Swarmfarm-Agbot - Credit QUT
| Startup Name | SwarmFarm Robotics |
| What problem are you solving? | The United Nations states that we need to double agricultural output to feed the burgeoning world population by the year 2040.Yet it is widely known that the world has almost reached “Peak Farmland” – there is very little land left undeveloped to bring into production.Future increases in food production will come from increasing yields from existing farmland.We are introducing robotic technology into agriculture that has the potential to increase yields, improve efficiency and produce food in a more environmentally sustainable way. |
| is your solution? | We are developing small, simple robotic technology for agriculture. Our vision is “Small simple robots that do simple tasks very well”A “Swarm” of small robots replace large single tractors that are used in agriculture today.Our machines are lightweight to prevent soil compaction and scale able to any size farming operation- from 3rd world up to corporate farming.Robotics will be an enabling technology for agriculture- it will enable new farming methods and technologies not previously possible in traditional farming systems.We aim to tend crops at an individual plant level, rather than at an entire paddock level. |
| Why is this a great opportunity? | Robotics offers the next big revolution in agriculture, similar to the Green revolution in the 1970’s and the Genetically modified revolution int he 2000’s.Mining is over and Agriculture is the next big thing.There is a lot of interest in investing in agriculture in Australia, but the track record of corporate farming or overseas investors buying farms in Australia is very poor.This is an opportunity to get exposure to the “Dining Boom” without investing in farmland. Australia is a world leader in outdoor robotics (check out Rio Tintos’ mine of the future and Patrick Stevedores’ automated waterfront).We have great experience in this area of robotics here in Australia. We are partnered with The Queensland University of Technology and The University of Sydney’s Australian Center for Field Robotics. Learn more about us here. http://innovationseries.com.au/past-events/speaker-presentations-and-video |
| Target Market | Agriculture – All sizes of farm business – from small family farmers, larger private farmers up to corporate farmers. Out technology would also carry over to the 3rd word where food security is a huge issue. |
| How will you make money? | Software as a service. |
| Founders Names | Andrew Bate, Jocie Bate, Neville Crook |
| Website | http://www.swarmfarm.com |
| What type of funding has the company received | Bootstrapped/self funded |
We like a lot about this startup, the problem is real. Farmers biggest costs are labour and fuel and one of their biggest issues are weeds.
Agtech & Foodtech is a massive market and there is a lot of opportunity for improvement in food production so we are keen about this space.
I like that instead of spending two years and $200k building some super robot that would have lasted a week on a farm they took a known tough John Deere Gator for $15-20k and retrofitted it with their robotic control units and spent all their time on the control software not the engineering of the robot.
Swarmfarm are looking for Mechatronics and Electrical Engineers, apply via their contact page.
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