SwarmFarm Robotics Is Redefining the Future of Agriculture—From the Heart of Regional Australia
SwarmFarm Robotics is proving that world-class agtech doesn’t need to come from Silicon Valley—it can grow straight out of the paddock. Based near Toowoomba and founded in 2015 by farmers Andrew and Jocie Bate, the company has evolved from a family-farm idea into a global agtech standout, with 250+ autonomous robots now working across 10 million acres.
Yet the mission remains unchanged: help farmers grow better, more sustainable crops while strengthening the core of Australian agriculture.
Bate’s vision was never just automation. “Not just automate tasks or save labour,” he said, “but grow better crops and protect our soil for the next generation.”
Innovation Built on the Farm
SwarmFarm’s robots aren’t high-cost, complex machines—they’re intentionally simple, rugged, and repairable by farmers themselves. Running 24/7 with advanced computer vision, each unit treats weeds individually, cutting chemical use, reducing costs, and giving farmers time back in their day.
“Farmers already don’t have enough labour,” Bate noted. “Robots help get jobs done on time and give farmers more time with their families.”
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SwarmFarm’s strength comes from living where the challenges are. Their technology is designed, tested, and refined in rural communities—not city labs. By hiring engineers in regional Queensland, they’re anchoring high-skilled jobs and IP in rural Australia.
“We can build the best agricultural robotics company in the world from regional Australia,” Bate said. “And take that technology global.”
A Model for Australia’s Agtech Future
CBA’s Kylie Allen calls SwarmFarm proof that innovation thrives when it starts on the farm:
“They developed technology that responds to real on-farm challenges, boosting productivity and enabling more sustainable practices.”
As National Agriculture Day approaches on 21 November, SwarmFarm embodies this year’s theme—Stand with the Land—showcasing the resilience, ingenuity, and global leadership emerging from Australia’s farming communities.
