Root AI

Somerville, United States Founded: 2018 • Age: 8 yrs Acquired By AppHarvest
AI-based robots for fruit harvesting in indoor farms are developed.
Request Access

About Root AI

Root AI is a company based in Somerville (United States) founded in 2018 by Ryan Knopf and Josh Lessing was acquired by AppHarvest in April 2021.. Root AI has raised $10.2 million across 4 funding rounds from investors including AppHarvest, AgFunder and Accomplice. Root AI operates in a competitive market with competitors including Advanced Farm Technologies, Muddy Machines, Tevel Aerobotics Technologies, Robotics Plus and Four Growers, among others.

  • Headquarter Somerville, United States
  • Founders Ryan Knopf, Josh Lessing
  • Sectors
    Agriculture
    Industrial Goods & Manufacturing
  • Email
    ***********
  • Phone
    *********
  • Website
    *********
  • Social
    *********
Operational Areas
Agriculture → Agricultural Technology & Innovation
Industrial Goods & Manufacturing → Robotics, Automation & Smart Systems
Key Metrics
  • Annual Revenue
  • Net Profit
  • EBITDA
  • Total Equity Funding
    $10.2 M (USD)

    in 4 rounds

  • Latest Funding Round
    $7.9 M (USD), Seed

    Aug 10, 2020

  • Investors
    AppHarvest

    & 11 more

  • Employee Count
    Employee Count
  • Acquired by
    AppHarvest

    (Apr 08, 2021)

Upgrade to premium

Unlock complete access to The Company Check

Get unrestricted viewing across everything we track — from companies and brands to investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, financials, and more.

Upgrade to Premium No viewing limits. Your plan controls exports and screening usage.
Included in your Premium account
  • Unlimited viewing on all profiles Companies, investors, financials, funding, acquisitions & directors
  • Full access to every database India & global coverage, advanced filters and rich profile details
  • Always-on access from your team account Single premium plan for everything you see on the portal
People of Root AI
Headcount 200-500
Employee Profiles 6
Board Members and Advisors 7
Employee Profiles
People
Loren Eggleton
Chief Financial Officer
People
Dalton Brown
Packhouse Team Lead
People
Gary Broadbent
Chief Legal Officer Chief Restructuring Officer And Corporate Secretary
People
James Langfels
IT Consultant

Unlock access to complete

Board Members and Advisors
people
Kiran Bhatraju
Director
people
J.D. Vance
Director
people
Dave Chen
Director
people
Greg Couch
Director

Unlock access to complete

Funding Insights of Root AI

Root AI has successfully raised a total of $10.2M across 4 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Seed round of $7.9 million completed in August 2020. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.

  • Total Funding
  • Total Rounds 4
  • Last Round Seed — $7.9M
  • First Round

    (09 Aug 2018)

  • Investors Count 11
Date Amount Transaction Name Valuation Lead Investors Investors
Aug, 2020 Amount Seed - Root AI Valuation AgFunder , Outsiders Fund
Apr, 2020 Amount Grant - Root AI Valuation

investors

Feb, 2019 Amount Grant - Root AI Valuation

investors

Date Amount Transaction Name Valuation Lead Investors Investors
Jul, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Feb, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Jan, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Feb, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Investors in Root AI

Root AI has secured backing from 12 investors, including venture fund, angel, and institutional investors. Prominent investors backing the company include AppHarvest, AgFunder and Accomplice. This diverse investor base provides strategic capital, industry expertise, and valuable network connections that support the company's growth initiatives, market expansion, and long-term value creation.

All
Venture Fund
Institutional
Angel
Investor Description Founded Year Domain Location
Venture capital fund focused on ag-tech and food-tech sectors
Founded Year Domain Location
Accomplice is engaged in venture capital investments for startups.
Founded Year Domain Location
Early-stage VC firm focused on disruptive industry founders.
Founded Year Domain Location
Investor Description Founded Year Domain Location
Single family office of Amitabh Bachchan, founder of Amitabh Bachchan Corporation or AB CORP
Founded Year Domain Location
Startup ecosystems are ignited through strategic investments by Signite Partners.
Founded Year Domain Location
Venture capital is directed toward companies in multiple sectors.
Founded Year Domain Location
Venture capital is invested in cybersecurity, fintech, and AI startups.
Founded Year Domain Location

Investments & Acquisitions by Root AI

Investments
Company Name Description Domain Location Founded Year Amount
Bionic investment advisor platform
2016
Fine Asian gourmet food is offered by an internet-first restaurant.
2016
Physical e-commerce kiosks are deployed for rural purchases in Indonesia.
2014
Fine Asian gourmet food is offered by an internet-first restaurant.
2016

Financial Statements - Root AI

Tata Steel revenue growth over time
Tata Steel profit and loss trends over time
Date Amount Transaction Name Valuation Lead Investors Investors
Jul, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Feb, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Jan, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Feb, 2021 Amount Post-IPO - Grab Valuation

investors

Root Ai Comparisons

Employees
+
Add Comparison
Available on Premium

Competitors of Root AI

Root AI operates in a dynamic and competitive business environment, facing competition from various established players and emerging companies in the market. The competitive landscape includes prominent companies such as Advanced Farm Technologies, Muddy Machines, Tevel Aerobotics Technologies, Robotics Plus and Four Growers, among others. This competitive environment drives innovation, market differentiation, and strategic positioning as companies strive to capture market share and deliver value to their customers. Understanding the competitive dynamics is crucial for assessing market positioning, identifying growth opportunities, and navigating the challenges inherent in a competitive marketplace.

Company Name Domain Founded year HQ Location Description
domain founded_year HQ Location
Developer of automated strawberry harvesting robots
domain founded_year HQ Location
AI-powered autonomous robots for crop fieldwork are developed.
domain founded_year HQ Location
AI-powered autonomous drones are developed for fruit harvesting.
domain founded_year HQ Location
Robotic machines for horticulture produce handling
domain founded_year HQ Location
Developer of robotic tomato harvesters
Company Name Domain Founded year HQ Location Description
domain founded_year HQ Location
Multiple services are booked via an app-based platform.
domain founded_year HQ Location
On-demand services are booked through an app-based platform.
domain founded_year HQ Location
App based platform offering on demand delivery and ride-hailing services
domain founded_year HQ Location
Operates an on-demand hyperlocal delivery app for food and groceries.

Latest news on Root Ai

Frequently Asked Questions about Root AI

When was Root AI founded?

Root AI was founded in 2018.

Where is Root AI located?

Root AI is headquartered in Somerville, United States. It is registered at Somerville, Massachusetts, United States.

Who is the current CEO of Root AI?

Josh Lessing is the current CEO of Root AI. They have also founded this company.

Is Root AI a funded company?

Root AI is a funded company, having raised a total of $10.2M across 4 funding rounds to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Grant of $220.98K, raised on Aug 09, 2018.

What does Root AI do?

Root AI was founded in 2018 in Somerville, United States, within the AI robotics sector focused on agriculture. AI-powered robots are provided for harvesting fruits in indoor farming environments. Ripe fruits are identified by an integrated vision system to enable damage-free picking. Paths to targets are planned using 3D vision sensors amid complex growing conditions. Operations center on enhancing efficiency in controlled agricultural settings.

Who are the top competitors of Root AI?

Root AI's top competitors include Muddy Machines, Advanced Farm Technologies and Robotics Plus.

Who are Root AI's investors?

Root AI has 12 investors. Key investors include AppHarvest, AgFunder, Accomplice, Outsiders Fund, and PJC.

Explore millions of companies — effortlessly

Access structured, verified intelligence on 7M+ companies across industries, sectors, and global markets. From early-stage startups to large enterprises, discover ownership, leadership, funding, financials, acquisitions, and market signals — all in one powerful platform.

Free account with essential features Instant access to company reports Enterprise solutions available