What AgTech founders get wrong about ROI

Farmhand Ventures founding general partner Connie Bowen explains why agricultural automation must address farm workers’ needs, farm economics, and the realities of field operations. The conversation draws on Bowen’s experience in venture capital and farm management to explore where robotics can help - and what it takes to earn growers’ trust. Bowen’s time managing blueberry, hazelnut, and hemp properties showed her how labor is both a major farm expense and a central challenge in adopting new technology. Farm work is skilled, yet farm workers are often excluded from technology design. Bowen argues that ignoring their experience can lead to products that don’t fit the work. Farmhand Ventures invests in solutions that improve agricultural work, using both venture capital and redeemable equity to fit the realities of the market. Bowen looks for founders who understand growers’ needs, involve customers early, and listen to farm workers. If technology disrupts workers’ jobs without considering their perspective, adoption can fail. Harvest robots may only be used for a few weeks each year. Bowen sees potential in lower-cost systems and in addressing earlier tasks, such as thinning, that can support better harvest automation and field data collection. Learn more: https://www.farmhandventures.com/ ### Closing the loop of autonomy takes more than a great robot. WiBotic provides reliable wireless charging and fleet energy management for autonomous robots and other battery-powered systems. This patented technology gives robots more freedom to charge throughout their normal workflow, helping increase the uptime, ROI, and safety of your fleet. AMRs, drones, floor scrubbers, humanoids, and everything in-between, WiBotic makes charging simple, seamless, and scalable. Learn more at http://www.wibotic.com/robotreport