Queensland-based agtech company SwarmFarm Robotics has secured $30 million to accelerate the rollout of its autonomous farming robots and expand into North America.
The Emerald-headquartered startup raised the funding in a Series B round announced Thursday that included a $7 million commitment from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
The government corporation made its investment through the Powering Australia Technology Fund (PATF) for high-growth clean technology companies.
The funding round was led by European AgriTech investor Edaphon, with participation from QIC, Emmertech, Tenacious Ventures, Artesian’s GrainInnovate fund, Tribe Global Ventures, and Access Capital.
With the new funding, SwarmFarm plans to accelerate its growth in North America, expand its team, and continue developing its partner ecosystem.
European investor Edaphon’s Joost Van Laer described the company as the “dark horse in the race for autonomy,” while QIC Ventures’ Hayden Wall said it is “leading the transformation of agriculture — not by making machines bigger, but by making systems smarter.”
With manufacturing in Toowoomba, the company has already deployed more than 200 of its lightweight, self-driving “SwarmBots” across Australia which use precision spraying technology to cut herbicide use by up to 95 per cent and reduce fuel-related emissions by 35 per cent, while supporting “no till” farming practices that improve soil health.
“The future of agriculture isn’t bigger machines or bolt-on driverless kits. It’s Integrated Autonomy. Technology designed from the ground up to work with farmers, not around them,” SwarmFarm co-founder and chief executive Andrew Bate said.
Mr Bate said Integrated Autonomy is a system where lightweight autonomous platforms combine with an open ecosystem of applications, giving farmers the freedom to design their own farming systems.
“With this raise, we’re not just building more robots; we’re building a new farming system that helps farmers do more with less, while preserving the productivity of their land for future generations,” he said.
CEFC head of growth capital Malcolm Thornton said the investment reflects the potential of SwarmFarm’s technology to provide farmers with new tools and practices that lower the environmental impact of agriculture.
“The robots have proved successful in reducing herbicide costs and equipment outlay, while reducing overall emissions associated with traditional farming practice,” he said.
Queensland farmer Tom Coggan said the technology is changing the way farms can be managed, allowing growers to design their systems around the needs of their land and business rather than being dictated by the size of machinery.
“Working with the team at SwarmFarm, we’re reducing compaction, lowering costs, and opening up new ways of farming that simply weren’t possible before,” Mr Coggan said. “It’s technology that works with us, not against us, and it’s helping secure the productivity of our farm for the next generation.”
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