Bonsai Robotics raises $15M for AI to help farms combat labor shortages
Bonsai Robotics raised $15 million from investors to advance production of its automated harvester Visionsteer, which uses artificial intelligence to pick fruits and nuts in orchards.
The recent funding will be used to enhance Bonsai’s software and expand the startup’s artificial intelligence platform and data set, according to a news release. The San Jose, California-based firm also plans to build its partnerships with manufacturers and farmers, as well as accelerate bringing its products to market.
“This additional funding is strong validation of the incredible work our team has accomplished and our future growth prospects,” Tyler Niday, Bonsai co-founder and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
Bonsai’s flagship Visionsteer is a retrofit hardware kit that uses cameras and computers to make existing farm equipment operate autonomously. The company has conducted field trials with more than 40 farm vehicles integrated with the computer-vision technology across the U.S. and Australia.
In 2023, Bonsai secured $13.5 million in early funding to accelerate production by making investments in hiring, sales and marketing. The latest funding round was led by Bison Ventures, with participation from Cibus Capital, Acre Venture Partners and other investors.