Carbon Robotics secures $20 million for development of new AI-powered farm robot

Seattle-based agricultural technology startup Carbon Robotics has raised $20 million in fresh capital to fund the development of a new AI-driven robot for farms.

The investment, an extension of the company’s Series D-2 round, was led by UK-based Giant Ventures, known for supporting sustainability-focused startups. The new funding brings Carbon Robotics’ total capital raised to $177 million.

Founded in 2018 by Paul Mikesell, the company gained recognition for its LaserWeeder, a machine that uses computer vision and high-powered lasers to identify and destroy weeds without herbicides. The latest version, LaserWeeder G2, was released in February, while the company’s Autonomous Tractor Kit (ATK) — launched in March — converts conventional tractors into autonomous machines designed to address farm labor shortages.

Mikesell said the company is now developing “a brand new AI robot” that will extend the use of its artificial intelligence platform beyond weeding. While details remain undisclosed, the machine is expected to be unveiled in about nine months.

“It’s very flexible, capable of doing a lot with the world around it, understanding what it’s seeing, what’s happening,” Mikesell said. He added that Carbon Robotics is doubling down on its AI and computer vision systems to expand their on-farm applications.

Carbon’s AI relies on what Mikesell describes as a “large plant model” trained on extensive image datasets that allow its machines to recognize plant structures globally. The company says this enables all its units to operate from a single shared model, which continually improves as new plant and weed data are collected from farms worldwide.

The LaserWeeder is currently used by hundreds of farms in the United States and 14 countries, while the company operates manufacturing facilities in Richland, Washington, and the Netherlands to support global production. Carbon employs about 260 people and reports steady revenue growth, though it has not yet reached profitability.