By Gerelyn Terzo, Global AgInvesting Media
The automation of the human hand in mushroom harvesting has arrived. 4AG Robotics, a Salmon Arm, British Columbia-based pioneer in autonomous mushroom harvesting systems, has closed a CAD $40 million (USD $29.1 million) Series B round to hasten the adoption of its technology. Led by Astanor Ventures and Cibus Capital, the fundraising also extends to Voyager Capital and existing backers InBC, Emmertech, BDC Industrial Innovation Fund, Jim Richardson Family Office, Stray Dog Capital and Seraph Group. The latest round catapults the company’s fundraising tally to CAD $57.5 million (US$41.8 million) over the past two years.
4AG Robotics is shaking up mushroom farming with some cool robots that handle the picking, trimming and packing all on their own. These AI-powered machines slide directly into a grower’s setup, relieving tough labor challenges and keeping critical costs down in an industry where in Western markets harvesting may command up to 50 percent of production expenses. Harnessing computer vision, they work 24/7 to deliver high-quality mushrooms, bolstering yields and quality so farmers can focus on what they do best — growing mushrooms.
Commenting on the achievement, Cibus Capital Investment Director Archie Burgess said, “Mushroom farming presents an enormous opportunity to utilize robotics and AI to drive labor optimization together with higher yields and improved quality. The impressive 4AG team has already developed a fleet of robots that pick up to 1 million mushrooms per week. We look forward to supporting them in accelerating this trajectory.”
This fresh capital injection will be directed toward ramping up production and meeting growing international demand for its autonomous harvesting technology. Already operating in Canada, Ireland and Australia, 4AG is now preparing to expand its footprint into the Netherlands and U.S., signaling a broader global rollout of its robotic platform.
Astanor Ventures Partner Harry Briggs stated, “We believe that, of all the agricultural sectors, mushrooms are the most poised for robotic solutions—and we believe that 4AG is not only the clear global leader today, but also has the potential, thanks to AI advances and their rich image data, to drive up yields and reduce inputs across the industry. 4AG could be at the forefront of the transformation of agriculture through AI and robotics.”
4AG Robotics CEO Sean O’Connor said, “This funding helps us leap from a startup proving our product works to a scale-up manufacturer trying to keep pace with demand. In just two and a half years, we’ve gone from asking farms to trial our technology to having deposits for over 40 additional robots. As one of the first companies to fully automate the human hand in produce harvesting, we’re ushering in a new era for mushroom farming.”
4AG Robotics VP of Growth Michelle Lim commented, “We’re not just building robots—we’re building a new operating system for the mushroom industry. Growers want tech that works out of the box, delivers ROI in under three years and scales globally. That’s what we’ve built. And this funding gives us the fuel to move even faster.”
With the mushroom farming sector projected to exceed $70 billion by 2030, 4AG’s automation platform offers growers a scalable, plug-and-play alternative that leaves room for existing infrastructure and strengthens operational efficiency across markets.
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