Dogtooth Technologies, a UK developer of AI-powered harvesting robots, has raised more than £14 million to accelerate commercial deployment of its technology across the horticulture sector.
The funding package comprises equity investment from 24 Haymarket, EMV Capital and ACF Investors, alongside grants from Innovate UK and a venture leasing facility from Kineo Finance.
The Cambridge-based company said the capital will help expand commercial deployments, strengthen its technology platform and accelerate adoption of autonomous harvesting systems in the UK and overseas.
From generative AI to embodied AI
Dogtooth describes itself as an “embodied AI pioneer” and believes its latest funding round reflects growing interest in a new frontier of artificial intelligence.
While generative AI writes reports and answers questions, embodied AI drives tractors, picks strawberries and removes weeds.
The term refers to artificial intelligence embedded within machines that can perceive, navigate and interact with the physical world.
Dogtooth argues that agricultural robotics represents one of the most commercially compelling examples of the technology in action.
The company said it has spent years developing and deploying robotic harvesting systems, long before embodied AI emerged as a mainstream investment theme.
While recent advances in generative AI have transformed digital workflows, it believes attention is increasingly turning towards AI systems capable of translating digital intelligence into physical action.
Teaching robots to pick strawberries
Dogtooth designs “dexterous” harvesting robots capable of autonomously identifying and picking delicate crops such as strawberries.
Using advanced computer vision, machine learning and robotic manipulation, the systems can navigate crop rows, determine ripeness and pick berries without causing damage.
Importantly, the systems are designed to operate safely alongside human workers rather than replacing them entirely.
Dogtooth said it has already demonstrated the commercial readiness of the technology, including a recent deployment with Dyson Farming, one of the UK’s largest farming enterprises.
The company believes these deployments show that robotic harvesting is moving from experimental trials to commercial reality.
Solving a growing labour challenge
The business case for embodied AI in agriculture is being driven in large part by labour shortages.
Horticultural producers around the world continue to face rising labour costs and difficulties securing sufficient seasonal workers.
Dogtooth said autonomous harvesting technology can help growers maintain productivity and improve operational resilience.
By increasing harvesting capacity and reducing dependence on labour availability, robotic systems address one of the sector’s most persistent challenges.
“This investment represents a significant milestone for Dogtooth and for the broader adoption of embodied AI in agriculture,” said Duncan Robertson, CEO of Dogtooth Technologies.
“For many years, robotic harvesting has been viewed as a distant aspiration. Today, growers are deploying our robots on commercial farms because labour shortages are a reality that cannot be ignored.
“The convergence of AI, robotics and practical customer demand is creating a unique opportunity to transform the production of fruit and vegetable produce.”
Investors back commercial-scale robotics
Investors said Dogtooth’s progress demonstrates that agricultural robotics is reaching commercial maturity.
“Dogtooth has established itself as one of the world’s leading agricultural robotics companies through a combination of deep technical expertise, perseverance, and commercial focus,” said Paul Tselentis, managing director of 24 Haymarket.
“The team has achieved what many believed would be impossible: reliably harvesting delicate crops in real-world commercial environments.”
Tim Mills, managing partner at ACF Investors, pointed to the company’s ability to address one of agriculture’s most significant operational challenges while demonstrating strong commercial potential.
Meanwhile, EMV capital managing director Ilian Iliev said Dogtooth embodied the kind of deep-tech investment opportunity increasingly attracting investor attention.
“Precision robotics and AI applied to agriculture at commercial scale is exactly the kind of outsized, real-world impact EMV Capital seeks to invest in,” he said.
