Robotics Plus has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. to form the foundation of Yamaha Agriculture, Inc.
Yamaha Agriculture, Inc. will focus on delivering autonomous equipment and AI-powered digital solutions that help specialty crop growers become more sustainable, profitable, and resilient in the face of scarcer resources and climate change.
Robotics Plus has specialised in developing automation solutions for agriculture, combining expertise in robotics, automation, sensing, and data analytics. With a proven track record of delivering innovative technologies to global markets, the company has continued to push the boundaries of agricultural automation.
Its latest development, Prospr, is a robust, autonomous, multi-purpose hybrid vehicle designed to perform a range of orchard and vineyard tasks. Built to tackle labour shortages and enhance efficiency, precision, sustainability, and safety, Prospr can perform multiple activities, including spraying and weed control, with additional attachments such as mowing in development.
Robotics Plus’ innovations include the Āporo Fruit Packer, which has automated fruit packing, and a robotic log scaler to automate log measurement for trucks and trains.
Since 2017, Yamaha Motor, the parent company of newly launched U.S.-based Yamaha Agriculture, has supported Robotics Plus with strategic investment to drive the development of agricultural automation technologies and to expand its presence in the agtech sector.
Following Robotics Plus’ acquisition, the company will continue to operate its core business at its headquarters in Tauranga, retaining high-value skilled jobs and IP development in New Zealand while benefiting from the support of Yamaha Agriculture to grow globally.
“Robotics Plus was founded on a vision to develop state-of-the-art robotic technology to solve some of the global agriculture industry’s biggest challenges, including labour, productivity and sustainability issues,” said Steve Saunders, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Robotics Plus.
“This acquisition is a testament to the strong partnership we’ve built with Yamaha over the years, driven by a shared vision and commitment to empowering large-scale growers.”
Innovations like Prospr are at the heart of Yamaha Agriculture’s global strategy, enabling a data-driven approach to precision agriculture. With Yamaha’s support, Robotics Plus is poised to accelerate its robotics innovations, significantly scale hardware manufacturing, and expand further into key markets such as the US and beyond.
Dr Alistair Scarfe, Co-founder and Chief Engineering Officer at Robotics Plus, added that to drive meaningful change in agriculture, one must think big and tackle globally scalable challenges.
“That mindset has allowed Robotics Plus to build a world-class team of specialists across agriculture, technology, and engineering - delivering best-in-class robotic solutions that are now deployed worldwide,” said Dr Scarfe.
“Over the years, we’ve greatly benefited from Yamaha Motor’s deep industry expertise, and we’re excited to take our innovations even further with Yamaha Agriculture with a continued focus on quality, reliability, and safety.”
Leveraging Yamaha's long heritage as a trusted manufacturer of high-performance products, the new agriculture business will integrate complementary technologies to create a comprehensive platform that enables growers to do precision farming.
By combining autonomous equipment with intelligent data insights, Yamaha Agriculture has helped growers reduce input costs, optimise resource utilisation, and improve farm productivity and sustainability.
“Guided by our mission to ensure growers are sustainable, profitable, and resilient, Yamaha Agriculture recognises that specialty crop growers' challenges require thoughtful solutions that will take time to develop. We believe meaningful innovation in agriculture emerges through close collaboration with growers and industry partners,” said Nolan Paul, Group CEO of Yamaha Agriculture, Inc.
“The capabilities of Robotics Plus in robotics and automation will be an important building block in addressing these challenges along with AI-powered data analytics. We are committed to a deliberate approach that prioritises creating real value for growers while maintaining the high standards of quality and reliability for which Yamaha Motors is known.”
