Harvesting robot startup Tortuga raises $20m to build hundreds of robots
Summary
Numerous startups are working tirelessly to create robots that can harvest or perform other farm tasks efficiently without damaging high-dollar crops. We believe Tortuga can be the world leader in on-farm technology and automation,” Larry Page, managing director of Lewis & Clark AgriFood, wrote to AFN via email. Tortuga came out of stealth last year with a strawberry harvesting robot after spending time conducting R&D with farmers to ensure that its product was up to snuff. The goal behind offering these additional services is to demonstrate the actual value that Tortuga’s harvesting robots are bringing to the table, he added. The uptick in ag robotics startups that are not only progressing with their technology but raising venture rounds is promising, but Adamson still underscores the serious challenges in the space.