This week’s edition looks at the latest product announcements from Carbon Robotics at the World Ag Expo in Tulare.
Announcements
- Most enterprise GenAI projects get stuck in proof-of-concept land. SFTW released a white paper on Wednesday, which provides a practical guide on how to break through the POC wall with case studies from four different organizations. You can get the free white paper here: “POC to OMG! The Realities of Deploying GenAI at the Farm Gate”
- AgTech Alchemy founding members Walt Duflock, Sachi Desai, and Rhishi Pethe appeared on Tim Hammerich’s Future of Agriculture podcast to discuss the inaugural AgTech Alchemy Quarterly. It was a fun conversation. You can download the AgTech Alchemy Quarterly from here.
- The AgTech Alchemy team is hosting another meetup in Salinas on February 27th. We already have 75 members signed up. Please register at the link, if you are going to be in the SF Bay Area and don’t want to miss out on the fun!
The cost and speed curve for operational and economic efficiency
Carbon Robotics released a new line of products in time for the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. The new models are supposed to be faster, lighter, and modular, which is a good product iteration compared to the previous version of the product. The summary of the new models is presented below.
Based on all accounts, Carbon Robotics has done a great job on product development. They have stayed focused on the use case, and have consistently been able to iterate on it, as the latest product line shows. They got to market quickly with a solid niche product and did a great job on marketing it. Their direct sales channel is firing on all cylinders. This is proof that GTM and distribution are as important and hard to do as product development.
Carbon Robotics Laser Weeder. Image from September 2023 by Rhishi Pethe
(From the press release)
Specialty Vegetable Crops and Herb Models
LaserWeeder G2 200
Width: 6.6 feet (2.0 meters)
Weight: 4,250 pounds (1,928 kilograms)
Description: Ideal for smaller farms, its compact size makes it easier to transport.
LaserWeeder G2 400
Width: 13.3 feet (4.0 meters)
Weight: 6,000 pounds (2,722 kilograms)
Description: A versatile mid-size model capable of handling diverse crop types and field layouts.
LaserWeeder G2 600
Width: 20 feet (6.1 meters)
Weight: 7,200 pounds (3,266 kilograms)
Description: The next generation of Carbon Robotics’ industry-leading LaserWeeder, designed for a wide range of specialty vegetable and herb crops.
Broadacre Organic Corn and Soybean Models
LaserWeeder G2 1200
Width: 40 feet (12.2 meters)
Weight: 12,000 pounds (5,443 kilograms)
Description: Specifically designed for organic corn and soybean operations, this model introduces the first broadacre weeding solution that does not disturb crops or soil, significantly increasing yields.
LaserWeeder G2 1800
Width: 60 feet (18.3 meters)
Weight: 14,000 pounds (6,350 kilograms)
Description: Built for large-scale organic corn and soybean operations, it integrates seamlessly with farming operations standardized on 60-foot-wide farming equipment.
The most curious part of the release is the move towards broadacre organic corn and soybean models. Carbon has been focused on organic high value specialty crops so far, given the high price tag of their product.
Before we get into whether Carbon’s product line can address the needs of broadacre crops or not, let us take a quick comparative look between farming operations of specialty crops in California and broadacre commodity crops like corn and soybeans. There are some stark differences along multiple key dimensions.