Post on 20-Aug-2015
THE BUSINESS PLAN CANVAS UPDATED
•Research Labs•Equipment Manufacturer•Distribution Network•Service Providers• 2 or 3 Key Farms
•Technology Design•Marketing•Demo and customer feedback
•Cost Reduction•Remove labor force pains•Eliminate bio-waste hazards•IP – Patents
•Video Classifier Files•Robust Technology
•Farming conventions.•Demo, demo, and demo!!•Proximity is paramount
•Mid/Large Organic Farmers•Agricultural corporations•Weeding Service Providers
•Mid/Large Conventional Farmers
•Direct Service•Indirect Service• … then Dealers
•Direct Service with equipment rental•Low density: $1,500/d•High density: $6,000/d
Value-Driven• R&D• Bill of Materials• Training & Service• Sales
CARROTBOT
Machine Vision data collection platform Monochrome & Color
Cameras Laser-line sweep
(depth measurement)
Encoders (position/velocity)
Onboard data acquisition & power
CarrotBot 1.0
CARROTBOT – KEY FINDINGS
Light control is critical Adjust for lens focal
length More robust drive
train Next steps:
Hyper-spectral imaging (IR)
Develop process for creating training sets
R&D PARTNER: UC DAVIS
Over 10 years of weed recognition and elimination research Hyper-spectral imaging Precision spray of hot organic oil
No plans to start own company
Open to joint proposal
Dr. David Slaughter, UC Davis
Source: “Autonomous robotic weed control systems”, D.C. Slaughter, et. al. Computers & Electronics in
Agriculture, 2008
R&D PARTNER: LZH (GER)Laser Zentrum Hannover German laser research
lab Currently studying using
lasers for weed control Findings:
Effective and efficient Maximal dose of 5 J mm2 CO2 laser better absorbed than
Diode laser
Christian Marx, PhD student
Source: “Laser Light Beams for Weed Control in Horticulture” C. Woltjen, et. al., LZH
EARLY ADOPTION PARTNER: BOLTHOUSE 2nd largest organic
carrot grower in CA Technology-driven
company Key decision makers
are excited by this project
BRIDGE PARTNERS: SERVICE INDUSTRY Service Providers:
Hines Pest and Weed Control (Watsonville, CA) Jack R Weed Control Service (Rocklin, CA) Western Farm Service Inc. (West Coast) Integrated Crop Pest Management & Control
(Salinas, CA) Weed/Pest Management Consultants:
Organic Ag Advisors (North San Juan, CA) The Organic Consulting Firm (Temecula, CA) Crop Production Services, Inc. (California)
SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERS
Imaging Hardware Lasers
nLight Implement Chassis
Gonzales Machinery & Forge Northern Valley Fab
2011 WORLD AG EXPO
Found a few companies for potential partnership … maybe OEM arrangement Solex Corp, Gonzales Machinery, Trimble
Checking out the competition – RoboCrop. Only technology of its type, very rudimentary.
INCOME STATEMENT Key Assumptions:
Revenue:•# Machines goes from•Billable Days per machine from• Average Price goes from $ per rental
day (Tech I to Tech II)
Costs – COGS:• Equipment expenses are $xx (Tech I)
and $xx(Tech II). Useful life: xyrs• Long-term: one trainer/operator per
xmach.• Fixed maint. cost are xx% of equip.
exp.• Variable maint. cost are $x/billable
day
Costs – OPEX:• X CS/MS engineers in R&D• Sales force goes up from x to xreps• General Managers go up from x to
xVPs• Staff goes up from x to x clerks
• No debt in the first x years
(backup)