# Harvesting innovation: The story behind Tortuga's autonomous harvesting robots

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2024-02-29
- Length: 1h 10m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots3

## Summary

Eric Adamson, CEO and co-founder of Tortuga Agtech, discusses the development of autonomous harvesting robots for strawberries, table grapes, and wine grapes. He explains how operating in structured greenhouse and tunnel environments simplifies the complex vision and manipulation challenges of harvesting high-value crops. Adamson details the company's rapid prototyping process, including the evolution of their custom SCARA-style arms and grippers, and their strategy of building low-cost hardware from scratch to ensure economic viability. The episode also covers Tortuga's recent $50 million funding round, which includes strategic investment from grape growers, and their expansion into precision agriculture services like UV light treatment for mildew and yield forecasting.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=7) Introduction: Robot Report Podcast and News Recap
- [3:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=239) Figure AI $675M Series B and Humanoid Robot Debate
- [14:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=864) Electric Sheep Verde Robot and Intuitive Machines Moon Landing
- [26:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=1619) Tortuga Agtech Overview: High-Value Crop Harvesting
- [30:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=1848) Greenhouse vs. Outdoor Environments and Robot Design
- [38:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=2313) Rapid Prototyping, Gripper Evolution, and Unit Economics
- [46:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=2819) Yield Forecasting, Mobile Base Autonomy, and UV Treatment
- [59:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots#t=3592) Funding Round, Strategic Investors, and Future Scaling Plans

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Tortuga Agtech (company)
- Figure AI (company)
- Electric Sheep (company)
- Verde (product)
- Intuitive Machines (company)
- Odysseus (product)
- Agility Robotics (company)
- Sanctuary (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Optimus (product)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Unitree (company)
- FANUC (company)
- Harmonic Drive (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [BONUS: Hear what Investors, Educators, and High Growth Companies have to say about the future of Robotics, Automation, and AI, Pt. 1 of 2 (brought to you by Cascadia Capital)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-06-24-bonus-hear-what-investors-educators-and-high-growth-companies-have-to-say-about) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [An Interview with Jason Huggins](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-27-an-interview-with-jason-huggins) (The Amp Hour)
- [Accessible Robotics Solutions for Niche Applications w/ Colin Riggs and Dianne Abruzzini Riggs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-11-21-accessible-robotics-solutions-for-niche-applications-w-colin-riggs-and-dianne-ab) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [164. Dyson’s Automated, Self-sustaining Strawberry Farm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-03-05-164-dysons-automated-self-sustaining-strawberry-farm) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Divya Thakur (Founder, Yardbot)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-05-06-divya-thakur-founder-yardbot) (Just Gonna Send It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-02-29-harvesting-innovation-the-story-behind-tortugas-autonomous-harvesting-robots. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Robot Report Podcast.