AI Fertiliser Robots Draw Fresh Funding

Canada’s Upside Robotics raises $7.5mn to expand targeted field machines as farmers seek lower costs and reduced runoff

23 Feb 2026

Capital is flowing into agricultural automation as Canada’s Upside Robotics secures $7.5mn in seed funding to expand its artificial intelligence-powered fertiliser robots across North America.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based company said the round was led by Plural, with backing from Garage Capital and robotics veterans linked to Clearpath Robotics. The latest investment brings total funding to more than $11mn.

Upside Robotics develops compact autonomous machines designed to apply fertiliser at plant level rather than spreading it evenly across entire fields. The approach aims to reduce input waste and improve efficiency by delivering nutrients only where needed.

According to the company, its systems have travelled more than 10,000 autonomous kilometres and applied over 100,000 litres of fertiliser in field operations. It says the technology can cut fertiliser use in certain conditions, lowering costs for growers while reducing nutrient runoff into surrounding land and waterways.

The funding comes as farmers in the US and Canada face volatile fertiliser prices, labour shortages and rising environmental scrutiny. Precision agriculture tools that promise measurable savings are moving beyond pilot projects into procurement discussions, particularly among larger commercial farms.

Chief executive Jana Tian has said the company’s focus is on field-ready deployment rather than laboratory prototypes. For Plural, the investment reflects a broader strategy of applying scalable automation to traditional industries such as agriculture.

The round also points to a wider shift in venture capital. Investors are showing greater interest in technologies that offer both economic and environmental benefits, particularly in sectors under pressure to cut emissions and resource use.

Challenges remain. Robotic systems must operate reliably across varied soils, crops and weather conditions. Farmers are likely to demand clear evidence of return on investment before committing capital at scale. Established agricultural equipment groups are also expanding their own precision offerings, increasing the prospect of competition as well as partnerships.

As hardware costs fall and data systems improve, targeted input management is becoming more practical. Whether autonomous fertiliser application becomes standard practice will depend on consistent performance and demonstrable savings in the seasons ahead.