Carbon Robotics secures $70 million in Series D funding to enhance agricultural robotics

Carbon Robotics, a US-based developer of autonomous farming technologies, has successfully raised $70 million in a Series D funding round, spearheaded by the venture capital firm BOND. This investment boosts the company’s total funding to $157 million, with significant contributions from NVentures (NVIDIA’s venture arm), Anthos Capital, Fuse Venture Capital, Ignition Partners, Revolution, Sozo Ventures, and Voyager Capital.

The newly acquired funds are earmarked for expanding the reach of its pioneering LaserWeeder platform and other related services into new international markets, alongside efforts geared towards the development of new products. The LaserWeeder platform utilizes advanced deep-learning-based computer vision models to autonomously identify and eliminate weeds using CO2 lasers, boasting the capability to process 4.7 million high-resolution images per hour and target 5,000 weeds per minute.

At the recent FIRA Robotics show in California, Carbon Robotics CEO Paul Mikesell highlighted the transformative impact of AI and robotics on agriculture. Mikesell emphasized the strategic deployment of these technologies on farms, which is pivotal in advancing agricultural productivity.

This funding milestone occurs amidst a broader capital crunch in the agtech sector. Despite a 21.1% decline in funding within the Farm Robotics, Mechanization, and Equipment category during the first half of 2024, as reported by AgFunderNews, Carbon Robotics’ success points to a resilient interest in innovative agricultural solutions.

Mikesell credits the support and feedback from farmers during the initial stages of development as crucial to the company’s ability to secure funding and advance technologically. He underscored the importance of quality control and the readiness of agricultural robots for field operations, noting that these are essential for sustaining growth and securing venture capital.

Looking forward, Carbon Robotics plans to expand its market presence into new global regions and is also developing new products that leverage AI and robotics to further enhance agricultural practices, although specific details about these new offerings remain undisclosed.