Seattle-based Carbon Robotics has secured new funding to advance its groundbreaking Laserweeder technology, which autonomously controls weeds on agricultural farms. The investment comes from NVentures, NVIDIA‘s venture capital arm, marking a significant milestone for the company.
While financial specifics of the deal were not disclosed, Carbon Robotics recently closed a Series C funding round in April 2023. Since its inception in 2018, the company has raised a total of $74 million, according to Crunchbase.
How Laserweeder Works:
At the core of Carbon Robotics’ solution lies a high-powered laser designed to vaporize unwanted weeds directly from farmers’ fields. Equipped with 24 NVIDIA GPUs, the Laserweeder processes real-time images of plants on the ground, distinguishing weeds from crops with remarkable accuracy. Once identified, the laser delivers precise bursts of light energy to eliminate weeds instantaneously.
The Laserweeder operates as a smart implement, towed behind a tractor across the field. Farmers can utilize this technology periodically throughout the early growing season to significantly reduce weed pressure, thereby promoting optimal crop growth.
Cutting-Edge Capabilities:
Carbon Robotics boasts impressive operational metrics:
- Processes 4.7 million high-resolution images per hour.
- Eradicates up to 5,000 weeds per minute with sub-millimeter precision.
- Utilizes a vast agricultural image dataset comprising 25 million labeled plants and over 30,000 crop and weed models.
Enhanced Farming Insights:
Beyond weed control, the Laserweeder captures real-time metrics on crops and weeds, transmitting this data to the cloud. This feature provides farmers with actionable insights into their field operations, enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency.
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Future Prospects:
With tripled revenue year-over-year, Carbon Robotics is poised for continued growth. The company plans to scale production volumes of the Laserweeder while expanding its sales and distribution networks to serve new markets globally. This expansion aims to support more farmers in adopting sustainable and efficient farming practices.
Carbon Robotics’ innovative approach not only improves farming efficiency but also contributes to sustainability by reducing reliance on chemical herbicides. As the company advances its technology and expands its market reach, it aims to enhance the quality of agricultural produce and ensure better outcomes for farmers and consumers alike.
