Project Grant 20233353039846
- Federal Project Grant Award Summary Padma Agrobotics LLC received a $174,534 Phase I award under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212), administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based autonomous lettuce harvester incorporating computer vision and advanced AI modeling capabilities. The project, which commenced on August 15, 2025, and is scheduled for completion on April 14, 2026, focuses on...
- This $275,000 SBIR Phase I project grant awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) aims to develop software capabilities to improve automated harvesting of strawberries. The project will implement two key components: A trajectory optimization module for a robot manipulator's camera to maximize information gain and reduce localization uncertainty for strawberries while respecting kinematic and collision...
- Federal Grant Award Summary Canopii Inc. received a $174,993 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.212, effective August 15, 2025, with completion targeted for April 14, 2027. The project, performed in Silverton, Oregon, focuses on developing an automated system for harvesting and packaging living hydroponic basil plants while preserving intact root systems for wholesale...
- Federal Project Grant Award Summary L5 Automation Inc. received a $175,000 project grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212), awarded August 15, 2025, with completion targeted for April 14, 2027. Under this Phase I award, L5 Automation will research and develop key components of an autonomous robotic system designed to improve yield forecasting accuracy for strawberry...
- The National Science Foundation awarded Harvest Moon Automation Inc. a $250,665 Project Grant under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084). The grant funds the development of a precision weeder extraction tool that will remove weeds from agricultural fields without using herbicides or soil tillage. Advances in machine vision have enabled identification of individual crop and weed plants in a field. However, existing automated weeders still rely on herbicides or...
- Tric Robotics Inc. received a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program project grant from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop an autonomous vehicle for application of alternative disease and pest control technologies. The SBIR program aims to support scientific innovation and build the national economy by funding small businesses engaged in federal research with commercial potential. Under this award dated July 1,...
- Federal Grant Award Summary EZ AG Innovations, Inc. received a $174,944 Phase I award under the USDA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212), administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, with an award date of September 15, 2025, and ultimate completion date of September 14, 2027. The project focuses on developing a Crop Scanning System (CSS)—a tractor-mounted, machine-vision-based digital scouting tool designed to enhance disease detection and disease...
- Federal Project Grant Award Summary Red Barn Robotics Incorporated received a $174,922 Project Grant award on September 15, 2025, under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program (CFDA 10.212), administered by the Institute of Food Production and Sustainability. The grant funds development and testing of a low-cost autonomous robotic weeding system designed to address weed management challenges faced by organic and small-to-mid-sized...
- Federal Grant Award Summary Crop Convergence, LLC received a $175,000 Project Grant under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program (CFDA 10.212), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, with an award date of September 30, 2025 and completion date of May 30, 2026. The awardee will develop an expanded digital twin model—a virtual representation of greenhouse farming...
- Just Greens LLC, doing business as Aerofarms, received a $594,974 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. The award funds research into implementing ratooning, a proven technique allowing one root and stem system to produce multiple harvests, in the indoor production of leafy greens. Phase I of the project studied...
This $181,500 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Project Grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, will support Padma Agrobotics LLC's development of an automated robotic harvester for cilantro and other specialty crops harvested in bunches. The company aims to reduce labor costs for farms by 40-50% through automating the labor-intensive harvesting process, which currently accounts for up to 50% of total production costs. Phase I will focus on developing a proof-of-concept prototype for cilantro harvesting and testing the system's ability to accurately detect, cut, extract, transfer, and bunch cilantro stems into precise sizes for tying. If successful, the automated harvester could enable growing specialty crops that are currently uneconomic due to high labor costs and reduce U.S. reliance on imports. The SBIR/STTR programs support technological innovation to strengthen the national economy through the Department of Agriculture's investment in improved crop production methods.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $181.5k | 4/24/23 |