Saga Robotics Secures £8.4 Million as Thorvald Enters Commercial Breakout Phase

News Summary: UK-based Saga Robotics, maker of Thorvald—a fully autonomous, battery-powered platform delivering UV-C disease control and AI-driven data services—has raised £8.4 million led by Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, with participation from Aker Capital and Nysnø Climate Investments. The funding accelerates commercial rollout across the UK and US.

Key takeaways:

• Treats ~20% of the UK strawberry tabletop market; targeting 30%+ in 2026
• Operating on 1,300+ acres of California vineyards; plan to triple by 2026
• 150+ Thorvald 3.0 units active in the 2025 growing season, delivering weekly UV-C and data services
• Round completed in two tranches: £6.0M (23 Jun 2025) and £2.4M (8 Jul 2025)
• Board strengthened: Chair Dorn Wenninger continues; new member Laila Danielsen (Elliptic Labs); Alice Laurora (Praesidium) joins as observer
• Approved under California’s CORE incentive program; first commercial revenue from yield-prediction data tool in 2025
• Chemical-free UV-C service replaces or reduces fungicide use at scale

Kent, 11 August 2025 – Saga Robotics, the company behind Thorvald, the leading autonomous platform for grapevine and strawberries, has raised £8.4 million in equity capital to scale its commercial operations in the UK and US. The raise marks a pivotal moment as the company transitions from initial market traction to large-scale commercial adoption.

The round was backed by a strong mix of new and existing investors, including Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, a Luxembourg-based VC fund focused on scalable agtech solutions. Returning investors include Aker, Nysnø Climate Investments, Blystad, Hatteland, Melesio, Sanden, and MP Pensjon.

Alongside the raise, Saga Robotics has strengthened its Board with additional industry expertise. Dorn Wenninger (Chair), Atle Eide (Aker) and Yvonne Silden Langlo (Nysnø) remain in place, joined by new member Laila Danielsen, CEO of global AI software company Elliptic Labs. Alice Laurora of Praesidium Agri-FoodTech joins as an observer.

“The Thorvald robot has moved from a prototype to a fully commercially deployed autonomous solution, already servicing thousands of acres in 2025,” said Alice Laurora, Vice President at Praesidium Agri-FoodTech. “We’re investing in Saga Robotics because they have the right team, the right tech, proven technology, and a clear path to scale in high-value, underserved agricultural sectors.”

Financing tranches: Tranche 1 — £6.0 million, closed 23 June 2025, oversubscribed and allocated primarily to existing investors. Tranche 2 — £2.4 million, closed 8 July 2025, targeted new investors and strategic partners.

“Our solid commercial performance was an important enabler for us to close this funding round in what is a relatively demanding capital market,” said Dorn Wenninger, Board Chair. “The continued backing of existing shareholders, along with new investors such as Praesidium Agri-FoodTech, is testament to the foundations of our core business and our pipeline of growth.”

Scaling Thorvald’s impact

In the UK, Thorvald supports 13 leading strawberry growers and treats around 20% of the national tabletop market, with a target to exceed 30% in 2026. In the 2025 growing season, Saga recorded its first commercial revenue from its yield prediction data tool, leveraging data collected during weekly treatments across thousands of acres.

In the US, Thorvald operates across more than 1,300 acres of vineyards, with plans to triple that footprint by 2026. The platform is approved and included in California’s CORE incentive program, offering substantial grants for robot sales.

In total, over 150 Thorvald 3.0 units are active in the field in the 2025 growing season.

“We’ve proven Thorvald works—now we’re scaling it,” said founder Pål Johan From, who recently relocated to California to lead US operations. “This raise gives us the runway to accelerate adoption, improve efficiency in agriculture, and reduce chemical use across two of the world’s most chemically dependent specialty crop markets.”

CEO Sacha de La Noë added: “With Pål driving expansion in the US and strong traction in the UK, we’re entering a new phase focused on scale and impact. We’re not just gaining ground—we’re accelerating.”

About Saga Robotics

Saga Robotics is the company behind Thorvald, a modular, field-proven robotic platform built for soft fruit and grapevine production. From UV-C disease control to precision data collection, Thorvald delivers automated services that help growers boost yield, cut labor costs, and reduce chemical use.

About Praesidium Agri-FoodTech

Praesidium Agri-FoodTech is an early-stage venture capital fund focused on driving innovation in the agri-food sector, investing in companies advancing sustainable production while respecting natural resources.