• Latest
  • Trending
13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort

13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort

June 7, 2021
Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

October 8, 2025
The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

October 7, 2025
Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

October 7, 2025
Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

October 6, 2025
The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

October 6, 2025
The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

October 5, 2025
From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

October 5, 2025
Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

October 4, 2025
Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

October 4, 2025
Beyond the Yield: Leveraging Agritourism and Experience-Based Revenue in Modern Agriculture

Beyond the Yield: Leveraging Agritourism and Experience-Based Revenue in Modern Agriculture

October 3, 2025
Weathering the Storm: How an Amur Family Farm Masters Onion Production Against the Odds

Weathering the Storm: How an Amur Family Farm Masters Onion Production Against the Odds

October 3, 2025
Efficiency at Scale: How a Diversified Belarusian Farm Masters the Autumn Workflow

Efficiency at Scale: How a Diversified Belarusian Farm Masters the Autumn Workflow

October 2, 2025
  • Company
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Vegetables News
  • NEWS
    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

    Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

    Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
    • All
    • Climate
    • Crop protection
    • digital (smart)
    • dron
    • Fertilizer
    • Research
    • weed
    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING
No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    The Economics of Enchantment: Designing High-Value Agritourism Pumpkin Events

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Cultivating Partnerships: How Agritourism and ESG Strategy Can Build New Markets for Farmers

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    Strategic Subsidy to Value-Added: A Blueprint for Stabilizing Specialty Crop Income

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    The High-Value Pumpkin: Cultivating Profit Through Variety, Agritourism, and Soil Management

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    From Research Plot to Public Event: The Supply Chain of a Specialty Crop

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

    Cultivating Excellence: What Makes a Pumpkin Patch the “Best in the Nation”?

    Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

    Beyond the Pie: What Google Trends Data Reveals About Evolving Pumpkin Markets

  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
    • All
    • Climate
    • Crop protection
    • digital (smart)
    • dron
    • Fertilizer
    • Research
    • weed
    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    Sowing Certainty, Reaping Risk: The High Stakes of Seed Integrity and Genetic Purity

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Double Blow: Analyzing the Systemic Risks Behind a Pumpkin Crop Collapse

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    The Water Spinach Specialist: A Blueprint for High-Value Specialty Crops and Cooperative Success

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Weathering the Storm: How Vietnamese Farmers and Traders Collaborate to Stabilize the Greens Market

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Stavropol’s Borscht Belt: High-Yield Vegetable Harvest Reaches One-Third Completion

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Yakutia Defies the Odds: Harvest Data Reveals a Surge in Arctic Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    Beyond the Subsidy: Unlocking True Productivity Gains in Ugandan Agriculture

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING
No Result
View All Result
Vegetables News
Home AGROTECHNOLOGY digital (smart)

13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort

by Demin Alexey
June 7, 2021
in digital (smart)
6
13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort
Teams with potential to rapidly accelerate agricultural automation have been selected by farming and tech giants to participate in first-ever Global Harvest Automation Initiative cohort

Western Growers has selected 13 innovators for the inaugural cohort of its Global Harvest Automation Initiative (GHAI), a groundbreaking project that aims to automate 50 percent of specialty crop harvest within 10 years by accelerating the commercialization of harvest automation innovations.

The companies chosen for the cohort all specialize in agricultural robotics, mechanization and automation and will receive exclusive resources to help them launch and scale. This includes 1) Mentoring (mentor support from leading ag and tech companies, including feedback on product offerings, strategy and go-to-market options); 2) Field Trials (facilitation of field trials with growers); and 3) Case Studies (success of field trials will be published as case studies which will be available to growers). Most importantly, the cohort will receive systems integration to integrate industry-standard components (called technology stack) into their product roadmap so their robots can get into fields and markets faster.

“Most harvest startups build the entire technology stack themselves — from imaging and artificial intelligence to robotic end-effectors and automated movement up and down the fields. Western Growers’ Global Harvest Automation Initiative will now build this technology stack for them,” said Walt Duflock, vice president of innovation at Western Growers. “The innovators in this cohort are both startups and established companies that will get help integrating with industry-standard tractors, robot arms and sensors, which can commoditize up to 60–80% of the startup’s technology stack.”

The following are the innovation companies selected to receive hands-on support for all aspects of their businesses for rapid scaling:

  • Advanced Farm Technologies: provides advanced farming tools, such as automated strawberry harvesting robots, for harvesting services
  • Antobot: builds a team of small intelligent agriculture robots with advanced computer vision and robotics technology
  • Augean Robotics: helps solve the labor problem facing farmers by making autonomous collaborative robots
  • Earth Rover: makes field robots that automate scouting, harvesting and weeding, and provides farmers with per-plant data from seed to gate
  • FarmWise: designs driverless tractors that use machine learning and computer vision, rather than herbicides, to eradicate weeds from farmers’ fields
  • FFRobotics: develops a reliable, robust harvesting platform emulating human-hand picking process for efficient, cost-effective and bruise-free fruit harvesting
  • Muddy Machines: builds a new generation of field robots that help growers manage labor-intensive crops by conducting fieldwork
  • Oxbo International Corporation: designs, manufactures and distributes innovative harvesting equipment and related products
  • Ramsay Highlander: original equipment manufacturer and custom manufacturer of design-built harvesting aids, mechanical harvesting machines and specialized harvesting machines for the vegetable growing industry
  • Ripe Robotics: builds and manages fruit-picking robots
  • Robotics Plus: enables sustainable growth of the horticultural and fiber industries through robotics and automation
  • SPUDNIK Equipment Company LLC: manufactures potato harvesting and handling equipment
  • Strio AI: automates labor-intensive tasks for specialty growers, starting with runner cutting for strawberries
     

Each innovator was selected based on market traction and potential for successful scale as well as feedback from Western Grower members and industry groups, including the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.

GHAI Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), a group with expertise in precision ag, robotics, artificial intelligence, equipment manufacturing, harvest automation and grower/shipper operations, will work with the cohort on priorities that can accelerate their development efforts.

The SMEs are as follows:

  • Trimble: Mike Dentinger (Phase 1 Project Management) plus four Trimble SME’s
  • Bosch in North America: Andreas Fuchs, Fabian Henrici
  • ‎Oxbo International Corporation: Kathryn Van Weerdhuizen, Scott Korthuis (retired), Chris Schloesser (retired)
  • Spudnik Equipment Company LLC: David Offerdahl, Evan Steel
  • Ramsay Highlander: Frank Maconachy, Greg Weisenfeld
  • Driscoll’s (formerly): Michael Christensen
  • NWFM LLC: Keith Veselka
  • Red Rooster Consulting: Scott Jacky
  • ProMach: Don Wickstrum
  • Milano Technical Group: Dominic Milano, Soummya Datta
  • All-Phase Co: Ken Hite
  • Grimmway Farms: Jeff Morrison
  • Turlock Fruit Company: Neill Callis
  • Church Brothers Farms: Josh Ruiz
  • Illume Agriculture: Kevin Andrew
  • Superfresh Growers: Mike Van Pelt

Resources and detailed information about the GHAI can be found on the WG Center for Innovation & Technology webpage here.

About Western Growers:
Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including nearly half of America’s fresh organic produce. Some members also farm throughout the U.S. and in other countries so people have year-round access to nutritious food. For generations, we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers.

harvest automation
Western Growers selects 13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort

/agrotechnology/digital-smart/

Tags: ADSagricultural robotagtechequipmentharvest automationstartup
Previous Post

Watch for thrips and mites in vegetables

Next Post

Efficient watering with drip irrigation in onions

Next Post
Efficient watering with drip irrigation in onions

Efficient watering with drip irrigation in onions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy of vegetables.news app

© 2020-2024 VEGETABLES NEWS

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING

© 2020-2024 VEGETABLES NEWS