Sabanto, an agricultural technology company developing autonomous retrofit systems for farm equipment, has raised an oversubscribed Series B funding round. The financial terms of the round were not disclosed. Leaps by Bayer led the financing, with participation from Sustainable Forward Capital, InnoVenture Iowa, Fulcrum Global Capital, DCVC, and Yara.
Sabanto plans to use the funding to accelerate the commercial adoption of its autonomous farming technology, expand its customer base, increase production of its retrofit kits, and continue developing its software and autonomy platform. The company also intends to grow its dealer network, customer support organization, and field operations across North America and other markets.
Based in Ames, Iowa, Sabanto develops technology that converts existing off-the-shelf tractors into autonomous machines. Its Retrofit Autonomy Kit includes a cloud-connected communications system, multiple global navigation satellite system receivers, and an onboard artificial intelligence processing unit.
The system can be installed on a tractor in a single day, according to the company. It is designed to help farmers automate planting and other field operations without purchasing entirely new autonomous equipment.
Sabanto believes retrofitting existing tractors offers farmers a lower-cost path to agricultural automation than replacing their equipment with larger and more expensive machinery. The company is particularly focused on smaller-horsepower tractors, which it sees as a more flexible and economically practical alternative for many farming operations.
The financing comes as farmers contend with rising equipment and input costs, seasonal labor shortages, tighter operating margins, and pressure to increase productivity. Sabanto said its technology allows tractors to operate during the day or night, helping growers extend operating hours and make better use of narrow planting and fieldwork windows.
Automating repetitive field operations could also enable farmers to shift skilled employees toward logistics, agronomic planning, equipment coordination, and other higher-value responsibilities. Sabanto expects this labor reallocation to become increasingly important as farms seek to grow without proportionally increasing their workforces.
The company recently expanded its autonomous technology to support planting operations. This capability is intended to help growers operate equipment around the clock during critical planting periods when delays can affect crop performance and overall yields.
Sabanto has also introduced integrations with Precision Planting and DICKEY-john monitoring systems. These integrations increase the platform’s compatibility with precision agriculture technologies already used by many row-crop farmers.
The company said the new financing will support expanded commercialization and dealer network development, greater production and deployment of its retrofit kits, continued autonomy software development, increased field support, and broader adoption throughout the row-crop farming market.
Sabanto’s technology is designed to operate alongside increasingly intelligent implements and precision agriculture systems. These systems can help farmers manage seed placement, fertilizer applications, spraying, and other production inputs with greater accuracy.
By combining autonomous tractor operations with precision agriculture tools, Sabanto aims to help growers reduce overlaps, unnecessary idle time, inefficient routes, and input waste. The company believes this can lower the overall cost per acre while improving machine utilization and operational consistency.
The company’s use of smaller and lighter farm equipment could also reduce soil compaction compared with heavier machinery. Excessive soil compaction can restrict root development, reduce water infiltration, and affect long-term field productivity.
Sabanto said more efficient routing and reduced operational overlap could contribute to lower fuel consumption. These potential benefits align with Bayer’s objectives around more efficient resource use, regenerative agricultural practices, and technologies that improve both farm economics and environmental performance.
Leaps by Bayer is Bayer’s strategic investment unit. It focuses on companies developing scientific and technological solutions for major challenges across healthcare and agriculture. The group has invested more than $2.1 billion in over 65 companies.
Sabanto plans to use the new capital to make autonomous equipment accessible to a larger number of farmers, including operations that may not have the resources to purchase newly manufactured autonomous machinery.
Rather than requiring farmers to replace their existing fleets, the company’s model allows them to add autonomous capabilities to equipment they already own. Sabanto believes this approach can help farms modernize more gradually while preserving previous investments in tractors, implements, and precision agriculture systems.
KEY QUOTES:
“This investment represents a major step forward in bringing practical autonomy to more farms. We believe the workhorse of the future is smaller equipment. Our retrofit approach allows farmers to shift labor toward higher-value tasks, increase operating hours, and ultimately focus on growing their business and their bottom line. We’re seeing too many farms fold under economic pressure and our solution levels the playing field.”
Craig Rupp, CEO and Founder of Sabanto
“Farmers today need solutions that improve efficiency without requiring massive capital expenditures. Sabanto’s retrofit model offers a scalable and practical pathway to autonomy, especially in today’s challenging farm economy. We believe this technology offers options that can reshape how labor and equipment are utilized in row crop farming and beyond while also supporting more sustainable farming practices.”
Paimun Amini, Vice President of Agriculture Venture Investments at Leaps by Bayer
