Ultraviolet mild destroys pests and pathogens; the vacuum removes bugs — each chemical-free. | Credit score: TRIC Robotics
TRIC Robotics, which focuses on autonomous pest and plant illness management, has secured $5.5 million in seed funding. The corporate plans to scale its autonomous robots for specialty crop farming, beginning with strawberries—one of the vital labor-intensive and pesticide-reliant crops.
“We’ve made unbelievable progress, with our fleet of robots lowering chemical compounds on lots of of acres throughout California’s Central Coast,” acknowledged Adam Stager, founder and CEO of TRIC Robotics. “This new capital will speed up our progress, bringing in key workforce members and permitting us to shortly increase with new areas and capabilities launching this summer time.”
“Automation is the important thing to unlocking better effectivity on the farm — permitting farmers to develop extra with much less, with out damaging the planet,” he added.
Luna accessible to farmers as a service
Farmers are beneath elevated strain to cut back chemical use, handle labor prices, and meet sustainability aims, famous TRIC Robotics. The San Luis Obispo, Calif.-based firm has positioned its robotic fleet as an alternative choice to conventional pesticide purposes and guide labor.
TRIC has developed a tractor-scale robotic known as Luna to switch conventional chemical sprays. The corporate mentioned its totally autonomous discipline robots use ultraviolet mild to manage pests and ailments with out harming the surroundings and vacuum expertise to take away bugs with out pesticides.
TRIC presents its expertise as a full-service answer to assist farmers enhance profitability whereas assembly the rising demand for chemical-free produce. This additionally produces recurring income. The corporate is initially specializing in strawberry cultivation, which it mentioned is without doubt one of the most labor-intensive and pesticide-dependent crops.
The robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) providing features a data-driven platform with imaginative and prescient programs and real-time discipline analytics. Based on TRIC, pilot packages have proven reductions in pesticide use by as much as 70%.
TRIC participated within the Pitchfire competitors at RoboBusiness 2023, which gave it a few of its first publicity to the robotics funding group.
TRIC Robotics to develop its fleet
Model One Ventures led TRIC Robotics’ spherical. Storage Capital, Todd and Rahul Capital, Valor Fairness Companions, Lucas Enterprise Group, Spacecadet, and Redstick Ventures additionally participated. The startup additionally acquired funding from a bunch of strategic angel buyers, together with the founders of Clearpath Robotics and New Chief Manufacturing.
Current buyers, together with Undeterred Capital, Embark Ventures, Soundboard Enterprise Fund, and Central Coast Ventures, additionally participated. TRIC mentioned it plans to make use of the seed funding to increase its robotic fleet, improve operations into new farming areas of California similar to Oxnard and Watsonville, and develop additional automation and analytics options.
The corporate reported that its robotic fleet has doubled up to now yr, with 9 robots in operation and three extra in manufacturing. Tric mentioned it has lined lots of of acres in industrial service. It asserted that Luna can assist farmers improve profitability of high-value crops whereas assembly demand for chemical-free produce.
“Our mission is to offer farmers the instruments they should develop extra with much less, with out damaging the planet,” mentioned Stager. “This funding accelerates our progress to carry chemical-free options to farmers throughout main specialty crop rising areas in California.”
