What did you do with the weed trimmer that pulled out the weeds… US AI startup attracts 200 billion won in investment

[편집자주] ‘Global Startup Scene’ delivers major global venture capital (VC) and startup news that occurred during the week. In addition, we will point out the impact and outlook for the domestic startup market.

[이기사에나온스타트업에대한보다다양한기업정보는유니콘팩토리빅데이터플랫폼[이기사에나온스타트업에대한보다다양한기업정보는유니콘팩토리빅데이터플랫폼 ‘데이터랩’에서 볼 수 있습니다.]

Carbon Robotics’ laser weed remover from the U.S. uses a laser to find weeds and burns them (flame part)/Photo = Carbon Robotics There are probably few people who like weeds. This is especially true for farms where weeds ruin farming efficiency. However, it is difficult to eradicate weeds that are tough enough to feel that they are growing better than the target crop. An American startup that has come up with a solution to this situation is a hot topic.

Carbon Robotics, an American AI (artificial intelligence)-based agricultural startup, attracted large-scale investment. Seattle-based Carbon Robotics announced this month that it had attracted $70 million (96.5 billion won) in Series D investment. As a result, the cumulative investment amount is $157 million (approximately 216.5 billion won).

Carbon Robotics will invest the new funds into upgrading the software and hardware of its flagship product, Laser Weeder.

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Combining laser + machine vision + deep learning in a weed mower

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The company said its LaserWither combines machine vision, AI deep learning, robotics, and lasers. It identifies weeds down to the millimeter and removes them using a laser. Approximately 5,000 weeds can be removed per minute.

This equipment operates by attaching it to a tractor. The company said that it increases crop yield and efficiency while reducing weed control costs by 80% compared to existing methods.

Equipment equipped with a laser weeder from Carbon Robotics of the U.S./Photo = According to the Carbon Robotics company, farms in North America, Europe, and Australia have removed more than 10 billion weeds (10 billion plants) using this AI-based technology. Above all, this result was achieved without using chemical herbicides or doing manual work.

In addition to Laser Wither, the company also provides Carbon Ops Center, an AI-based farm operation platform. The center provides data that allows farmers to monitor and optimize their crops even from afar. The company explained that this system helps predict the crop of various crops, including leafy vegetables such as lettuce and herbs.

It is known that Carbon Robotics has not experienced any major crises since its founding in 2018. This is proof that the prospects for this technology are bright.

“This investment is an important milestone not only for our company, but also for farmers and consumers around the world,” said founder and CEO Paul Michelsell. “It will accelerate our ability to pioneer artificial intelligence and robotics that will reshape agriculture for future generations. “We also plan to expand our business to Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, and the Asia Pacific region.”

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‘Tron’ actress Olivia Wilde establishes VC

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Olivia Wilde/Photo = Actress Instagram Actress, director and film producer Olivia Wilde has established her own venture capital (VC) ‘Proximity Ventures’ and is conducting investment activities, Bloomberg News reported on the 30th of last month (local time). .

Wilde has appeared in many Hollywood films, including ‘Tron: Legacy’. He also works as a director of films such as ‘Don’t Worry Darling’. He also got another business card called ‘Venture Investor.’ According to reports, Wild already set up Proximity in New York late last year. Because it was founded quietly rather than noisily, it has become known late.

The founding members are experts in the venture investment industry. Partner Neil Sirny led investments in Epic Games, SpaceX (X), etc. when he was at the investment company Arive. Singer-songwriter Santi White and another investor Jason Mack joined as partners. The news agency reported that among those who invested in Proximity were Eric Wu of Open Door Technology.

Proximity has already invested in four startups. Pendulum Therapeutics, a health food company founded by Colin Cutcliffe, is one of them. An official from Proximity said that they will form and invest in early-stage and growth-stage funds, respectively. It is reported that about 75% of the total investment will be in the United States, and the remainder will be invested overseas, such as in Southeast Asia.

With this, celebrity investors once again received attention. Ashton Kutcher, who is also married to Mila Kunis, founded Sound Ventures and raised $243 million for an AI-focused fund last year. Gwyneth Paltrow co-founded Kinship Ventures. There is also Serena Ventures, founded by tennis star Serena Williams.

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Connecting large and small businesses with local creators through ‘word of mouth marketing’

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<img src="https://thumb.mt.co.kr/06/2024/11/2024110114002391171_4.jpg/dims/optimize/?1730502074" alt="/Photo = American startup Hummingbird “/>
/Photo = American startup Hummingbird Even in the United States, small and medium-sized businesses or small business owners face difficulties in effective advertising marketing. Startup Hummingbird is a ‘word of mouth’ platform company that connects them with influential creators in their neighborhood. Hummingbird announced on the 30th of last month (local time) that it had attracted seed investment of $5.4 million (about 7.4 billion won). The cumulative investment amount increased to $10 million (KRW 13.8 billion).

Hummingbird presents the so-called ‘PTA style’ as a sample of small-scale, localized marketing. Every school in the United States has a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in which parents participate. PTAs lead various fundraising and volunteer activities, and creators with good local networks like them are effective in spreading the word of mouth.

Each company is connected to creators through Hummingbird and can share products on social media or hold events such as gift certificates and free trials for local residents. More than 300 brands are partners of Hummingbird, ranging from well-known brands such as Chop Local, Goodles, and Olipop to small local chains such as dairy food stores. The fees paid by these companies are Hummingbird’s source of income. We do not collect fees from local creators.

Hummingbird, founded last year, is a female startup. “We can help you build brand awareness, build loyal customers, and attract customers who continue to buy your products in your physical stores,” said co-founder Charis Flynn.

The new investment will be used to expand the platform to more than 20 cities, including Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Denver, Colorado, by 2025.

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‘Slap, shoot-’ Attracting investment in wave power generation

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/Photo = Co-Power Ocean Social Media Using ocean waves (wave energy) for power generation is called wave power generation. It is different from tidal power generation that uses the ebb and flow of the tide. Wave power generation is generally considered to be more predictable than wind power generation because the waves are constant. However, because production costs are still high, commercialization continues to be a challenge.

CoPower Ocean, a Sweden-based wave power generation company, announced that it has attracted 32 million euros in investment. It amounts to 35 million dollars, or about 48.2 billion won in Korean currency. Co-Power Ocean has thus far secured investment of 95 million euros (KRW 142.4 billion) from private and public investors.

Co-Power Ocean floats several wave power generators that look like giant gourds in the sea. The internal device utilizes the kinetic energy of waves to produce electricity. Copower Ocean’s technology is being used at sites in Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, and Norway.

Some countries, especially in Europe, are actively pursuing wind and tidal energy projects to reduce carbon emissions and achieve climate goals.

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