Antobot UV-C robots are on track for a major scale-up next year, with the UK startup planning to deploy 300 autonomous units in strawberry operations as growers increasingly adopt UV-C light to combat powdery mildew and other fungal diseases.
Instead of applying fungicides, the machines expose pathogens to UV-C light that disrupts their DNA and prevents replication. The approach, which is also being pursued by companies such as Saga Robotics, TRIC Robotics, and CleanLight, can lower labor and input costs and support a chemical-free positioning, according to VP commercial Marc Jones.
Jones said the company is seeing significant reductions in chemical spraying alongside promising yield gains. He attributed the improvements partly to lower disease pressure and noted healthier crop canopies overall. He spoke during the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London.
Founded in 2019 by Ke Lu, PhD, and Howard Wu, PhD, Antobot now operates in the UK, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Canada, and parts of Asia. The firm has historically worked directly with customers including Driscoll’s and Tiptree, and is now building a distributor network, Jones said.
Antobot has signed distributor agreements in the UK and Spain, is exploring options in Canada, and has established a joint venture in Asia, he added.
Business model shifts with scale for Antobot UV-C robots
As deployments grow, Antobot is revising how it serves customers. Until last year, the company offered robots-as-a-service, which reduced upfront costs for growers but left Antobot responsible for service and daily operations, Jones noted.
With scale, that model becomes more demanding, so most customers will transition next year to purchasing and running the machines themselves. Capital equipment grants available in markets such as the UK and Spain can make outright purchase more attractive, he said.
Different markets, different drivers
In the UK, retailer and consumer concerns about pesticide residues are a key motivation for adopting chemical-free UV-C treatment, said Jones. In Asia, interest is driven by challenges with controlling disease using current methods.
Spain reflects both trends, serving UK-bound exports while facing pressure to move growers toward more sustainable methods. In Canada, many strawberry farms span only two or three hectares, which can make large-scale spray rigs impractical, he said.
Improved disease control can also encourage growers to expand acreage by reducing the risk of midseason shutdowns, he added.
Beyond its core disease-control application, Antobot has developed scouting modules that track fruit count, size, and maturity to forecast yields, improve supply chain planning, and support sales and marketing decisions, Jones said.
‘Autonomy needs bedding in’
Early deployments highlighted that bringing autonomous systems onto farms requires operational adjustments alongside reliable hardware, Jones said. Day-to-day snags can be simple, such as tractors blocking paths, locked gates, or changed access codes.
Antobot has refined its machines based on field experience, moving to swappable batteries and simplifying suspension components. Some growers now run more than 10 units, enabling a single operator to oversee several machines at once, he said.
Seeking growth capital
Antobot has funded operations to date through grants, a small seed round led by Intron Technology Holdings, and revenue. The company is now seeking growth capital to support its next expansion phase, Jones said, citing a strong customer base and a platform ready to scale.
Antobot UV-C robots expand global footprint
The company’s footprint now spans key European markets, Canada, and parts of Asia, with distribution partnerships and a new joint venture intended to accelerate adoption of its UV-C disease-control systems and data-driven scouting tools.
Antobot’s push into more sustainable, technology-driven agriculture comes as other innovators look to reshape farm practices, from biological inputs to advanced machinery, as covered in Origin of combine: How harvest tech reshaped farming.