SEATTLE, April 20, 2023 — Carbon Robotics today announced a new investor, Revolution Growth, has joined the company’s Series C, bringing the total round to $35 million. The financing was led by Sozo Ventures with participation from existing investors Anthos Capital, Fuse Venture Capital, Ignition Partners, Liquid2 and Voyager Capital. The funding will be used to expand sales regions in North America, optimize and scale manufacturing, develop new software and hardware products, and launch into international markets. This latest round of financing brings Carbon Robotics’ overall funding to $72 million.
“Carbon Robotics’ elegant use of AI, computer vision, robotics and lasers is the only solution that enables farmers to reduce their most expensive line item – weed control – without damaging plants or the soil,” said Rob Freelen, managing director of Sozo Ventures. “I am particularly impressed with the team’s fast pace of innovation to bring breakthrough products to market, boosting farmers’ profitability across conventional, organic and no-till practices.”
The LaserWeeder™ identifies weeds and targets them for elimination. The implement’s 30 high-powered CO2 lasers use thermal energy to destroy the meristem of the weed with millimeter accuracy, without damaging nearby crops or disturbing the soil.
“Carbon Robotics is at an important stage, growing rapidly to meet the demand for the LaserWeeder, and this investment will play a critical role in achieving that goal,” said Paul Mikesell, founder and CEO of Carbon Robotics. “We are committed to empowering farmers to operate efficiently and by applying emerging technologies, including AI and computer vision, to daily operations.”
To date, Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeders have successfully eliminated more than 500 million weeds across 40 different crops. This year, the LaserWeeder™ will be delivered to farms across 17 U.S. states and three provinces in Canada. Most recently, Carbon Robotics expanded the features of the LaserWeeder with the industry’s first LaserThinning capability, targeting areas where vegetable crops are purposefully overseeded and then thinned for optimal crop spacing, growth and yield.
As part of the Series C financing, Rob Freelen with Sozo Ventures and Erik Benson with Voyager Capital will join the Carbon Robotics board of directors. Kristin Gunther, Revolution Growth Partner, will join as a board observer.
“The technology behind Carbon Robotics unlocks the power of AI for one of the oldest industries in the world, paving the way for more farmers to adopt efficient and sustainable farming practices. Revolution has long-invested in geographies traditionally overlooked by venture capitalists, and we’re pleased to partner with this Seattle-based company to support specialty crop growers in producing high-quality crops. Additionally, several existing federal programs and current legislative proposals create a very favorable marketplace for Carbon Robotics to scale,” said Gunther.
About Carbon Robotics
Carbon Robotics, a leader in AI-powered robotics, empowers farmers to operate more efficiently by building innovative agriculture tools. The company’s LaserWeeder is the first and only commercial laserweeding robot, leveraging sophisticated AI deep learning technology, computer vision, robotics and lasers to deliver high-precision weed control. Growers utilizing the LaserWeeder have reduced weed control costs by up to 80%. In 2023, LaserWeeders will be active across 17 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. For more information, visit: https://carbonrobotics.com/.
About Revolution Growth
Revolution Growth is a venture capital fund investing in growth-stage companies around the country that are leading disruption within their industry. Led by Steve Case, Ted Leonsis, and Steve Murray, Revolution Growth has a proven strategy of partnering with entrepreneurs to build and scale category-defining companies. Revolution Growth is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and part of Revolution’s family of funds, including Revolution Ventures and the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. Visit us online at revolution.com/growth or @Revolution.
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