Kubota and Agtonomy expand partnership on autonomous farming solutions
Kubota Corporation is stepping up its collaboration with U.S. agritech startup Agtonomy to commercialize autonomous solutions for specialty crop farming in North America.
Following successful joint demonstration trials in 2024, the companies have now entered concrete discussions on sales strategies and customer support—marking a new phase in their strategic partnership.
Labor shortages, rising input costs, and the demand for more sustainable practices are putting pressure on farmers across major U.S. specialty crop regions—particularly California, Oregon, and Washington. These regions produce high-value crops such as fruit, vegetables, and nuts, where precision and timing are crucial.
Kubota and Agtonomy are aiming to meet that challenge. By integrating Agtonomy’s automation and data-driven platform with Kubota’s sprayers and machinery, the two companies are testing autonomous spraying systems that promise to reduce pesticide use and significantly lower labor input.
From pilot to product
Since 2024, Kubota and Agtonomy have been running joint field trials to evaluate real-world performance and fine-tune smart spraying systems. These autonomous machines rely on Agtonomy’s precision automation software, which translates farm data into actionable field instructions.
Building on positive results and aligned goals, Kubota and Agtonomy will now start working closely with Kubota’s North American dealer network to prepare for commercialization. The next step involves identifying bottlenecks in sales and after-sales support and adapting the smart solutions to meet the needs of large-scale growers.
Agtonomy also partnered with Bobcat
Agtonomy (Mooco Robotics, Inc.) was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California. Led by CEO Tim Bucher, the company specializes in platforms that enable precision automation and data-driven farming for specialty crops. Agtonomy has also partnered with equipment manufacturers like Bobcat. At FIRA USA 2024, it showcased the autonomous electric Bobcat AT450X and the diesel-powered CT4045 operating autonomously in simulated orchards.
