Agricultural robotics startup Farm-ng has successfully raised $10 million in a Series A funding round, with Acre Venture Partners leading the investment.
The Bay Area-based company is pioneering modular robots designed to revolutionize various tasks in agriculture. Their first system, Amiga, boasts modularity, allowing farmers to customize solutions for tasks like seeding, weeding, and compost spreading. Farm-ng, founded during the pandemic, has deployed approximately 100 Amiga units in less than 18 months, providing farmers with cost-effective and efficient alternatives. The new funding will be instrumental in scaling up production at its Watsonville manufacturing plant.
Flexible Solutions for Agriculture Automation
Farm-ng’s Amiga system is a modular approach to agricultural robotics, allowing farmers to build tailored solutions similar to assembling Legos. This flexibility enables customization for different tasks, ensuring adaptability to various agricultural needs. The company’s goal is to make its technology easily accessible to farmers, both mechanically and through software adaptability. By offering modular automation, Farm-ng aims to address challenges in agriculture, reducing labor time and costs while increasing efficiency in tasks like seeding, weeding, and compost spreading.
Quick ROI and Efficiency Gains
Farm-ng’s Amiga system has demonstrated significant time and cost efficiencies for farmers. In customer studies, the robot reduced weekly labor hours by 50% to 80% across various tasks. Farmers reported streamlined operations, improved efficiency, and reduced labor costs. While more concrete data is expected after one to two growing seasons, anecdotal evidence suggests that the Amiga system provides farmers with exciting opportunities for a more efficient and streamlined agricultural operation.
Expansion Plans and Future Prospects
With the additional $10 million funding, Farm-ng plans to expand its production capabilities at its Watsonville manufacturing plant. The startup aims to further deploy its modular robotic solutions across agriculture, offering quick return on investment (ROI) for farmers. Farm-ng’s innovative approach to agricultural automation has the potential to reshape traditional farming practices, making them more sustainable, cost-effective, and adaptable to various crops and tasks.