Three Experts, One Mission: Agricultural Robotics

GOFAR: Tell us about yourself and the work you’re doing in transforming agriculture with robotics.

Agricef - My name is Efraim Albrecht, and I come from a family of small

farmers in Brazil. I am one of the founders of Agricef, where I lead operations, working closely with some of the largest agricultural producers in the country. My experience spans key sectors, including sugarcane, citrus, grains, and forestry. In parallel, I am currently a Visiting Research Scholar at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute, where I focus on the application of robotics and digital technologies to transform agricultural processes.

ASI - I am Kevin Cobb, Business Development Manager for Agriculture at ASI, which has been successfully automating industrial vehicles for 25 years. ASI's roots are in agriculture, so I have been proud to bring my 30 years of precision agriculture experience to ASI. We offer retrofit kits for existing tractors and various agricultural machinery as part of an OEM-neutral strategy. This means we are not owned by, or limited to, any one brand of machinery. Together with Balanced Engineering and Agricef, our focus is on Brazilian sugarcane growers and their applications. Apart from that, ASI is collaborating with Everglades Equipment Company and US Sugar in Florida to integrate automation and data-driven decision-making into their operations. We are excited to be involved in FIRA and meet growers as well as other technology companies with whom we can explore partnerships.

Balanced Engineering - I am Alex Foessel, and I grew up as a cattle rancher in Chilean Patagonia yet eventually emigrated to Pittsburgh to study robotics. Today, I am the Managing Partner of Balanced Engineering, a consulting firm focused on helping OEMs, AgTechs, and suppliers, as well as growers, with the maturation, commercialization, and adoption of automated and autonomous solutions for agriculture and construction. Additionally, we assist growers in selecting, evaluating, and integrating these solutions into their operations, enabling them to realize the benefits of the solutions. Balanced Engineering experts have decades of experience developing automated off-road equipment, including having been employees of leading equipment manufacturers and having consulted with most of the largest agricultural equipment manufacturers and several successful AgTech companies.

What brings you to FIRA USA this year, and what do you hope to achieve?

Agricef - I have been participating in FIRA for several years, both in the USA and in Europe, and these experiences have been transformative. The event has enabled valuable connections that are reshaping agriculture in Brazil. For example, through FIRA, we initiated a collaborative project on robotic citrus harvesting, bringing together European robotics companies, research institutions from Europe and Brazil, and Fundecitrus, the leading Brazilian association of citrus growers. Other initiatives have also been launched through FIRA, particularly in the automation of agricultural operations, with companies from both the USA and Europe. My primary interest in attending FIRA USA is to build on these initiatives, strengthen ongoing collaborations, and launch new ones that can further accelerate the adoption of robotics in agriculture.

ASI - We have had great success over the last two years at FIRA in meeting with both potential prospects and partners as we move forward to release a product in the agriculture industry. With confidence, we've found FIRA the proper forum to ignite interest and facilitate collaboration. Like-minded tech companies looking to drive demand at a rapid pace should consider FIRA as part of their agriculture strategy.

Balanced Engineering - There are several. One is to continue our journey of helping more companies utilize our expertise and experience to develop safe, automated, and autonomous solutions for agriculture. Several current and past customers will showcase their solutions at the show, which makes us proud to have contributed to their success. Additionally, to learn firsthand about the progress other technologies and suppliers are making, we can provide quality recommendations to growers who trust us to find the right automation technology for their crop and forestry operations. This is the case with ASI's technology and sugarcane. Finally, the area of smart implements (implements compatible with automated tractors and equipment) is becoming of much interest (no one needs autonomous tractors without suitable smart implements). We want to look at that.

Alex and Efraim, you've been working together for some time now: what has been your most significant achievement so far?

Agricef - Alex and I have been collaborating for many years, always with the same vision: to move beyond concepts and truly bring technologies into real agricultural operations. Our work focuses on bridging the gap between identifying innovative technologies and ensuring that they become practical, viable solutions for farmers. This requires a strategic, step-by-step approach to guarantee adoption and tangible impact in the field. One of our most significant milestones was the creation of the AgriTech Experience initiative last year. We organized a two-week program in the USA that brought executives from Brazil’s largest sugarcane, citrus, and forestry producers to visit universities, companies, institutions, and, of course, FIRA. During this program, these executives met with ASI, a global leader in autonomous solutions, which opened the door for ASI’s technology to be introduced in Brazil. Earlier this year, we conducted demonstrations of their autonomous solutions in the field with major Brazilian growers, and we are now moving toward full operational deployment.

Balanced Engineering - Our collaboration goes back to 2014 (at the time I was at John Deere, located in Brazil) when we worked together to develop an integrated collection solution for sugarcane residue. Since then, we have worked on several projects and initiatives to innovate in Brazilian agriculture. Like Efraim, I would like to highlight the Agritech-Experience, which brings together large Brazilian growers with agriculture solution providers in the USA and Europe and supports pilots and the integration of solutions in actual fields. The deployment of ASI's technology in some of the largest sugarcane growers in Brazil is undoubtedly one of those significant achievements.

ASI, I heard you signed some great deals at FIRA USA last year: was that the motivation behind becoming an exhibitor this year?

ASI - The FIRA meetings ASI held last year resulted in a successful demonstration phase in Brazil and had a positive impact on our business in the US. Collectively, between our companies, we do not want to oversell or create false expectations in the adoption rate of automation in agriculture. The benefits of operating autonomously, however, outweigh the obstacles of change. None of our companies is new to this; we are well-positioned to lead as a brand-neutral equipment manufacturer solution for fleet automation, and we are eager to work with large growers to refine the adoption process across their operations. Our technology and focus on safety and other integration considerations are relatively mature compared to those of start-up companies and, in many ways, OEMs.

To all, what are your next projects and objectives, together and individually?

Agricef - Looking ahead, our shared objective is to bring valuable and scalable technologies to farmers. The projects we initiated—such as robotic harvesting, autonomous operations, and large-scale technology adoption—still have many steps to go, and we are committed to advancing them until they become integral to everyday farming practices. Individually, my role as a Visiting Research Scholar at Carnegie Mellon University will enhance these initiatives by combining research with practical applications in the field. I believe this position will also open new opportunities for collaboration and innovation, helping us to accelerate the integration of robotics and autonomy into global agriculture.

ASI - ASI is currently planning a 2025 Q4 product-to-market phase release within the US. We will also be moving forward with a pilot program in South America, based on the great partnerships we established at FIRA last year with Balanced Engineering and Agricef. Apart from agriculture, ASI is trusted by global Fortune 500 companies across various other sectors, such as heavy construction, logistics, and landscaping. We continue to seek out more partnerships, like what we found through FIRA, maintaining our position as the worldwide leader of industrial vehicle automation.

Balanced Engineering - Following a thorough and successful in-country demonstration, we will continue our collaboration with ASI, Agricef, and the growers to enhance the solution, customer, and business readiness, ensuring these key pillars are balanced to guarantee a successful and practical integration. By supporting the adaptation of the solution and business model to Brazilian reality, we are preparing the growers for what is to come next. Two specific areas of focus will be to bring our expertise in automation safety to the solution and operations, and to prepare the support ecosystem. Upcoming projects to strengthen dealer capabilities in selling and supporting these technology solutions will be the focus of next year.