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Engineers at North Dakota State University have developed and field-tested an autonomous mechanical weeding robot that achieved 96.5% weeding efficacy in sugar beet trials.

The system combines an Amiga robotic platform with a three-row cultivator featuring independently controlled sweep blades for precise, site-specific weed removal.

Using RTK-GPS, strain gauge load cells and laser distance sensors, the robot can adjust blade positioning and depth based on field conditions.

Trials showed that the system could achieve 50% weed coverage while reducing overall soil disturbance by 48.7% compared with less targeted cultivation.

The robot maintained an average tillage depth close to the 30-millimetre target, demonstrating precise mechanical control.

However, its current operating speed of about 0.5 metres per second remains a major limitation for large-scale commercial deployment.

Researchers see faster actuators, improved positioning updates and multiple robots working in parallel as key steps toward commercial-scale autonomous mechanical weeding.

St. Louis-based agricultural biotechnology startup Spearhead Bio has raised $1.62 million in an oversubscribed seed funding round to advance its TAHITI gene-editing platform.

The technology combines CRISPR enzymes with transposase machinery to enable precise insertion of large DNA sequences into plant genomes.

Unlike conventional CRISPR applications that are more effective at removing or disrupting genes, TAHITI is designed to insert, replace and stack genetic traits at targeted locations.

The platform uses separate components for the editing machinery and DNA cargo, allowing the editing system to be removed while leaving the intended genetic change behind.

Spearhead Bio has demonstrated the technology in Arabidopsis and is now testing it in soybean and corn with industry partners.

The company says the platform could support applications ranging from gene replacement to multi-trait development across different crops.

The funding, led by BioGenerator Ventures and Danforth Technology Company, will support further technical development and milestones over the next 18–24 months.

Agtech startup Lilac Agriculture has closed an oversubscribed $2.3 million seed round led by Innova to solve the long-standing "black box" problem of rhizobial inoculants.

While inoculating pulse crops is standard farming practice, native soil bacteria routinely outcompete commercial strains, preventing them from colonizing root nodules and fixing atmospheric nitrogen effectively.

Founded in 2024 by researchers and industry veterans from North Dakota State University, Lilac utilizes a multi-phase platform that pairs natural strain screening with guided evolution to optimize both nitrogen-fixing efficiency and competitive nodulation in real-world soils.

In field trials across diverse soil types, its debut naturally selected strain, PL11, delivered an 11% yield lift over untreated controls and a 6% boost over legacy commercial products.

Formulated as a cost-competitive, shelf-stable powder, the product generated initial commercial revenues across pulse acreage in the Northern Plains this season.

Lilac plans to deploy the capital to expand trials, develop dry bean and Canadian offerings, and eventually bring its biological platform to soybeans and major row crops with an eye toward near-term profitability.

China has launched CottonMind 1.0, a specialised #AI platform designed to connect cotton research, breeding, field diagnostics and farmer advisory services through a single digital system.

Developed by the Institute of cotton Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the platform includes a web-based research interface and a mobile mini-programme for growers.

Its cotton-focused knowledge base contains 41,680 research papers, more than 2,000 patents and standards, 559 specialised books and 1,806 approved cotton-variety records.

Farmers can use the platform to ask crop-management questions, upload images for preliminary diagnosis and consult agricultural specialists.

Researchers can use it to search scientific literature and connect information on genes, traits, varieties, cultivation and plant-health issues.

CottonMind supports Chinese, English, Uyghur and Uzbek, potentially improving access to technical information across major cotton-growing regions.

The developers plan to further expand the platform’s analytical capabilities and precision services, aiming to shorten the gap between cotton research and practical farm-level decision-making.

German agritech company Computomics GmbH has raised €6.3 million in a Series B equity financing round led by Convent Capital AgriFood Fund (€5 million), alongside existing backers High-Tech Gründerfonds, MBG Baden-Württemberg, Amathaon Capital, founders, and scientific advisers.

Benefiting from EU support via the InvestEU Fund, the capital will scale commercial delivery of Computomics' machine learning platform, ×SeedScore®.

By integrating genomic, soil, and climate data, the technology predicts crop performance under extreme heat and drought conditions, helping commercial breeders identify resilient plant candidates faster.

The funding comes as extreme weather forces down 2026 European yield projections across major spring and summer crops like maize and sunflower.

UK-based Wild Bioscience has acquired F1 Seed Ltd to establish Britain's first independent precision-breeding wheat business, combining advanced gene editing, AI-driven trait discovery, and traditional wheat breeding.

The merger creates a fully integrated seed company focused on developing high-yielding, climate-resilient, and disease-resistant wheat varieties tailored for UK farmers.

The move comes as British wheat production faces stagnant yields, rising input costs, and increasing climate challenges.

Backed by the UK's precision breeding regulations, the combined company aims to accelerate crop innovation, strengthen domestic food security, and reduce reliance on multinational seed companies.

By integrating cutting-edge biotechnology with decades of breeding expertise, Wild Bioscience seeks to deliver next-generation wheat varieties that improve productivity and resilience for the future of British agriculture.

UK-based agritech startup Moa Technology has raised $29.6 million (£22.2 million) in a Series C funding round to accelerate the development of innovative weed management solutions with novel modes of action.

Since its launch in 2017, the company has identified more than 80 new mechanisms to combat herbicide-resistant weeds, a growing global challenge affecting modern agriculture.

Moa is also developing biological "amplifier" molecules that enhance the effectiveness of existing herbicides while potentially reducing application rates.

The fresh investment will support the commercialization of its three most advanced programs, expand its research pipeline, and strengthen its amplifier platform.

Backed by strategic partnerships with Corteva Agriscience, Nufarm, Gowan, and Certis Belchim, the company aims to deliver more sustainable and effective weed control technologies to farmers worldwide within the coming years.

Israeli agritech startup Nanovel LTD has received a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator to accelerate the commercialisation of its AI-powered autonomous harvesting robots for citrus orchards.

The funding, along with potential equity support of up to €4.3 million, will help the company complete product development, conduct large-scale field trials across Europe, and prepare for a commercial launch in 2028.

Nanovel's robotic platform combines computer vision, deep learning, and multi-arm precision harvesting technology to address labour shortages and improve harvesting efficiency.

Initially targeting orange and lemon orchards, the company plans to expand its solution to other high-value fruit crops, supporting the global shift toward automation in precision agriculture.

Singapore-based agritech startup Rize has secured $31 million in Series B funding, taking its total funding to $47 million, to expand sustainable rice farming in Southeast Asia.

The company helps farmers adopt Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), a water management technique that can reduce methane emissions by 30–70% while maintaining crop yields and lowering water use.

Rize currently supports 17,000 smallholder farmers across 50,000 hectares in Vietnam and Indonesia and has exported 1,500 tonnes of low-emission rice to international markets.

The fresh investment will accelerate farmer adoption of climate-smart practices, improve export compliance, and expand digital advisory services.

By 2030, Rize aims to reach 150,000 farmers across 300,000 hectares, strengthening sustainable rice production and climate resilience in Asia.

nurture.retail is expanding its AI-powered agri-retail platform to drive the digital transformation of India’s agricultural input ecosystem, reporting a 35% increase in monthly active users during FY26.

The company plans to onboard more retailers, manufacturers, and product categories while launching a plug-and-play digital storefront that enables brands to create online stores in less than 24 hours.

Its AI-driven platform enhances demand forecasting, product recommendations, and market insights, helping retailers make faster, data-driven procurement decisions.

With investments in multilingual experiences, faster fulfillment, supply chain efficiency, and value-added services, nurture.retail aims to strengthen connections between manufacturers, retailers, and farmers while building a more transparent, efficient, and technology-enabled agricultural marketplace across India.

UK-based agritech startup Dogtooth Technologies has secured more than £14 million in growth funding to accelerate the global deployment of its AI-powered fruit-harvesting robots.

The investment, backed by 24Haymarket, EMV Capital plc, ACF Investors, Innovate UK, and Kineo Finance, will support international expansion and wider commercial adoption of its autonomous harvesting technology.

Dogtooth’s robots combine computer vision, artificial intelligence, and precision robotics to identify and pick delicate fruits without causing damage.

Already deployed on commercial farms, including Dyson Farming, the technology aims to address growing labour shortages and rising production costs in horticulture.

The funding underscores increasing investor confidence in agricultural robotics as a scalable solution for the future of fruit and vegetable production.

Researchers from The University of Tokyo and Kubota Corporation have developed a drone-based system that uses remote sensing, machine learning and a growth curve model to predict potato yields before harvest.

The technology combines RGB and multispectral drone imagery with artificial intelligence to estimate underground tuber biomass without destructive sampling.

Field trials conducted over two years achieved high prediction accuracy, demonstrating the system’s potential for reliable pre-harvest yield forecasting.

The innovation enables farmers to monitor crop performance, optimize cultivation practices and determine the best harvest timing.

The breakthrough highlights the growing role of drones and AI in precision agriculture, supporting more efficient, data-driven and sustainable potato production.

InSoil has secured a €120 million senior secured credit facility to expand financing for agricultural SMEs adopting regenerative farming practices across Europe.

The funding, backed by Pollen Street Capital and supported by the European Investment Fund under the InvestEU programme, marks one of Europe’s largest private credit commitments for sustainable agriculture.

Founded in 2020, InSoil provides mid-term debt capital for practices such as no-till farming, cover cropping, crop diversification, and reduced synthetic fertilizer use.

The company has already financed over 3,500 agricultural SMEs and collected more than 15,000 soil samples, building one of Europe’s largest proprietary soil carbon datasets.

InSoil combines credit financing with measurable climate outcomes, including soil carbon credit generation under the Verified Carbon Standard.

The new facility is expected to help close the major financing gap in Europe’s agricultural sector while accelerating the transition to climate-smart and regenerative farming systems.

DJI Agriculture has officially launched its new Agras T55 and Agras T100 Dual Battery Spraying System, expanding its precision farming drone portfolio for global markets.

The new drones are designed to improve spraying, seeding, and field management efficiency across orchards, small plots, and large-scale farms.

The Agras T55 features a 50-liter spray payload, advanced millimeter-wave radar for obstacle detection, and a quad-vision camera system for improved safety and navigation.

Meanwhile, the Agras T100 offers a 90-liter tank with dual-battery technology, increasing hover time by 50% and enabling longer, uninterrupted operations for large field applications.

DJI says more than 600,000 of its agricultural drones are already in use across 100+ countries, treating over 300 crop types.

The launch strengthens DJI’s position as a global leader in agricultural drone innovation, helping farmers improve productivity while reducing environmental impact through more precise input application.

FMC Corporation has signed a definitive agreement with Tessenderlo Group for a strategic minority investment worth approximately $400 million.

Under the deal, Tessenderlo will acquire FMC shares at $13.30 per share, gaining around a 20% ownership stake. The investment aligns with Tessenderlo’s strategy to strengthen its agricultural portfolio and leverage FMC’s innovation pipeline, particularly in next-generation crop protection technologies.

For FMC, the deal marks the end of its strategic review launched in early 2026 and will mainly be used to reduce debt, targeting nearly $1 billion in repayments. The company has also undertaken multiple financial restructuring steps, including asset sales and strategic agreements, to improve liquidity.

With a stronger balance sheet, FMC aims to accelerate R&D, commercialize new agri-technologies, and maintain its long-term growth momentum as an independent company.

Saudi-based agri-climate startup Terraxy has secured $3 million in a Seed-2 funding round led by Wa'ed Ventures, with participation from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

The investment will help Terraxy scale its breakthrough soil-regeneration technology and build a 30,000-square-meter commercial facility in Al Zulfi, Saudi Arabia.

Its flagship product, Carbosoil, improves plant growth and crop yield by up to 70% while using the same amount of water and nutrients, making it highly effective for desert farming.

The solution also stores CO₂ for centuries, combining soil restoration with carbon capture. Terraxy has already advanced through Saudi Arabia’s MEWA Regulatory Sandbox, validating its technology for large-scale use.

The company’s innovation supports the country’s food security, sustainability, and Vision 2030 greening goals.

Syngenta has introduced its proprietary ATLAS (Application Technology Laboratory Automation System), a robotic platform designed to enhance tank-mix compatibility testing and accelerate crop protection product development.

The system can process 500–600 tank-mix combinations per month, significantly reducing the time required for manual testing.

ATLAS automates sample preparation, imaging, and analytical assessments, delivering more precise and consistent results.

The platform helps speed up R&D decisions, improve product reliability, and ensure better field performance for customers.

It also serves as a troubleshooting tool by recreating real-world tank-mix issues such as sedimentation and nozzle blockage under controlled conditions.

The innovation strengthens Syngenta’s data-driven approach to developing science-backed agricultural solutions.

Belgium-based AgTech startup Rainbow Crops has secured €9.7 million ($11.25 million) in seed funding to accelerate its AI-driven multiplex gene-editing platform for crops like corn, sorghum, and rice.

The company combines artificial intelligence, genome editing, and high-throughput plant screening to improve complex traits such as higher yield, drought tolerance, and heat resilience.

By targeting and fine-tuning multiple genes simultaneously, Rainbow Crops aims to create “rationally designed genetic diversity” for next-generation crop breeding.

The startup plans to partner with seed companies, licensing improved crop varieties while earning revenue through R&D services and royalties.

The new investment will support technology development, commercial partnerships, and expansion of its global crop improvement programs.

Canadian AgTech startup Picketa Systems has secured CAD$2.1 million ($1.5 million) in funding to scale its portable AI-powered crop nutrient sensing technology across North America.

The company’s LENS (Leaf Evaluated Nutrient System) uses spectroscopy and machine learning to analyze 13 essential crop nutrients directly in the field, delivering results within minutes.

Combined with its Fieldbook platform, the technology helps farmers optimize fertilizer use, reduce input costs by up to 20%, and improve yields through precision nutrient management.

Picketa’s solution eliminates the delays and costs associated with traditional lab testing while enabling more frequent and localized crop monitoring.

The startup is expanding support to major crops including soybeans and wheat, with its technology already adopted by 45 ag retailers across North America.

The latest investment will accelerate platform development and advance the company’s vision of fully automated, data-driven fertilizer management.

OneSoil has partnered with Polish climate-tech startup Rainbow Weather to add hyperlocal rainfall forecasting to its precision agriculture platform.

The new feature uses AI and machine learning to predict rainfall probability and intensity for specific field locations up to four hours in advance.

By combining radar, satellite, and atmospheric data, the tool helps farmers better plan spraying, fertilizing, and other field operations. The integration has already been adopted by more than 15,000 farmers each month.

With extreme weather causing major losses across agriculture, the partnership aims to improve farm decision-making and reduce weather-related risks.

OneSoil currently serves over 1.16 million users worldwide, including enterprise clients such as Corteva Agriscience and BASF.