"I'm Glad I Started My Business in Gwanak-gu"... AI Agricultural Robotics Startup 'Metafarmers'

Interview with Lee Kyuhwa, CEO of Metafarmers
Automating Agricultural Tasks with AI-Powered 'Robot Gripper'
Founded and Established in GwanakS Valley

"Metafarmers thins out the leaves and flowers of crops and harvests strawberries, replacing human hands. A robot hand (gripper) programmed with artificial intelligence (AI) technology identifies ripe strawberries and selectively picks them. We have also developed and commercialized a robotic gripper that performs artificial pollination in place of bees, which is necessary for crops to bear fruit."

Robot gripper harvesting strawberries in a smart farm vertical farm and Kyuhwa Lee, CEO of Metafarmers, checking data. Provided by Metafarmers.

Lee Kyuhwa (30), CEO of the AI agricultural robotics startup 'Metafarmers', is a third-year young entrepreneur based in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. In 2022, Lee and three others founded the company in the mechanical engineering laboratory at Seoul National University, and the following year, they moved into the Startup Hero office, a startup space in GwanakS Valley provided by Gwanak-gu. The company has since grown to 13 employees and has relocated its office.

Metafarmers provides automation solutions for agricultural work through AI-powered agricultural robots. According to Lee, the core technology is Metafarmers' harvesting robot gripper, which recognizes the condition of crops, thins out leaves and flowers, and selectively harvests ripe fruit. Another type of robotic gripper is capable of delicately transferring pollen between plants, replacing bees.

Lee said, "Metafarmers is the only company in the world that manufactures robotic grippers dedicated to agricultural work," adding, "Our core strengths are the recognition technology that assesses the state of crops and the robot control technology." Having secured strawberry cultivation and harvesting technology through its robotic gripper, Metafarmers is now applying the same technology to tomatoes and cucumbers as part of a government-funded project. The company also plans to expand its technology to open-field fruit crops such as pears and apples in the near future.

This robot recognizes the condition of crops and selectively harvests only ripe fruit, or performs pollination work by transferring pollen without the need for bees. Its strength lies in its ability to automatically repeat tasks for more than 16 hours a day, which previously had to be performed manually twice daily, at dawn and in the evening. Lee stated, "Currently, one robot can replace two human workers, and by 2028, when our technology is fully advanced, it will be able to replace up to six people."

The partnership between Metafarmers and Gwanak-gu was made possible by the creation of GwanakS Valley, a result of Mayor Park Junhee's venture startup city project. GwanakS Valley is a project to transform the entire Gwanak-gu into a global startup hub where universities, companies, and the local community coexist, leveraging the talent, technology, and youth assets of Seoul National University.

Lee, who started the company while attending graduate school, settled in the Campus Town Startup Hero space near Seoul National University, where office rent was one-tenth the market rate. Lee said, "Over the past two years, we have received significant support from the district office, including investor matching, media promotion, and financial support for participating in CES, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition," adding, "Recently, we have also secured sufficient investment to focus solely on research and development (R&D) and commercialization for the next few years, establishing a solid foundation."

At GwanakS Valley Sillim Venture Startup Center 1 in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Lee Kyuhwa, CEO of Metafarmers, met with reporters and explained AI-based farm work automation technology. Provided by Gwanak-gu.

Lee is looking forward to the infrastructure, including the venture startup hub and dormitory facilities, that Gwanak-gu plans to build on a 73,000-square-meter site at Nakseongdae Park in collaboration with Seoul City and Seoul National University. Already designated as a Venture Business Promotion Zone by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in 2022, GwanakS Valley has also been selected by Seoul City as a candidate for a Special Development Promotion Zone, and efforts are underway to establish the necessary infrastructure.

Lee also emphasized his sense of mission to address the crisis in primary industries caused by the climate crisis and food security. He said, "We believe our robotics technology can change the future of agriculture and provide a solution to the declining labor force," adding, "We hope our technology will contribute to solving social problems beyond simply generating profit."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.