COMPANY SNAPSHOT
Kilter builds autonomous robots that hunt down individual weeds and hit them with one or a couple of droplets of herbicide at the time. This results in 95% less chemicals and better yields.
Headquarters: Langhus, Norway
Category: Precision agriculture / Robotics
Founded: 2015 (became independent in 2020)
Funding: €9M Series A (November 2024)
Website: kiltersystems.com
Socials: LinkedIn
Founder profile: Started inside Adigo Mechatronics; CEO is Anders Brevik
HOW IT WORKS
The answer is a robot that weighs only 300 kilograms. It drives itself through vegetable fields using GPS.
The robot has a vision system that maps the field in a 6x6 millimeter grid. Smaller than a pencil eraser. As it moves, it looks at every plant in real-time and figures out the ultimate question: crop or weed?
“When we spray with AX-1 we take a picture of the crop, analyze the picture and apply a micro droplet of pelargonic acid on to the weeds.” (Source: Kilter)
If it's a weed, the robot uses what they call Single Drop Technology. A nozzle system that works like an inkjet printer (yeah, similar to your printer at home). One droplet of herbicide at a time, placed directly on the weed.
They can achieve up to 95% less chemical.
The robot is also so light that it doesn't compact soil like a tractor. You can run it right after rain when the soil is soft and weeds are growing fastest. Exactly when you can't get a tractor in the field.
It also runs on its own. Fill the 50-liter tank, set it going, and it works day or night. It sends data back to Kilter's team for monitoring and updates.
As of 2025, it's identifying over 20 different crop types, including delicate ones like spinach, herbs, and strawberries. The more it runs, the better it gets at spotting weeds.
Roy Hasle, one of the first users in Norway back in 2022, called it "a revolution in vegetable farming." But that was just Norway.
By 2024, the AX-1 is working in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia. Carrots and celery in Sweden and Germany. Onions and beetroot in the Netherlands. Different soils. Different climates. Different weeds.
But the same result: healthier crops, cleaner fields, 95% less chemicals.
Trials from Norwegian research groups showed yield increases up to 35%. Meaning that crops aren't competing with weeds or getting hit by chemicals anymore.
Kilter became independent in 2020. In late 2024, they raised €9 million led by Pymwymic and Nufarm. Then in 2025, they signed with Kubota to distribute through their dealer networks in Europe.
Two global companies (one selling chemicals, one selling tractors) both betting on a robot that cuts chemical use by 95% and is small compare to other solutions. That tells you where the industry is headed.
The business model is simple. Farmers buy or lease the AX-1. Kilter provides support and updates. The robot collects field data, which helps improve accuracy over time.
Here is Kilter’s product demo video (YouTube)
THE OUTLOOK
Why this matters
They're solving real problems growers face today: Labor shortages. Chemical regulations are tightening. Input costs keep climbing. Kilter's timing is great because vegetable growers need alternatives.
The Nufarm and Kubota deals are game-changers: Most robotics companies struggle with distribution and credibility. Kilter got both from two of the biggest names in the industry. Other than funding, that's direct access to customers through established networks.
It's proven in real conditions: This isn't a prototype. Kilter's been operating commercially in Europe for years. Real customers, real fields, real seasons. That's the proof vegetable growers need.
The reality check
The economics need to work for everyone: Small and mid-size growers need to see ROI. If the math doesn't work for the average grower, it doesn't scale.
Competition is coming: FarmWise, Carbon Robotics, Small Robot Company - all building similar systems with a lot of funding. Kilter's ahead in Europe, but they need to move quickly before the competition gets more fierce.