Yara Growth Ventures reported on May 9 that it has invested in Swiss-based precision ag technology developer Ecorobotix, whose ARA smart spraying system allows for a reduction of herbicides, pesticides, growth treatments, and liquid fertilizers by 70-95%, while increasing crop yields by 5% or more and significantly decreasing CO2 emissions.
Using AI technology and its ultra-high precision spraying system, ARA can recognize individual plants, classify them in real-time, and spray the weeds with an unprecedented precision of 6x6cm without affecting the surrounding crops or soil.
“We are observing a lot of innovation in smart agricultural machinery, but Ecorobotix truly stands out,” said Björn Heinz of the Yara Growth Ventures, the investment team within Yara International ASA.
The current US$52 million funding round is jointly led by AQTON Private Equity GmbH and Cibus Capital LLP, with additional contributions from both existing and new investors including Yara Growth Ventures. The investment is expected to accelerate Ecorobotix’s geographic expansion and enable new product development.