华人女孩深耕AI农业机器人创业出圈,获750万美元融资!

传统农耕耗力低效、施肥浪费等难题亟待破解，这家农科初创企业迎来重磅突破！Upside Robotics斩获750万美元种子轮融资，总融资额超1100万美元，依托滑铁卢大学孵化器资源，深耕AI农业机器人领域。其轻量化自主机器人实现靶向施肥、远程管田，实测作业成绩亮眼，兼顾农户收益与生态保护，用科技重构农耕新范式。

注：第一部分为英文文章及音频，第二部分为中英双语文章，后附重点词汇注解

（本文仅用于学习用途，For non-commercial educational use only）

英文文章及音频：（350 Words）

$7.5 million seed funding helps Upside Robotics plant the seeds for success

From: University of Waterloo

A fresh injection of $7.5 million USD seed funding is propelling Upside Robotics into its next phase of growth, giving the Velocity‑based startup momentum to deepen its partnerships with farmers and agricultural companies across Canada. 

Co‑founders Sam Dugan (BASc ’22) and Jana Tian launched Upside Robotics to transform agriculture through sustainable automation. Their remote‑management, AI-enabled, lightweight autonomous robots apply fertilizer precisely where crops need it empowering farmers to monitor their fields, track crop health and deliver nutrients with unprecedented efficiency all without farmers stepping foot on the soil. 

“Trust in robotics is earned in the field, not the lab,” Dugan says. “We built the system side by side with farmers, season by season. Today, that work has translated into more than 10,000 autonomous kilometers driven and over 100,000 liters of fertilizer applied across more than 1,300 acres.”

The $7.5 million USD seed round led by Plural, with participation from GarageCapital, Entrepreneurs First and the founders of Clearpath Robotics brings the company’s total funding to more than $11 million USD.

In Upside Robotics’ demonstration videos, small autonomous robots glide between rows of crops, precisely delivering nutrients directly to root zones. This targeted approach reduces waste, cuts costs and helps farmers maintain healthier soils a powerful combination for producers adapting to climate pressures. 

Upside Robotics is one of several agri‑tech innovators growing within Velocity, the University of Waterloo’s flagship incubator. Velocity provides founders with mentorship, funding opportunities and access to Canada’s largest tech‑corridor network. Since 2008, the incubator has helped more than 500 startups launch, collectively generating over $40 billion in enterprise value. 

For Dugan, this new funding marks just the beginning.

“Our vision is a world where farmers can effortlessly manage their operations remotely with continuous analytics and actionable insights while contributing positively to the environment,” Dugan explains. “We want to align farm profitability with climate goals through innovation in precision agriculture.” 

With this fresh capital, Upside Robotics is ready to keep building the future of farming one robot at a time.

中英双语文章：

750 万美元种子轮融资助力 Upside Robotics 播下成功的种子

$7.5 million seed funding helps Upside Robotics plant the seeds for success

来源：University of Waterloo

Upside Robotics 新获750 万美元种子轮融资，将推动公司迈入下一阶段增长，也让这家孵化于 Velocity 的初创企业获得强劲动力，深化与加拿大各地农户及农业企业的合作。

A fresh injection of $7.5 million USD seed funding is propelling Upside Robotics into its next phase of growth, giving the Velocity‑based startup momentum to deepen its partnerships with farmers and agricultural companies across Canada. 

联合创始人Sam Dugan（2022 届工程学士）和Jana Tian创立 Upside Robotics，旨在通过可持续自动化技术重塑农业。公司研发的远程管理、AI 赋能、轻量化自主机器人，可将肥料精准施用于作物所需位置，让农户足不出户即可监测农田、追踪作物长势，并以前所未有的效率输送养分。

Co‑founders Sam Dugan (BASc ’22) and Jana Tian launched Upside Robotics to transform agriculture through sustainable automation. Their remote‑management, AI-enabled, lightweight autonomous robots apply fertilizer precisely where crops need it empowering farmers to monitor their fields, track crop health and deliver nutrients with unprecedented efficiency all without farmers stepping foot on the soil. 

“对机器人技术的信任，是在田间建立的，而非实验室里。”Dugan 表示，“我们与农户并肩协作，一季一季打磨系统。如今，这些努力已转化为亮眼成果：机器人自主行驶里程超 1 万公里，在逾 1300 英亩农田上完成施肥超 10 万升。”

“Trust in robotics is earned in the field, not the lab,” Dugan says. “We built the system side by side with farmers, season by season. Today, that work has translated into more than 10,000 autonomous kilometers driven and over 100,000 liters of fertilizer applied across more than 1,300 acres.”

本轮 750 万美元融资由 Plural 领投，Garage Capital、Entrepreneurs First 及 Clearpath Robotics 创始团队参投，使公司总融资额超1100 万美元。

The $7.5 million USD seed round led by Plural, with participation from Garage Capital, Entrepreneurs First and the founders of Clearpath Robotics brings the company’s total funding to more than $11 million USD.

在 Upside Robotics 的演示视频中，小型自主机器人在作物行间平稳穿行，将养分精准输送至作物根部。这种靶向施肥方式可减少浪费、降低成本，帮助农户养护土壤，对正适应气候压力的农业生产者而言极具价值。

In Upside Robotics’ demonstration videos, small autonomous robots glide between rows of crops, precisely delivering nutrients directly to root zones. This targeted approach reduces waste, cuts costs and helps farmers maintain healthier soils a powerful combination for producers adapting to climate pressures. 

Upside Robotics 是滑铁卢大学旗舰孵化器 Velocity 培育的众多农业科技创新企业之一。Velocity 为创业者提供导师指导、融资渠道，并接入加拿大规模最大的科技走廊资源网络。自 2008 年以来，该孵化器已助力超 500 家初创公司落地，累计创造企业价值逾 400 亿美元。

Upside Robotics is one of several agri‑tech innovators growing within Velocity, the University of Waterloo’s flagship incubator. Velocity provides founders with mentorship, funding opportunities and access to Canada’s largest tech‑corridor network. Since 2008, the incubator has helped more than 500 startups launch, collectively generating over $40 billion in enterprise value. 

对Dugan 而言，这笔新融资仅仅是开始。

For Dugan, this new funding marks just the beginning.

“我们的愿景是打造这样一个世界：农户借助持续数据分析与可落地的洞察，轻松实现农田远程管理，同时为环境保护做出积极贡献。”杜根解释道，“我们希望通过精准农业创新，让农业盈利与气候目标协同发展。”

“Our vision is a world where farmers can effortlessly manage their operations remotely with continuous analytics and actionable insights while contributing positively to the environment,” Dugan explains. “We want to align farm profitability with climate goals through innovation in precision agriculture.” 

凭借这笔新资金，Upside Robotics 将持续深耕，以一台台机器人为基石，构筑农业的未来。

With this fresh capital, Upside Robotics is ready to keep building the future of farming one robot at a time.

- 词汇盘点 -

propel、fertilizer、capital、glide、incubator、mentorship、tech‑corridor、profitability

※ propel ※

Propel 英/prəˈpel/ 美/prəˈpel/

v.推进；推动；驱使；激励

【例句】

The jet engine propels the aircraft at supersonic speeds.

喷气发动机以超音速推进飞机。

Her passion for science propelled her to pursue a research career.

她对科学的热情驱使她从事研究事业。

The new policy is expected to propel economic growth in the region.

新政策预计将推动该地区的经济增长。

Wind energy propels the sailboat across the open ocean.

风能推动帆船穿越开阔的海洋。

※ fertilizer ※

Fertilizer 英/ˈfɜːtəlaɪzər/ 美/ˈfɜːrtəlaɪzər/

n.肥料；化肥

【例句】

Organic fertilizer improves soil structure while providing essential nutrients.

有机肥料在提供必需养分的同时改善土壤结构。

The excessive use of chemical fertilizer has led to water pollution in the region.

化肥的过度使用导致了该地区的水污染。

Farmers are advised to apply fertilizer based on soil test results.

建议农民根据土壤测试结果施用肥料。

The new precision agriculture system reduces fertilizer waste by 30%.

新的精准农业系统减少了30%的肥料浪费。

※ capital ※

Capital 英/ˈkæpɪtl/ 美/ˈkæpɪtl/

n.资本；资金；首都；大写字母；柱头

adj.首都的；资本的；极好的；大写的

【例句】

The company needs to raise more capital to expand its operations.

公司需要筹集更多资金以扩大业务。

Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China.

北京是中华人民共和国的首都。

Please write your name in capital letters.

请用大写字母书写您的姓名。

The museum is located in the capital city.

该博物馆位于首都。

Human capital is the most valuable asset of any organization.

人力资本是任何组织最宝贵的资产。

※ glide ※

Glide 英/ɡlaɪd/ 美/ɡlaɪd/

v.滑行；滑翔；滑动；悄悄地走

n.滑行；滑翔；滑音；过渡

【例句】

The eagle glided effortlessly on the thermal currents.

老鹰在热气流上毫不费力地滑翔。

The dancer seemed to glide across the stage.

舞者似乎在舞台上滑行。

The figure skater performed a perfect glide during her routine.

花样滑冰运动员在表演中完成了完美的滑行。

Time seems to glide by when you are enjoying yourself.

当你玩得开心时，时间似乎悄然流逝。

※ incubator ※

Incubator 英/ˈɪŋkjubeɪtər/ 美/ˈɪŋkjubeɪtər/

n.孵化器；培养箱；企业孵化器；恒温箱

【例句】

The business incubator provides startups with office space and mentorship.

这家企业孵化器为初创公司提供办公空间和指导。

The premature babies were placed in incubators to maintain their body temperature.

早产儿被放在恒温箱中以维持体温。

The university established a technology incubator to commercialize research findings.

该大学建立了技术孵化器以将研究成果商业化。

The startup graduated from the incubator after securing Series A funding.

这家初创公司在获得A轮融资后从孵化器毕业。

※ mentorship ※

Mentorship 英/ˈmentɔːʃɪp/ 美/ˈmentɔːrʃɪp/

n.指导；导师制；师徒关系；辅导

【例句】

The mentorship program pairs experienced professionals with young graduates.

导师计划将经验丰富的专业人士与年轻毕业生配对。

Quality mentorship can accelerate career development significantly.

优质的指导可以显著加速职业发展。

She credits her success to the mentorship she received early in her career.

她将成功归功于职业生涯早期获得的指导。

The company values mentorship as a key tool for knowledge transfer.

公司重视指导作为知识传递的关键工具。

※ tech‑corridor ※

Tech-corridor 英/tek ˈkɒrɪdɔːr/ 美/tek ˈkɔːrɪdɔːr/

n.科技走廊；高新技术产业带

【例句】

The tech-corridor between the two cities attracts major technology companies.

两城之间的科技走廊吸引了主要科技公司。

Investment in the tech-corridor has created thousands of high-skilled jobs.

对科技走廊的投资创造了数千个高技能工作岗位。

The new highway will improve connectivity along the entire tech-corridor.

新高速公路将改善整个科技走廊的连通性。

※ profitability ※

Profitability 英/ˌprɒfɪtəˈbɪləti/ 美/ˌprɑːfɪtəˈbɪləti/

n.盈利能力；收益性；利润率

【例句】

The profitability of the project depends on efficient cost management.

项目的盈利能力取决于高效的成本管理。

Investors are concerned about the declining profitability of traditional retailers.

投资者担心传统零售商盈利能力下降。

Improving profitability remains the top priority for the new management team.

提高盈利能力仍然是新管理团队的首要任务。

The analysis examined the long-term profitability of sustainable farming practices.

该分析研究了可持续农业实践长期盈利能力。

- END -

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