Hardware Podcasts

What AgTech founders get wrong about ROI

The Robot Report Podcast · 30 Oct 2026 · 1h 17m

What this episode covers

Connie Bowen, founding general partner at Farmhand Ventures, explains that agricultural automation must prioritize farm workers' needs and economic realities over pure speed. She argues that ignoring the skilled nature of farm labor and excluding workers from the design process leads to products that fail in the field, citing examples like blueberry harvesters that damage fruit. Bowen details her firm's use of redeemable equity to support companies like L5 Automation and Scout, emphasizing that founders must earn growers' trust through co-creation and addressing pre-harvest tasks like thinning.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Farmhand Ventures, L5 Automation, New West Genetics, Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Wibotic
Products
Scout, Digit, Atlas

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