Norwegian autonomous ag robotics company Saga Robotics says it raised $11.5 million in growth capital through an equity transaction.
New shareholders include Songa Investments — part of Blystad Group — and MP Pensjon.
“We clearly see the value Saga Robotics is already creating for its customers in the UK and the U.S., Jacob Ziesler, investment director with the Blystad Group, said in a news release. “The flexible, self-driving platform developed by Saga Robotics offers significant opportunities to continue supporting agriculture with efficiency, reducing the need for spraying, and making a substantial contribution to greenhouse gas reduction. The use of Saga Robotics’ robot makes economic sense for farmers, and the global scaling potential is immense.”
Saga Robotics said this growth capital will help fuel its expansion into the U.S. vineyard market. The company said it also secured contracts to deploy its technology with strawberry growers in the United Kingdom.
The company said its next-generation autonomous solution, Thorvald 3, operates in larger areas. Saga Robotics said it designed this update for scaled production. Thorvald 3 uses high-intensity UV-C light to combat powdery mildew as a fungicide alternative, and it also cuts runners and spreads beneficial predatory mites in strawberry fields, according to the release.
“Robots are now capable of covering large areas and performing precision tasks that surpass conventional farming methods. Thorvald is leading the way in this transformation. This year, nearly one in ten strawberries in the UK will be treated by Thorvald — and this is just the beginning of our global journey,” Saga Robotics CEO Anne Dingstad said in the release.
