AI-based automation provider Agtonomy raised $18 million in Series B funding in a round led by SpaceX investor DBL Partners and agriculture land manager Nuveen with the latter having the potential to be the agtech company’s “largest customer in history,” Tim Bucher, founder and CEO of Agtonomy, told AgTechNavigator.
Agtonomy will use the Series B funds to develop new physical AI capabilities, bolster integrations with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and expand into new global markets and industries, Bucher explained. Previous investors — Allison Transmission, Autotech, Black Forest Ventures, and Rethink Food — also joined the funding round.
Agtonomy offers AI-based services to autonomize tractors and land maintenance vehicles but does not make robots itself, instead partnering with OEMs like Kubota and Bobcat, AgTechNavigator previously reported.
“We do not build robots. We do not build tractors. We work with the original equipment manufacturers to accelerate their digital transformation. So, we get to focus exclusively on physical AI, the software, and the services. And that makes us very capital efficient. Because when you look at all the other companies that are building machines, a lot of resources are needed for the supply chain, which is not easy in this day and age of tariffs,” Bucher elaborated.
Agtonomy expands globally, markets
The funding news comes as Agtonomy gains commercial tractions, launching its service in Australia for the first time and is expanding in the Southeast in the U.S., as the company shared in a press release last week. However, the agtech is not stopping there, as it is experiencing strong demand throughout around the globe, Bucher said.
“There is a lot of demand from South America. There is a lot of demand from Europe. We will continue to explore that. And I would not be surprised if we are in one of those other regions by the end of 26,” he said.
Beyond expanding geographically, Agtonomy is tapping into opportunities in the public sector and recreational land management, Bucher explained.
“The amount of mowing on sports fields and municipality parks is stunning and the amount of mowing year-round on sod farms is the most stunning because every two or three days, 1,000s of acres need to be mowed with these really high-tech mowers,” he added.
Can vehicle swarming reduce costs for farmers?
Ag automation not only provides a benefit to farmers who are seeking a solution to labour challenges, but robotics and AI can also provide flexibility when it comes to capital expenditures, Bucher explained. As machinery costs rises amid tariffs, growers can use autonomous services like Autonomy’s to make use of their current equipment, allowing them to buy smaller vehicles and take advantage of swarming capabilities, he added.
“If that million-dollar tractor can be replaced with five $200,000 tractors, you do not have the labour issue because one person can manage all five of them, and now you have basically broad acre swarming capability. And there are so many benefits to that. One is ground compaction. Another one is fuel savings because these smaller vehicles are nimbler, and by the way, you actually can do more work,” Bucher elaborated.
