This event was held on the 19th of March in the Locahal in Tilburg. Together with 10 other companies we were nominated to present ourselves at an innovation market. It was great to see other innovative companies working on exciting projects that bring real impact. At the end of the afternoon it was time to pitch to the jury panel consisting of representatives from Fontys Hogeschool, Corbion, Port of Moerdijk, Midpoint Brabant and ABN Amro.
We are honored to be appointed for The Circular Startup of Brabant. Winning in this category puts through to the National Circular Innovation Top in Jaarbeurs, Utrecht on the 11th of April. In Utrecht, we will be taking it up against innovative companies from 4 other provinces: Flevoland, Overijssel, Gelderland and Utrecht.
We are not circular in the literal sense. We do not make our robots completely from recycled and reused materials. However what makes Robot One a circular product is the fact that it enables farmers to start using circular farming methods. Robot One replaces current methods that include adding chemical herbicides to combat weeds. These herbicides tend to wear out the soil and deprive it from its nutrients. The residus of these chemicals will remain in the soil or are washed out into the environment surrounding the field. Other current methods like mechanised weeding still disturb the top-layer of the soil. By entering the soil with a mechanical weeding implement you disrupt the soil structure and risk hitting the crops roots.
“We do not deplete the soil, instead we give back to the earth.”
– Arend Koekkoek
Robot One is different. Our laser technology does not leave harmful residu, nor does it disrupt the soil. Lasers precisely hit the plants that the farmer classifies as a weed, thus leaving the crop alone. The laser shoots a beam of concentrated light energy on the weed. The weed gets boiled on a molecular level. This disrupts the weeds growing and kills the cells at the core of the plant. In a few days, all that is left are dried plants that will be taken up by the soil to become organic matter. This system enables growers to cultivate their crops in a sustainable manner, without external inputs and harmful outputs.
Building a premium agricultural robot is not a simple task. It requires a large variety of disciplines working together to realize this product. Our team of employees is motivated and ready to welcome more enthousiastic people.
“Time and enthousiastic people are crucial to make our impact last.”
– Arend Koekkoek
This event truly showed the great innovating power of our province, Noord-Brabant. It was great to meet and speak to other inspiring entrepreneurs. We also want to congratulate the winners in the category of cicular supply chain Circulware and the Circular Changemakers at Wolkat. We want to thank VNO-NCW and partners for organizing this event and shedding a light on these wonderful innovations. We look forward to the national finale!
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