Bosch collaboration with Fieldwork
RNS Reach
AIM: FIPP
06 July 2020
Frontier IP Group Plc
("Frontier IP" or the "Group")
Portfolio news - Bosch UK to work with Fieldwork Robotics to optimise robot crop harvesting technology
Frontier IP, a specialist in commercialising intellectual property, today announces that Robert Bosch Limited ("Bosch") has entered into an agreement to work with portfolio company Fieldwork Robotics ("Fieldwork" or the "Company") to accelerate the development of its novel robot technology to harvest soft fruit and vegetables.
Bosch UK will collaborate with Fieldwork's engineers to optimise the Company's soft robotic arms and develop software aimed at reducing the arms' cost and increasing their speed.
The objective is to move into full-scale production through the University of Plymouth spin out Fieldwork. The agreement between Fieldwork and Bosch is a significant step forward in the commercialisation of the technology.
Frontier IP holds a 26.9 per cent equity stake in Fieldwork, a holding valued at £1,355,000 following the completion in January 2020 of an initial equity funding round for the Company.
This agreement between Fieldwork and Bosch represents a further deepening of Frontier IP's relationship with Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services that employs approximately 400,000 associates worldwide. Another Group portfolio company Pulsiv Solar is working with Bosch to optimise the design of its energy-efficient solar micro-inverter.
Fieldwork is initially focused on developing robots to harvest raspberries - they are more delicate, more easily damaged than other soft fruits, and grow on bushes with complex foliage and berry distribution. Fieldwork, together with the University of Plymouth, is also developing proof-of-concept robots for other crops following interest from leading multinational agribusinesses.
The Company is using the £298,000 raised in the January funding round to accelerate development and scale up of its robotic technology.
Work to date has also been supported by a £547,250 Innovate UK grant as part of a £671,484 project to develop the multi-armed robot prototype. Other partners in the project included the University of Plymouth and the National Physical Laboratory.
Fieldwork was incorporated to develop and commercialise the work of Dr Martin Stoelen, who splits his work between the University of Plymouth, where he lectures in robotics and leads the Soft and Adaptive Robotics lab, and as an Associate Professor at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Dr Stoelen has also led projects to develop a cauliflower harvesting robot systems and a tomato picker, a project run in partnership with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Jenny Patten, Head of Business Development for Bosch UK, said: "To accelerate the development of technology that has the potential to improve people's quality of life and work, it is incredibly important that organisations - big and small - collaborate, making the best use of skills, knowledge and resources. To this end Bosch UK are very pleased to expand our relationship with Frontier IP and support Fieldwork Robotics in the development of their robotic arm for harvesting soft fruit and vegetables."
Vivek Kadal, Head of the Bosch Team working on the development for Fieldwork, said: "It gives Bosch great pleasure to work with companies that pioneer and change the way robotics are being used to simplify human working and this partnership adds to our "invented for Life" objective. Bosch will provide best in class capabilities to enable Fieldwork to commercialise and bring its robots to market."
Rui Andres, Fieldwork Robotics Chief Executive Officer, said: "This agreement is the result of several discussions between all the parties and the increasing interest in robotics within Bosch's agribusiness. We are looking forward to working alongside Bosch to further increase the pace of development and preparing the future path of our robots".
Neil Crabb, Frontier IP Chief Executive Officer, said: " Industry engagement is a vital part of validating the commercial viability of new technology, so we are delighted to be extending our relationship with Bosch UK. They have provided invaluable support for our work with Pulsiv in optimising its solar microinverter for manufacturability.
"Agricultural automation is a long-term trend, but one which has been thrown into sharp relief recently from the impact on human labour of COVID-19, demonstrating the potential value of Fieldwork's technology. We are very much looking forward to working with Bosch UK on this project."
ENQUIRIES
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Frontier IP Group Plc |
T: 020 7332 2338 |
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Neil Crabb, Chief Executive Andrew Johnson, Communications & Investor Relations Company website: www.frontierip.co.uk |
neil@frontierip.co.uk M: 07464 546 025 |
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Allenby Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser) |
T: 0203 328 5656 |
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Nick Athanas / Nicholas Chambers
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ABout frontier IP
Frontier IP unites science and commerce by identifying strong intellectual property and accelerating its development through a range of commercialisation services. A critical part of the Group's work is involving relevant industry partners at an early stage of development to ensure technology meets real world demands and needs.
The Group looks to build and grow a portfolio of equity stakes and licence income by taking an active involvement in spin-out companies, including support for fund raising and collaboration with relevant industry partners at an early stage of development.
Frontier IP is the commercialisation partner for the University of Plymouth.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
The University of Plymouth is renowned for high quality, internationally-leading education, research and innovation.
With a mission to Advance Knowledge and Transform Lives, Plymouth is a *top 50 research university with clusters of world class research across a wide range of disciplines including marine science and engineering, medicine, cybersecurity and psychology. A three-time winner of the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, most recently in 2020 in respect of its pioneering research on microplastics pollution in the oceans and its impact on the environment and changing behaviour, the University continues to grow in stature and reputation.
It has a strong track record for teaching and learning excellence, and has one of the highest numbers of National Teaching Fellows of any UK university. With over 19,000 students, and a further 9,500 studying for a Plymouth degree at partner institutions in the UK and around the world, and over 135,000 alumni pursuing their chosen careers globally, it has a growing global presence.
* Research Fortnight Research Power League Table 2014.
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