Autonomous electric lawn mowers for commercial landscaping
Scythe Robotics
The founders of Scythe Robotics are on a mission to electrify the commercial landscaping industry using autonomous technology, starting with lawn mowers.
Investment rationale
Challenge
Fossil fuels are used to power vehicles and all types of portable machines. The pollutants from smaller machines such as lawn mowers may not be the largest source of GHG emissions, but we need to decarbonize them all the same. Lawn mowers release not only carbon dioxide, but also various air pollutants which are damaging for human health. To effectively speed up the replacement of traditional lawn mowers, we need a new generation of smart technologies that can move easily and productively in challenging terrain.
Technology
Scythe has developed the first all-electric fully autonomous commercial-grade mower. Their smart lawn mower moves around based on eight integrated cameras, twelve ultrasonic sensors, terrain recognition technology, and a navigation system for precision mowing. It already mows large-scale commercial properties like corporate campuses, parks, sports fields, and residential areas, all of which can have steep slopes and tough terrain. The technology helps solve labor shortages in commercial landscaping and produces zero emissions.
Competitive advantage
Scythe’s autonomous technology saves labor costs while delivering high quality results. The electric power train and their terrain recognition technology further reduces maintenance and downtime. The product can withstand the rough treatment of daily commercial landscape operations, including transportation and jumping curbs in parking lots. These advantages, together with the benefit of the mower being electric, puts Scythe in a good position to grow.
Founders
No founders found
Investment fund
ArcTern Ventures
ArcTern is a Canadian venture capital firm aiming to build a sustainable global economy by investing in early-stage companies that help decarbonize the highest GHG emitting sectors such as energy, manufacturing, transportation and food.
