor primarily based within the U.Ok., joined the spherical to help 4AG’s continued enlargement into Europe and past.
“Mushroom farming presents an infinite alternative to make the most of robotics and AI to drive labor optimization along with increased yields and improved high quality,” mentioned Archie Burgess, funding director at Cibus Capital. “The spectacular 4AG crew has already developed a fleet of robots that decide as much as 1 million mushrooms per week.”
