Saga Robotics/Thorvald has completed an $11.2 million equity raise to expand commercial operations of its Thorvald autonomous farming platform across the UK and US markets. The funding round signals the company’s shift from early market validation to large-scale commercial deployment in specialty crop agriculture.
The Norwegian robotics firm attracted backing from both returning and new institutional investors, with Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, a Luxembourg-based venture capital fund specializing in agricultural technology, leading new investment participation. Existing shareholders including Aker, Nysnø Climate Investments, Blystad, Hatteland, Melesio, Sanden, and MP Pensjon continued their support through the raise.
Two-Phase Investment Structure
The capital injection occurred through two separate tranches completed in summer 2025. The initial $7.8 million portion closed on June 23, experiencing oversubscription and allocation primarily to existing stakeholders. A subsequent $3.4 million tranche closed on July 8, targeting new investors and strategic partners.
“Our solid commercial performance was an important enabler for us to close this funding round in what is a relatively demanding capital market” said Dorn Wenninger, Board Chair of Saga Robotics. The continued backing from shareholders familiar with company operations, combined with new investor additions, reflects confidence in the business foundation and growth pipeline.
Enhanced Governance Structure
Alongside the funding, Saga Robotics strengthened its board composition with additional industry expertise. The governance structure retains existing members Dorn Wenninger as Chair, Atle Eide representing Aker, and Yvonne Silden Langlo from Nysnø Climate Investments. New appointments include Laila Danielsen, CEO of AI software company Elliptic Labs, and Alice Laurora from Praesidium Agri-FoodTech joining as an observer.
Commercial Deployment Metrics
The Thorvald platform has achieved significant commercial traction across both target markets. In the UK strawberry sector, the company now serves 13 leading growers and treats approximately 20% of the national market. Saga Robotics targets exceeding 30% market coverage by 2026, while also recording initial commercial revenue from its yield prediction data analytics tool during the 2025 growing season.
US vineyard operations span more than 1,300 acres, with plans to triple this footprint by 2026. The platform has gained approval for California’s CORE incentive program, providing substantial grants for robot purchases. Over 150 Thorvald 3.0 units currently operate in field conditions during the 2025 growing season.
Technology Validation and Market Entry
“The Thorvald robot has moved from a prototype to a fully commercially deployed autonomous solution, already servicing thousands of acres in 2025” said Alice Laurora, Vice President at Praesidium Agri-FoodTech. The investor cited the team capabilities, proven technology, and clear scaling pathway in high-value agricultural sectors as investment drivers.
Founder Pål Johan From relocated to California to lead US market expansion, emphasizing the transition from technology validation to commercial scaling. “We’ve proven Thorvald works, now we’re scaling it” From stated, highlighting the funding’s role in accelerating adoption while reducing chemical dependency in specialty crop markets.
Strategic Market Focus
The modular robotic platform addresses soft fruit and grapevine production through automated services including UV-C disease control and precision data collection. According to the US Department of Agriculture, specialty crops represent a significant portion of agricultural output requiring labor-intensive management practices that automation can address.
CEO Sacha de La Noë emphasized the company’s transition phase, noting strong traction in the UK market combined with US expansion efforts. The executive highlighted investor interest levels as confirmation of the platform’s commercial potential and market opportunity.
The agricultural robotics sector continues attracting investment as labor shortages and sustainability requirements drive automation adoption. Saga Robotics positions its technology as delivering yield improvements, labor cost reductions, and decreased chemical usage across target crop categories.