Floating Robotics Timeline

Events

• 2024-08-05 - Deployment - Floating Robotics completes first paid Meier Gemüse pilot - The 2024 engagement was Floating Robotics' first paid pilot. The pilot returned the system to Meier Gemüse after the earlier prototype trial. The commercial engagement advanced harvesting and de-leafing automation toward a robot-as-a-service model. - source: floatingrobotics.com
• 2024-05-24 - Award - Floating Robotics joins 2024 MassChallenge Switzerland cohort - The cohort was announced on 24 May 2024. Floating Robotics was one of roughly 100 startups selected from the top 8% of applicants. The four-month programme provided mentoring, industry contacts, investor access and zero-equity support. - source: masschallenge.org
• 2024-03-01 - Partnership - Floating Robotics joins Google for Startups Cloud Program - Admission to the programme took place in March 2024. The scale-tier programme provided cloud support for an AI and robotics startup. The milestone added platform resources as Floating Robotics prepared to expand commercial greenhouse pilots. - source: floatingrobotics.com
• 2023-12-18 - Deployment - Floating Robotics demonstrates autonomous greenhouse operations at Beerstecher - The robot was undergoing testing at Beerstecher AG by 18 December 2023. The system used an integrated camera and onboard computer to recognise plants and direct its robotic arm. The pilot covered repetitive greenhouse tasks including harvesting, de-leafing… - source: ethz.ch
• 2023-12-01 - Award - Innosuisse approves Floating Robotics Start-up Innovation Project - The Start-up Innovation Project milestone took place in December 2023. Floating Robotics AG joined the approved science-based start-up innovation projects. The follow-on support enabled a five-person team and preparation for a paid 2024 pilot. - source: innosuisse.admin.ch
• 2023-02-10 - Award - Gebert Rüf Stiftung awards Floating Robotics CHF 150,000 InnoBooster grant - Project GRS-073/22 was approved on 10 February 2023. The CHF 150,000 grant covered a programme running from March 2023 to July 2024. The work integrated the robot with industry-standard greenhouse machinery and prepared further commercial pilots. - source: grstiftung.ch
• 2023-01-30 - Deployment - ETH reports Floating Robotics first Meier Gemüse greenhouse pilot - The first prototype operated at Meier Gemüse during the 2022 growing season. The robot harvested and de-leafed tomato plants while fitting existing greenhouse carts. The completed pilot preceded a planned second site trial at Beerstecher. - source: partnerships.ethz.ch
• 2023-01-01 - Partnership - maxon supports Floating Robotics tomato-boxing system - The Young Engineers Program support began in January 2023. The support was directed at development of the robot's tomato-boxing subsystem. The programme linked the greenhouse automation project with maxon's engineering-support ecosystem. - source: floatingrobotics.com
• 2022-11-01 - Award - Floating Robotics wins CHF 10,000 Venture Kick support - The first-stage win took place in November 2022. The Venture Kick award provided CHF 10,000 of support. The award followed the project's pivot toward automated harvesting and crop care in tomato greenhouses. - source: venturekick.ch
• 2021-03-01 - Award - Innosuisse backs Floating Robotics innovation project - The Innovation Project milestone took place in March 2021. The Innosuisse instrument provided a major development boost. The programme supported expansion of the greenhouse-robot effort beyond its proof-of-concept phase. - source: floatingrobotics.com
• 2020-12-01 - Award - Floating Robotics receives proof-of-concept grant for field-ready robot - The proof-of-concept grant arrived in December 2020. The support extended the project's work at ETH Zurich into 2021. Its objective was to turn the research platform into a field-ready robot. - source: floatingrobotics.com
• 2020-02-01 - Award - SNF Spark grant moves Floating Robotics into ETH Zurich robotics lab - The grant gave the project a base inside ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab. The Spark milestone took place in February 2020. The move established the research setting for subsequent greenhouse-robot development. - source: floatingrobotics.com