Smart Ag secures $ 5m for driverless tractor
Smart Ag, a startup from Ames, Iowa (USA), developing autonomous farming solutions for row crop agriculture secured a $5 million investment from Stine Seed, the largest US private seed company.
Stine Seed Farm Inc, an affiliate of Stine Seed Company, the largest independent seed company in the United States, has invested $5m in Smart Ag Inc. The investment comes just 5 short months after Smart Ag unveiled its technology with the release of AutoCart, a software application that fully automates a grain cart tractor for use during harvest.
Fight labour shortages
Over 2 years in development, AutoCart, along with the tractor automation kit, is a plug-and-play system that automates existing grain cart tractors. The cost of the system is comparable to retrofitting a sprayer or planter with precision technology. The AutoCart technology is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The AutoCart application provides a solution to one of the biggest challenges facing every farmer – critical labour shortages during harvest. Smart Ag’s driverless tractor technology is the first step towards “enabling perfect operation of farm equipment”.
Smart Ag was founded in 2015 by and has raised money in the past from The Ag Startup Engine, Ag Ventures Alliance, Summit Agricultural Group, Iowa Farm Bureau Rural Vitality Fund II and several other angel investors. Smart Ag is led by successful ag entrepreneur Colin Hurd and former John Deere ISG and Ag Leader Manager Mark Barglof.
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