Motivo’s Post

https://lnkd.in/gM7EHbhm [..]The company’s Series C funding round was co-led by the global impact investor Astanor and HH-CTBC Partnership L.P., an affiliate fund of Foxconn, with additional investments from At One Ventures, PMV and The Welvaartsfonds. Including this funding round, the company has raised more than $220 million to date and the new round values the company at more than $500 million.[..] [..] WingspanAI provides the ability to manage an entire fleet of tractors at once by allowing users to visualize potential routes they will take through fields and understand how they will interact with crops and equipment. It will even manage and provide records of operations and include previews for upcoming operations and past events, including alerts about current conditions. Drivers can still ride on the tractors while they are in the field for potentially tricky maneuvers, but the MK-V is fully autonomous and capable of following set routes and visible crop rows. However, if something begins to go wrong, the operator can take over at any point. Since the launch of the MK-V, Monarch says that it has delivered more than 400 tractors to customers. Their work has resulted in more than 850 tons of environmentally harmful CO2 emissions offset, compared with fossil fuel-burning variants, across more than 42,000 hours of operations.[..]

Like the US - South Africa's agritech sector is experiencing rapid growth, driven by factors such as the increasing adoption of precision agriculture technologies, the growing demand for food security, and the government's support for agritech innovation. According to a recent report by the World Bank, the South African agritech market is expected to reach $1.4 billion by 2025. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including: - The increasing adoption of precision agriculture technologies such as GPS-enabled tractors, drones, and sensors. These technologies are helping farmers to improve their yields, reduce their costs, and make more informed decisions about their farming practices. - The growing demand for food security. The population of South Africa is growing rapidly, and the country is facing a number of challenges to food production, such as climate change and water scarcity. Agritech is helping to address these challenges by developing new technologies that can help to increase food production and improve food security. - The government's support for agritech innovation. The South African government has launched a number of initiatives to support the growth of the agritech sector, such as the National Agricultural Development Strategy and the National Rural Development Programme. These initiatives are providing funding and other forms of support to agritech startups and businesses. BMEC is a leading provider of technical solutions to the agritech sector. We have a team of experienced engineers who can help you to develop and implement new agritech solutions. We also have a deep understanding of the South African agritech market, which allows us to provide you with tailored advice and support. If you are looking for a technical partner to help you grow your agritech business, BMEC is the right choice. We have the expertise and experience to help you succeed. #agritech #SouthAfrica #agriculture #technology #innovation #farming #sustainability #foodsecurity #precisionagriculture #engineering #productdevelopment #CapeTown #IoT #AI #robotics #drones #sensors #dataanalytics #cpp #arduino #espressif #flutter #android #iOS

💰 Monarch Tractor Secures $133 Million Series C Funding Round Monarch Tractor, the creator of the MK-V, the world’s first fully electric, driver-optional smart tractor, and Wingspan Ag Intelligence (WingspanAI) farm management platform, has announced a historic $133 million Series C funding round. This funding round was co-led by global impact investor Astanor and HH-CTBC Partnership, L.P., with additional support from At One Ventures, PMV, and The Welvaartsfonds. “Driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and electrification, agriculture has arrived as the next frontier for the energy transition and sustainability movement,” said Praveen Penmetsa, CEO and co-founder of Monarch Tractor. “Agriculture is our planet’s most important and overlooked sector, and those in the industry have faced significant challenges, including farm profitability, labor shortages, worker safety, government headwinds, data availability, and scrutiny for sustainability demands. Monarch’s application of AI and introduction of a smart, electric platform will deliver farmers robust social, economic, and environmental returns.” Read more here -> https://lnkd.in/egGg7bZp ******************************** Get a weekly digest on the industry at agtechdigest.com/subscribe

I thought building a cloud-native search and AI database from scratch was hard until I saw what it takes to build an electric, autonomous tractor. Excited to see Monarch Tractor announce its latest fund raise today In my role, I get to learn from hundreds of customers about applied AI, the enterprise applications they are building, their challenges and their success stories. I’m still blown away by the real world stories I get to hear at home from my husband Praveen Penmetsa about AI in agriculture: 1) A farmer received an alert that they were seeing 40% more electric energy consumption in the same mowing operations and quickly made some simple changes to correct it. Can you imagine how many tractors around the world are consuming way too much diesel for everyday farm operations without the farmer even realizing it? 2) A winery used vision systems and AI for identifying and de-weeding the vineyard before the weed spread, instead of spraying expensive, toxic chemicals all over the place. The list goes on and I can’t wait to see more applied AI in agriculture. What an amazing mission this team is on. Congratulations and best wishes to the entire team at Monarch Tractor. #AI #appliedAI #agtech

🚀 Early Stage Investment Opportunity: Shape the Future of Sustainable Agriculture with AgriDrone Sweden AB! 🚀 We're thrilled to announce a unique early-stage investment opportunity at AgriDrone Sweden AB, a pioneering force poised to redefine sustainable agriculture. Founded in May 2023 by visionaries passionate about integrating climate-smart solutions into farming, AgriDrone is at the cutting edge of agricultural innovation. 🌱 What Is AgriDrone Sweden AB? 🌱 AgriDrone introduces an innovative service leveraging autonomous drone technology for predictive analysis, offering farmers the latest advancements in precision agriculture without significant upfront costs. Our solutions enable detailed insights into soil health, empowering farmers with actionable data to optimize cultivation strategies, improve yield efficiency, and significantly reduce environmental footprints. 💡 Why Invest in AgriDrone? 💡 - Early Stage Advantage: As an early-stage investor, you have the unique opportunity to be part of a venture with high growth potential at the ground level, shaping the trajectory of sustainable farming technology. - Sustainability Meets Innovation: Our commitment to sustainability through innovative drone technology addresses both environmental challenges and the growing demand for efficient, tech-driven farming solutions. - Market Potential: The agri-tech sector is experiencing rapid growth, with an increasing need for solutions that balance productivity and environmental stewardship. AgriDrone is strategically positioned to lead this space. - Demonstrated Success: Despite our recent inception, we've already secured strategic partnerships and initial funding, showcasing the market's confidence in our vision and technology. 🌟 Join Us on Our Mission 🌟 We're on the lookout for investors who share our enthusiasm for groundbreaking technology and sustainability. This is more than an investment in AgriDrone; it's an investment in the future of agriculture. Your support will drive our expansion, refine our offerings, and solidify our position as leaders in the agri-tech revolution. Interested in being part of this journey from the early stages and contributing to a greener future? For investment inquiries and to join the AgriDrone story, contact us at info@agridrone.tech. 🔗 Together, we can cultivate a sustainable and technologically advanced agricultural future. #AgriDroneSweden #SustainableAgriculture #EarlyStageInvestment #Innovation #AgriTech #InvestInGreenFuture #Investment #VC

I learn something new about the agricultural ecosystem every day.

🌱 To investors in my network seeking to make a positive impact on the planet:

Monarch Tractor – A snapshot Yesterday, we had provided an overview of FarmDroid’s ecosystem globally in which it is embedded, just querying in seconds our AGCUMEN Ecosystem Intelligence (https://lnkd.in/eZFrWEbU) Today, upon request, we are focusing on Monarch Tractor, one of over 60,000 organizations in our 9-year agriculture and technology related ecosystem. When doing a simple query in our system about Monarch Tractor we get a holistic view of the countries it is connected to (around 20 through its current ecosystem of partners, intermediaries, investors etc.), the organizations that form the core of its ecosystem (around 120 organizations across the entire value chain), and much more. We can deep dive from here an look at countries/regions separately, look at all relevant organizations in its supply chain and respective ties to intermediaries, OEMs, universities, investors and all kinds of entities, even customers who bought or are testing their vehicles. We can also pull reporting, alliances, capacity increases, and many more data about Monarch to get detailed and up to date insights, and see how the company and its network evolved over time Monarch among others cooperates with CNH. New Holland Switzerland e.g. confirmed this week that New Holland and Case IH are about to launch electric tractors in Switzerland. The New Holland T4 Electric Power, which has a rated output of 75 hp (55 kW), was developed together with Monarch Tractor. Monarch Tractor also recently linked up with Verizon Business, a division of Verizon Communications, when it comes to autonomy. The future is all about embedded and connected intelligence, by using network science and particularly knowledge graphs people can make decisions in seconds rather than weeks, and Ecosystem Intelligence will be an integral part of better informed decisions. CNH, Verizon Business, #agcumen #ecosystemintelligence, #theFutureOfActionableIntelligence, Farm Table, #WelcomeTomorrow

Funding News: Monarch Tractor, known for its MK-V, the world’s first fully electric, driver-optional smart tractor, has secured $133 million in Series C funding, setting a record for agricultural robotics. The Series C funds will enhance Monarch’s AI-driven solutions, including their Wingspan Ag Intelligence platform and the Autodrive feature. Their MK-V tractors have already offset 850 tonnes of CO2 emissions and are transforming farming operations with automation and data integration. "Agriculture is our planet's most important and overlooked sector, and those in the industry have faced significant challenges, including farm profitability, labor shortages, worker safety, government headwinds, data availability, and scrutiny for sustainability demands. Monarch's application of AI and introduction of a smart, electric platform will deliver robust social, economic, and environmental returns to farmers," said Praveen Penmetsa, CEO and co-founder of Monarch Tractor. #AgriculturalRobotics #ElectricTractors #FarmTech #SustainableFarming #AIinAgriculture #InnovationInFarming #CleanTech #FarmAutomation #SmartTractors #ClimateSmartFarming #GreenAgriculture #TechForFarmers

🌟 Thank you, Future Farming Community! 🌟 I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who engaged with the recent video on the electric Seederal tractor. Your insights and discussions are invaluable. 🔋🚜 Electric drive, with its instant torque and smooth delivery, has the potential to revolutionize farming. While there are challenges, particularly with battery life and charging infrastructure, the progress and innovation in this field are promising. 🌱 Engaging in Meaningful Debate 🌱 The constructive debates around battery performance, soil conditions, and economic impacts are essential. Your feedback, whether about battery duration or infrastructure needs, helps drive the advancements needed to make electric tractors a viable solution. 📈 Looking Ahead 📈 The future of electric tractors is continuous innovation will only improve their efficiency and practicality. Keep the conversation going and let's work together towards a sustainable farming future! 🌍💪 #FutureFarming #ElectricTractors #SustainableAgriculture #Innovation #Agritech #CommunityFeedback