Agritech

Robotics Plus

Autonomous robots for kiwifruit harvesting and horticultural packhouse automation

Robotics Plus
Founded:
2013
Location:
Tauranga, New Zealand
Partner:
Yamaha Motor
What they do:
Autonomous kiwifruit harvesting and packhouse robots
Last updated 2 June 2026

Robotics Plus builds autonomous systems for horticulture — from robotic kiwifruit harvesters that pick fruit without bruising to packhouse automation that grades and sorts at scale. The company works at the intersection of computer vision, robotics, and agricultural science.

Founded by Steve Saunders and Dr Alistair Scarfe in the Bay of Plenty — the heart of New Zealand's kiwifruit industry — Robotics Plus has partnered with Yamaha Motor and secured backing from investors who see horticulture automation as a global opportunity.

Why Noteworthy

New Zealand's horticultural sector faces a structural labour shortage that technology must solve. Robotics Plus is building that solution from within the industry, not parachuting in from Silicon Valley.

About this profile

This profile was researched and written by Noteworthy using publicly available sources. If something here is out of date or incorrect, let us know and we’ll review it.

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