4AG Robotics, a Canada based agritech company focused on autonomous mushroom harvesting technology, has raised CA$ 40 million (US$ 29.2 million) in a Series B funding round. The capital will be allocated towards expanding manufacturing capacity at its Salmon Arm facility in British Columbia, strengthening field service and customer success teams, and advancing the development of next generation robotic capabilities, including punnet packing, disease detection, and AI powered yield optimisation.
The round was led by Astanor Ventures and Cibus Capital, with additional participation from new investor Voyager Capital and returning backers including InBC, Emmertech, BDC Industrial Innovation Fund, Jim Richardson Family Office, Stray Dog Capital, and Seraph Group. This follows a CA$ 17.5 million raise in 2023, bringing the company’s total capital raised to CA$ 57.5 million over the past two years.
Operational Expansion Backed by New Capital
The new capital will enable 4AG Robotics to meet growing global demand for its robotic mushroom harvesting technology, which is already operational in Canada, Ireland, and Australia. The company is preparing to expand into the Netherlands and the United States. CEO Sean O’Connor described the funding as a transition point for the company.
“This funding helps us leap from a startup proving our product works to a scale up manufacturer trying to keep pace with demand. In just two and a half years, we’ve gone from asking farms to trial our technology to having deposits for over 40 additional robots. As one of the first companies to fully automate the human hand in produce harvesting, we’re ushering in a new era for mushroom farming.”
Technology Designed for Commercial Scale
4AG Robotics’ system integrates AI powered computer vision, precision suction grippers, and advanced motion control to autonomously harvest, trim, and pack mushrooms around the clock. The technology is designed to retrofit into existing Dutch-rack infrastructure, enabling growers to maintain consistent quality, reduce labour costs, and access real time operational data. Chris Payne, COO of 4AG Robotics, emphasized the system’s practical readiness for commercial deployment, highlighting the company’s ability to work in the complexity of actual farm environments rather than confined laboratory settings.
Astanor Ventures, participating as a major partner for the first time, underscored the opportunity in the mushroom sector.
“We believe that, of all the agricultural sectors, mushrooms are the most poised for robotic solutions—and we believe that 4AG is not only the clear global leader today, but also has the potential, thanks to AI advances and their rich image data, to drive up yields and reduce inputs across the industry. 4AG could be at the forefront of the transformation of agriculture through AI and robotics
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UK based Cibus Capital also joined the round with the intent to support 4AG Robotics’ continued growth in Europe.
“We are very excited to partner with 4AG, the global leader in agricultural harvesting robotics. Mushroom farming presents an enormous opportunity to utilise robotics and AI to drive labour optimisation together with higher yields and improved quality. The impressive 4AG team has already developed a fleet of robots that pick up to 1 million mushrooms per week. We look forward to supporting them in accelerating this trajectory.”
Addressing Sector Specific Challenges
The global mushroom sector is projected to surpass US$ 70 billion by 2030 and continues to grapple with persistent labour shortages and pressure on operating margins. In many western markets, harvesting accounts for up to half of total production costs. The urgency of these challenges is heightened by the nature of mushroom farming, where crops double in size every 24 hours and require daily harvesting. 4AG Robotics’ plug and play solution offers farms a scalable alternative without necessitating major structural overhauls.
Future Plans and Product Roadmap
Michelle Lim, VP of Growth at 4AG Robotics, outlined the company’s vision, stating, “W”We’re not just building robots—we’re building a new operating system for the mushroom industry.” She added, “Growers want tech that works out of the box, delivers ROI in under three years, and scales globally. That’s what we’ve built. And this funding gives us the fuel to move even faster.”
With the latest funding, 4AG Robotics plans to expand its manufacturing capabilities in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. The company will also scale its field service and customer success teams and accelerate the development of new features such as punnet packing, disease detection, and AI based yield optimization.