Agtech By Design: Precision spraying technology seeking R&D partners, trial sites and collaborators
Opportunity for
- Research and development partners
- Field trial hosts and validation sites (orchard and vineyard producers)
- Technology collaborators developing complementary precision agriculture or autonomous systems
Opportunity description
Industry challenge
Horticulture relies heavily on herbicides and blanket spraying to manage weeds and protect crops. Conventional blanket application puts chemical across an entire block regardless of where weeds actually are, driving up input costs, increasing chemical use, and adding to soil and environmental load. In orchards and vineyards it can also raise the risk of residual chemical exposure for consumers and contribute to soil damage from repeated passes. Growers face rising input prices, tighter regulation, growing scrutiny of chemical residues, and pressure to demonstrate sustainable practices, all while managing labour shortages.
There is a clear need for precision spraying technology that targets only what needs treating, cuts chemical use without compromising efficacy, and generates reliable digital records to support compliance and decision making. Solutions that retrofit to existing machinery and suit autonomous platforms are especially valuable, as they lower the barrier to adoption for growers who cannot justify replacing an entire fleet. Getting this right could meaningfully reduce cost, environmental impact and residue risk across the sector.
Current opportunity
Agtech by Design develops AI vision based precision spraying technology for horticulture.
Agtech by Design is seeking research and development partners, trial hosts and technology collaborators to help validate and extend its precision spraying systems. We are looking for orchard and vineyard producers open to hosting field trials, along with research organisations and industry partners interested in testing the technology across different crops, conditions and cropping systems.
We are also keen to connect with groups developing complementary technologies, where there may be scope to integrate our detection and rate control capability into existing products, or vice versa. A successful partnership would help fund and accelerate ongoing development, including our green on green detection work, generate independent validation data, and open up new applications.
For partners, the value lies in access to a commercially proven, retrofit capable system, real world trial results, and the chance to co-develop the next generation of precision application technology. We are open to collaborative R&D, co-funded development and integration partnerships.
To find out more or express your interest in this opportunity go to the enquiry form below or see the technology here: WeedSelector full day of work
Opportunity background
Founder Zane Sheffield began the project in 2020 and, with co-founder Ben Pankhurst, has built and commercialised two products: Weed Selector, an AI vision based green on brown spot spraying system delivering 60 to 80 per cent chemical savings while reducing soil damage and residual chemical exposure, and RateSelector, a spray rate controller that holds application within five per cent of target rate and captures coverage maps and digital spray records. Both are retrofit capable and autonomous vehicle ready. The team of three made its first commercial sale in late 2025, with further machines now in discussion with growers. Agtech by Design is supported by advisers with agrifood investment and startup experience, works with a national and international dealer network, and is an alumnus of the Beanstalk incubator.
Potential other applications
While the current focus is horticulture, particularly orchards and vineyards, the underlying technology has clear potential beyond these systems. The AI vision and detection approach behind green on brown spot spraying could be adapted to broadacre cropping, where selective weed control offers similar chemical savings and environmental benefits at scale. The rate control and mapping platform is largely crop agnostic and could support a wide range of spraying applications wherever accurate, variable rate application and reliable digital records add value. Because both systems are retrofit capable and built to suit autonomous vehicles, there is scope to work with robotics and automation developers looking to add precision application to their platforms.