Electric Sheep Raises $21.5M for Autonomous Lawnmowers

iRobot's Terra and the Current Robotic Mower Landscape

This week marks three years since iRobot initially unveiled Terra. Despite initial plans, the launch of this robotic mower faced setbacks, leading to a delay in 2020. Currently, the Terra remains unavailable.

However, for individuals with extensive lawns and limited free time, numerous robotic mowing solutions are still accessible, catering to both commercial and consumer markets.

Electric Sheep Robotics' Innovative Approach

Electric Sheep Robotics presents a unique strategy within this sector. Their method mirrors that of Bear Flag Robotics (now owned by John Deere) in the realm of autonomous tractors.

Dexter, their system, which is now generally available, enables the retrofitting of both new and pre-existing commercial mowers with self-governing functionality.

How Dexter Works: Training and Navigation

Following installation, users guide the system through a typical mowing route for initial training. Subsequently, Dexter utilizes an array of integrated sensors – including lidar, cameras, and GPS – to ensure safe navigation and collision avoidance.

Landscapers can access Dexter through a RaaS (Robotics as a Service) subscription model, allowing them to rent the system instead of making a large upfront purchase.

Funding and Market Potential

CEO Naganand Murty highlighted the significant area of land covered by grass across the United States.

Alongside the general release of Dexter, the company announced a substantial Series A funding round of $21.5 million. This brings the total funding raised to date to $25.7 million.

Tiger Global spearheaded the round, with additional participation from Foundation Capital, who previously led the company’s $4 million seed funding.