Source: Ecorobotix news release
Ecorobotix, the Swiss manufacturer of ARA, an AI powered plant-by-plant recognition and ultra-high precision smart spraying system, announced the completion of a $52 million (CHF 46 million) funding round, jointly led by AQTON Private Equity GmbH and Cibus Capital LLP, with additional investments from Swisscanto Invest/Swisscanto Growth Fund I, Yara Growth Ventures, Flexstone Partners, and from existing investors including Swisscom Ventures, BASF Venture Capital, 4FOX Ventures, and Verve Ventures. The funding will accelerate Ecorobotix’s geographic expansion across new and existing markets and accelerate new product development.
Stefan Quandt, owner of AQTON PE (co-lead investor), explained his company’s decision to invest in Ecorobotix:
“I’m looking forward to helping grow businesses like Ecorobotix which are having a positive impact on agriculture and the environment. Ultra-high precision agriculture and solutions like ARA from Ecorobotix are critical to improving farmer efficiency and helping move towards an eco-friendlier future.”
Stefan Quandt, owner of AQTON PE
With customers in 15 European markets, these investments will further accelerate Ecorobotix’s rapidly growing business. Ecorobotix will use the new capital to expedite the growth of ARA worldwide, particularly in the Americas. The capital will also help reinforce the company’s mission to radically change agriculture for the better by offering smart, innovative, and sustainable crop treatment solutions. ARA saves farmers money and makes their lives easier, while simultaneously respecting the environment by massively reducing input costs about 70-95%, increasing crop yields, reducing the impact on soil, and preserving biodiversity.
“We are proud to be working with investors who clearly see the environmental benefits of our ultra-high precision technology. With these new investments, we will deliver ARA to more farmers, in more markets, increasing agricultural productivity while protecting the environment and reducing CO2 impact.”
Ecorobotix CEO, Simon Aspinall
For this financing Ecorobotix worked with UBS Growth Advisory and Oaklins France as advisors. The capital raise included $48.3M (CHF 43.1M) of new equity and $3.4M (CHF 3M) of new financing facilities thanks to the FOEN Swiss Technology Fund. The new capital will enable Ecorobotix to grow into new markets, expand the product range, and build on the existing commercial success of ARA in Europe.
Ecorobotix
Ecorobotix is a Swiss company, Certified B Corporation, founded to radically change agriculture for the better to respect the environment by reducing chemical/energy use and impact on soil. Ecorobotix developed ARA, a revolutionary plant-by-plant data solution and ultra-high precision crop treatment that reduces the use 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 unique ultra-high precision spraying system, ARA can recognize individual plants, classify them in real-time, and spray the weeds with an unprecedented precision of 2.4×2.4in (6x6cm) without affecting the surrounding crops or soil.
