RCS - Frontier IP Group - Bonduelle collaboration with Fieldwork Robotics

Frontier IPAnnouncement

21/09/2020 07:00

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RNS Number : 4994Z  Frontier IP Group plc  21 September 2020

Reach

AIM: FIPP

21 September 2020

 

Frontier IP Group plc

("Frontier IP" or the "Group")

 

 

Portfolio news - Bonduelle Group signs collaboration agreement with Fieldwork
Robotics to develop  cauliflower harvesting robot

 

Frontier IP, a specialist in commercialising intellectual property, today
announces that portfolio company Fieldwork Robotics ("Fieldwork" or the
"Company"), is to develop a cauliflower harvesting robot in collaboration with
the Bonduelle Group ("Bonduelle"), one of the world's leading vegetable
producers.

 

It is the second application of Fieldwork's flexible and patented agricultural
robot technology to gain  food industry backing. The Company has already made
strong progress with a raspberry-harvesting robot in collaboration with Hall
Hunter Partnership, one of the UK's biggest soft fruit producers, and is now
working with Bosch to optimise the software and design of the robotic arms.

 

Bonduelle operates in more than 100 countries and generated annual revenue of
c.€2.8 billion for the year to 30 June 2020. The collaboration is initially
expected to last for three years, at the end of which there is expected to be
a prototype ready for commercial manufacture.

 

Fieldwork, a spin out from the University of Plymouth, will initially work on
the detection and soft robotics technology with a view to creating an
early-stage prototype during the second year of the collaboration. Bonduelle
will provide access to fields and its expertise in vegetables and knowledge of
different growing and harvesting conditions. Frontier IP holds a 26.7 per cent
equity stake in the Company.

 

Significant progress has already been made on the cauliflower technology.
Company co-founder Dr Martin Stoelen, lecturer in robotics at the University
of Plymouth and Associate Professor at the Western Norway University of
Applied Science, initially started developing a cauliflower harvesting robot
system in a project funded by Agri-Tech Cornwall, an initiative part funded by
the  European Regional Development Fund with match-funding from Cornwall
Council. He has also worked on a tomato harvesting project.

 

Fieldwork has raised £318,000 so far this year to accelerate development and
scale up of the technology. It has also been supported by a £547,250 Innovate
UK grant as part of a £671,484 project to develop a multi-armed robot
prototype. Other partners in the project included the University of Plymouth
and the National Physical Laboratory. Innovate UK recently provided further
support through a £84,000 continuity grant.

 

Claudine Lambert, Group Agronomy Director Bonduelle Prospective &
Development, said: "Bonduelle has a strong commitment to sustainable and
diversified agriculture in all of the territories where we operate globally.
New technologies can play an important part in meeting that commitment, so we
are delighted to be collaborating with Fieldwork Robotics and excited by the
potential of its agricultural robots."

 

Rui Andres, Fieldwork Robotics Chief Executive Officer, said: "We have already
enjoyed significant progress through our collaboration with Hall Hunter
Partnership on the raspberry-harvesting version of the technology. The
agreement with Bonduelle to collaborate on developing a second iteration of
Fieldwork's agricultural robots is a strong validation of the technology. We
are very much looking forward to working with them to develop an effective
system to harvest cauliflowers."

 

Neil Crabb, Frontier IP Chief Executive Officer, said: "Industrial validation
is at the heart of what we do at Frontier IP, and so we are delighted with
this announcement. It is Fieldwork's third industrial collaboration, following
the recent announcement of its partnership with Bosch and the longer-term
relationship with Hall Hunter."

 

 

 

ENQUIRIES

 

 Frontier IP Group Plc                                                  T: 020 7332 2338
 Neil Crabb, Chief Executive                                            neil@frontierip.co.uk

 Andrew Johnson, Communications & Investor Relations                    M: 07464 546 025

 Company website: www.frontierip.co.uk (http://www.frontierip.co.uk/)
 Allenby Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser)                            T: 0203 328 5656
 Nick Athanas / James Hornigold

ABout frontier IP

Frontier IP unites science and commerce by identifying strong intellectual
property and accelerating its development through a range of commercialisation
services. A critical part of the Group's work is involving relevant industry
partners at an early stage of development to ensure technology meets real
world demands and needs.

The Group looks to build and grow a portfolio of equity stakes and licence
income by taking an active involvement in spin-out companies, including
support for fund raising and collaboration with relevant industry partners at
an early stage of development.

Frontier IP is the commercialisation partner for the University of Plymouth.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH

 

The University of Plymouth is renowned for high quality,
internationally-leading education, research and innovation.

 

With a mission to Advance Knowledge and Transform Lives, Plymouth is a *top 50
research university with clusters of world class research across a wide range
of disciplines including marine science and engineering, medicine,
cybersecurity and psychology. A three-time winner of the Queen's Anniversary
Prize for Higher and Further Education, most recently in 2020 in respect of
its pioneering research on microplastics pollution in the oceans and its
impact on the environment and changing behaviour, the University continues to
grow in stature and reputation.

 

It has a strong track record for teaching and learning excellence, and has one
of the highest numbers of National Teaching Fellows of any UK university. With
over 19,000 students, and a further 9,500 studying for a Plymouth degree at
partner institutions in the UK and around the world, and over 135,000 alumni
pursuing their chosen careers globally, it has a growing global presence.

http://www.plymouth.ac.uk (http://www.plymouth.ac.uk)

* Research Fortnight Research Power League Table 2014.

 

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