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Israeli agricultural technology startup Nanovel has secured a €2.5 million ($2.85 million) non-dilutive grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program. Spearheaded by founder and CEO Isaac Mazor, the capital injection will accelerate the commercialization of the company’s autonomous, AI-powered citrus harvesting robots.
Solving the Global Fruit Harvesting Crisis
Manual labor shortages and rising operational costs pose an existential threat to the global citrus market, an industry Nanovel values at roughly $1 billion annually for oranges and lemons alone. Traditional farming relies heavily on seasonal workforces, which are becoming scarcer and more expensive.
Nanovel’s proprietary “Grip & Trim” technology directly solves this vulnerability. By deploying intelligent robotics into dense-canopy citrus orchards, the startup aims to provide growers with predictable, 24/7 harvesting capabilities while lowering overhead costs.
Next-Gen Robotics and Deep Learning AI
Unlike generic robotic arms, Nanovel’s patented harvester utilizes a highly specialized mechanism:
- Telescopic Robotic Arms: The current field model employs six synchronized arms working simultaneously inside dense foliage.
- Advanced Computer Vision: An edge-computing AI system maps the tree canopy in real-time to locate hidden fruit and avoid arm collisions.
- Precision Grip & Trim: A proprietary vacuum gripper gently secures the fruit while a cutting tool severs the stem less than 2mm from the crown.
- Selective Harvesting: The onboard vision software scans for specific colors and sizes, ensuring only market-ready fruit is picked, minimizing packing house waste.
The Roadmap to Commercial Deployment
Following a successful seven-week field trial in California alongside the Citrus Research Board, Nanovel is upgrading its tractor-pulled prototype into a fully self-driving unit. The EIC funding will bridge the critical transition from Technology Readiness Level 6 (prototype validation) to TRL 9 (proven commercial system).
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