Fieldwork Robotics has secured £3 million in funding, including a £2.2 million investment round led by Elbow Beach. The funding will support the company's transition from technology validation to commercial trials and accelerate the adoption of its autonomous harvesting systems.
Berry growers are facing rising labour costs, limited availability of fruit pickers, and supply chain pressures that are increasing harvesting wages. Fieldwork's autonomous harvesting robots are designed to reduce reliance on seasonal labour, improve productivity, and support farm operations across larger areas.
© Fieldwork Robotics
The investment will enable the manufacture of production robots for deployment in a two-year harvesting-as-a-service program in Norfolk with Place UK and at Littywood Farm in Stafford. These trials will allow growers to assess logistics, operational requirements, and infrastructure needs ahead of wider rollout. Subject to trial outcomes, Fieldwork expects multi-robot fleets to be operating from 2027, with international trials planned in Portugal and Australia.
Elbow Beach is contributing £1.45 million in follow-on funding, building on its £1.5 million seed investment in 2023, which supported the development and validation of Fieldwork's robotics and AI systems.
In addition to the investment round, Fieldwork has secured a £1.6 million Climate Grant and has been awarded the Innovate UK Farm ADOPT grant in collaboration with Place UK and Littywood Farm. Activities are scheduled to begin in June 2026.
David Fulton, CEO of Fieldwork Robotics, commented: "Fieldwork is now entering its scale-up phase, moving from technology validation to full commercial adoption. We are excited to demonstrate how our autonomous raspberry harvesting robots can boost productivity, protect grower margins, and deliver sustainable harvesting solutions in the UK and globally as we build our international traction. With a strengthened leadership team and strong investor support, we are well-positioned to accelerate multi-robot deployment and drive the wider adoption of autonomous harvesting at the farm level."
Jon Pollock, CEO of Elbow Beach Capital, commented: "Fieldwork has made impressive strides since our initial investment, building a robust technology and demonstrating a clear pathway to commercial impact. This round reflects our confidence in the team and their innovative technology, which tackles labour shortages, eases inflationary pressures, and meets the growing demand for automation in the sector. We are proud to continue our support for Fieldwork as they help food producers scale efficiently, expand into international markets, reduce waste, and drive sustainable growth."
© Fieldwork RoboticsFor more information:
Fieldwork Robotics
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 210 376
Email: [email protected]
www.fieldworkrobotics.com
