Versatile RobotX, a Colchester-based robotics startup developing field-ready robots that automate labour-intensive farming tasks, has secured more than €1.17 million (£1 million) in funding to accelerate the commercialisation of its intelligent agricultural robots.
The investment package combines investment from the British Design Fund (BDF) with support from Innovate UK Growth Catalyst – Investor Partnerships Round 2 and additional grants from the Defra Farming Innovation Programme.
Professor Klaus McDonald-Maier, Chief Executive Officer of Versatile RobotX and Head of the Robotics and Embedded Systems Research Group at the University of Essex, said, “Securing more than £1 million in combined investment and innovation support is a major milestone for Versatile RobotX. It reflects the confidence that investors, Innovate UK, Defra, Freeport East and the University of Essex have shown in our vision.
“Agriculture faces unprecedented challenges around labour availability, food security and sustainability. This funding will allow us to accelerate the transition from successful field trials to commercial deployment, as we aim to make advanced robotics affordable and accessible to growers worldwide.”
Versatile RobotX is a University of Essex spin-out, founded in July 2024 by Professor Klaus McDonald-Maier and Dr Vishwanathan Mohan. The company states that its agricultural robots combine artificial intelligence, machine vision, embedded intelligence and advanced robotic manipulation to automate labour-intensive harvesting and crop-handling tasks.
Its two products are the Fruit and Vegetable Autonomous Picker and the Hydroponic Robotic Harvester. The former is a robotic solution tailored for the automated picking of fruits and vegetables. It integrates sensing technologies, machine learning algorithms, and precision manipulators, enabling it to accurately detect and gently harvest a wide range of produce.
The Hydroponic Robotic Harvester is an agricultural robot designed for automated harvesting in soilless and hydroponic systems, using sensors, AI algorithms, and precision components. The company notes that it can transplant younger plants between growing stations, thereby enhancing crop rotation efficiency.
Versatile RobotX highlighted that the technology has been validated through extensive field trials with leading UK growers, including Wilkin & Sons of Tiptree and JEPCO.
Dr. Vishwanathan Mohan, CTO of Versatile RobotX and Head of the AgriRobotics Laboratory at the University of Essex, said, “Working closely with growers, we have demonstrated that advanced agricultural robotics can deliver real-world impact, helping tackle the challenges that matter most to farmers.
“Growers consistently tell us that affordability, reliability and ease of deployment are key barriers to automation. This funding package will help us scale manufacturing readiness, strengthen customer engagement and demonstrate how Robotics-as-a-Service can provide a practical route to adoption for farms of all sizes. It will also allow us to expand our portfolio of multifunctional robotic systems and accelerate deployment across a wider range of crops and agricultural settings.”
Versatile RobotX has been supported by University of Essex Enterprise Limited, which supports technology transfer by its academics. Defra, Innovate UK, EPSRC and Freeport East have also helped the company progress from research prototypes to commercially deployable robotic systems.
Paul Laniran, Innovation Lead Agriculture, Innovate UK, said, “This investment demonstrates how public and private funding can work together to support the development and commercialisation of innovative agricultural technologies.
“Through support from Innovate UK, Versatile RobotX has been able to advance the development of its robotics technology and work closely with growers to explore its practical application. It is encouraging to see further investment helping to accelerate the company’s growth and bringing new solutions closer to market.”
The company plans to use this capital to support product development, manufacturing readiness, customer engagement, and commercial expansion of its next-generation, low-cost, field-ready robotic systems.