Saga Robotics, the Norwegian developer of the Thorvald robotic platform for grapevines and strawberries, has secured US$11.2 million in equity funding to expand its commercial operations in the U.K. and U.S. markets. The round closed in two tranches and coincides with Thorvald's move from initial market entry to wider-scale adoption in high-value crop sectors.
The funding round was led by Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, with participation from existing investors including Aker, Nysnø Climate Investments, Blystad, Hatteland, Melesio, Sanden, and Norway's MP Pensjon.
© Saga Robotics
Dorn Wenninger, Board Chair of Saga Robotics, stated: "Our solid commercial performance was an important enabler for us to close this funding round in what is a relatively demanding capital market. The continued backing of existing shareholders who know the company well, along with the addition of new investors such as Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, is testament to the solid foundations of our core business and our pipeline of growth."
Thorvald is a modular, autonomous robotic system designed for soft fruit and grapevine farming. The units deliver tasks such as UV-C light-based disease control for powdery mildew and data collection for yield prediction and crop monitoring. In the 2025 season, more than 150 Thorvald 3.0 units have been deployed.
The fresh capital will accelerate Thorvald's rollout. In the U.K. strawberry sector, the robots currently treat about 20 per cent of the market, across over a dozen growers, with the target of surpassing 30 per cent by 2026. In the U.S., Saga Robotics is aiming to triple its vineyard coverage from the current 1,300 acres. Incentives such as California's CORE program, which provides grants for robotic equipment sales, are also being used to drive adoption.
Alice Laurora, Vice President at Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, commented: "The Thorvald robot has moved from a prototype to a fully commercially deployed autonomous solution, already servicing thousands of acres in 2025. We're investing in Saga Robotics because they have the right team, the right tech, proven technology, and a clear path to scale in high-value, underserved agricultural sectors."
Founder Pål Johan From added: "We've proven Thorvald works, now we're scaling it. This raise gives us the runway to accelerate adoption, improve efficiency in agriculture, and reduce chemical use across two of the world's most chemically dependent specialty crop markets."
Saga Robotics states that the raise provides resources to expand operations while positioning its robotic technology within broader agricultural automation trends.
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