Robot mowers have been demonstrated at past conventions, and many for home use are still available today for as little as $1,000. Deere & Company showed an autonomous tractor there. “The automation of the $115 billion outdoor maintenance market is a huge opportunity, which is clearly hidden,” Tiger partner Griffin Schroeder said in a statement.Īutomated agriculture was on display this month at CES, the largest technology trade show in Las Vegas. Last year was the worst labor market for lawn care in recent history, according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals, a trade group. And automation can address the labor shortage.

This is equal to the wheat crop of the country. For one, turf grass takes up about 40 million acres in the U.S., according to Tom Cook, professor emeritus of horticulture at Oregon State University. The firm, once a fairly traditional hedge fund, was one of the most active startup financiers last year.Ĭertain factors attracted Tiger to mow the lawn. However, the recent explosion of capital in private markets has enabled an eclectic mix of business ideas to flourish. Lawn care is an unfamiliar domain for technology investors, especially when it requires expensive machinery to build.

It is one of the many companies that are eyeing green pastures. One lesser-known area that’s starting to attract investors’ attention: autonomous lawn mowers.Įlectric Sheep Robotics Inc., which makes an add-on device for commercial mowers, plans on Tuesday to announce a $21.5 million funding round led by Tiger Global Management. (Bloomberg) - Hundreds of well-funded robotics startups are working on self-driving cars, self-piloting drones and shelf-diving warehouse robots.

Electric sheep robotics