A Marlborough-based startup that has built the world’s most functionally capable autonomous tractor for the agricultural industry is about to go global after partnering with a US multinational corporation to scale and expand its international footprint.
Smart Machine has designed autonomous multitasking robotic machines - called Oxin - to work in vineyards around the world. The 4.5 tonne machines are capable of mulching, spraying herbicide, mowing, canopy trimming and spraying, and leaf defoliation – almost everything except harvesting.
The technology behind the autonomous robotic machine is the most significant development for the industry since the advent of the tractor more than 130 years ago, says Smart Machine’s co-founder, Andrew Kersley.
Smart Machine is also currently in the middle of a seed raise. A big part of that is finding some strategic partners to help with the next stages of growth – and following that, it will need to build and sell more machines to meet market demand.
Callaghan Innovation initially assisted Smart Machine in funding its R&D, with the company going on to raise $1.93m through its first raise. This led to support from Pellenc, a multinational heavy machinery company based in California, which opened doors to the bigger US market.
Pellenc is the biggest supplier of grape harvesters to the US wine industry, 80 percent of which is in California, while Washington state has most of the rest.
“We need to have a partner on the ground in the US who the customers really trust, and will be able to supply them the parts they need,” Kersley says.
“We identified Pellenc very early on as that potential partner. Their connections into the industry we are targeting - the wine grape space for a start - are second to none, so being able to leverage their existing customer relationships and their existing service and support and distribution channels is key.”
Smart Machine will provide machinery and high-level support to Pellenc so that they can support their own customers on the ground.
“I want this opportunity to be more than a flash in the pan. I want to deliver value and benefit for growers in 15-20 years time. That’s key to my motivation, and Walter and Nick the other founders feel the same way,” Kersley says.
