Motivo Engineering announced the newly formed Monarch Tractor. The seed for this new company was the Motivo patented HARVEST tractor, originally developed as an USAID funded project. The project had been in development and testing in the U.S and India for the past five years. Monarch Tractor was incorporated and funded as a separate entity in 2019 with additional founders and investors. Monarch Tractor will focus on developing and commercializing the core HARVEST technology into a next-generation tractor that is smart, sustainable and robust. Monarch Tractor will also deploy services through a comprehensive automation and software stack.
The key benefits to the Monarch Tractor are:
Performance – this will be the most powerful tractor within the compact class – Big power in a small footprint.
Sustainability – Fully electric with zero emissions, reduced operating costs (both fuel and labor), precision application that reduces waste, potential for state and federal incentives
Smart Technology – Advanced data analytics and alerts, an available eco-system of smart implements, automated reporting for tracking and compliance, provides safety and reliability with trainability and automation ready hardware and software The Monarch Tractor Concept will be showcased at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California February 11-13, 2020. More details on the product and technology will be shared with select audience at the Ag Expo.
Praveen Penmetsa, Monarch Tractor CEO noted that, “Ever since our work with the USAID, people have been asking us when we would bring our technology to market. We looked a wide variety of options, including licensing, before forming Monarch Tractor with Mark and Carlo who had the right combination of scaling and agriculture experience.
The Monarch leadership team is as follows
Praveen Penmetsa – Chief Executive Officer. Penmetsa is the co-founder of Motivo Engineering with experience in developing and deploying electric, connected mobility solutions across automotive, aerospace and agriculture market segments.
Mark Schwager – President. Schwager was in operations leadership at Tesla, Zoox, and Romeo Power. He is an expert in factory site selection, setup, and startup.
Dr. Zachary Omohundro – Chief Technology Officer. Omohundro earned is PhD In Robotics from Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute. He has developed multiple farm robots & autonomous vehicles.
Carlo Mondavi – Chief Farming Officer. A fourth-generation winegrower, Mondavi is an expert viticulturist with experience in organic, biodynamic, and permaculture farming.
Motivo Engineering is an innovation engineering firm headquartered in California, USA. Motivo has helped clients develop and globally deploy technologies ranging from driverless cars to automated planting robots. Motivo’s unique innovation framework has reduced the risks in transformative product development for clients ranging from early stage start-ups to global conglomerates in the mobility, ag-tech and aerospace market segments.
Monarch Tractor is working to utilize 21st-century technology to empower farmers by enabling profitable implementation of sustainable & organic practices. The Monarch tractor platform combines mechanization, automation, and data analysis to enhance farmer’s existing operations, alleviate labor shortages, and maximize yields.