The Advanced Farm apple-picking robot relies on six robotic arms and vision guidance, to identify and pick ripe from from the trees. | Credit: The Robot Report
CNH Industrial has agreed to acquire the assets and intellectual property of Advanced Farm, an startup developing robotic apple pickers. Several growers in Washington state successfully piloted the apple-picking system during the 2024 harvest season, and it performed as expected.
“The value we see in Advanced Farm’s technology lies in its ability to address labor shortages and enhance the efficiency and resilience of the agricultural industry,” said a CNH spokesperson. “By integrating Advanced Farm’s technologies into our broader innovation strategy, we aim to further advance robotic harvesting solutions. Key members of the Advanced Farm team will be immediately joining CNH’s technology and innovation divisions, strengthening our internal development team as we pursue these solutions.”
CNH was an early investor in Advanced Farms Technologies Inc., supporting the Davis, Calif.-based company‘s vision of developing a novel apple and strawberry-picking robotic solution. According to sources, CNH plans to continue commercializing the platform.
The Advanced Farm team introduced their robot at a demo site during FIRA 2024. | Credit: The Robot Report
Advanced Farm CEO Kyle Cobb told The Robot Report that while his company reached its technical milestone this past season, the investment climate is currently difficult for agtech startups. The decision to sell the assets and IP to CNH was a difficult one, but it ensures that the investment will live on, he said.
Abbot said that the IP will transfer to CNH and wrap into its other initiatives. Additionally, a large majority of Advanced Farm’s technical team will join CNH.
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