Our Mission

Eliminating Hard Labour
in Agriculture

Forager Automation was founded to solve one of Australian agriculture's most pressing challenges: the harvest labour crisis. We're building technology that makes berry farming profitable, sustainable, and independent of seasonal labour shortages.

The Challenge

Why We Started Forager

Australian berry growers face a perfect storm: rising labour costs, shrinking worker availability, and fruit that rots before it can be picked. The problem isn't getting better — it's getting worse.

Traditional automation solutions don't work for delicate berries. Robots that can pick fruit without damaging it are still years away from commercial viability — we'd know, we're working on that too. But there's another way.

Instead of replacing human pickers, we're augmenting them — removing the waste, the walking, and the double handling that makes harvest work so inefficient. The Forager platform lets your best workers do what they do best: pick quality fruit.

The Numbers

57%

Of farms struggled to find harvest workers

ABARES Horticulture Survey, 2021-22

$25M+

Lost to unpicked fruit each season

Raspberry and blackberry industry (ABARES, Hort Innovation)

0%

Productivity growth in decades

Berry picking hasn't improved since the 1980s

The Team

Real Innovation, Backed by Experience

Forager Automation started with a simple idea: ask growers what they actually need, then build it.

Matt Lakis, Founder & CEO

Matt Lakis

Founder & CEO

Matt founded Forager Automation after spending time with berry growers and seeing the harvest labour crisis firsthand. What started as conversations in paddocks became a mission to build practical technology that makes an immediate difference on real farms.

Grower Advisory Board

Forager is guided by experienced berry growers and industry professionals who've spent decades in the field. Their practical knowledge ensures we're solving real problems, not imagined ones.

Made in Australia

Every Forager platform is designed and manufactured in Australia using local fabricators and suppliers. That means local support, local spare parts, and a reliable supply chain.

Our Journey

From Concept to Commercial Pilot

Forager Automation has moved quickly from idea to field trials. Here's how we got here.

2024

Concept & Initial Prototype

The Forager concept was born from conversations with berry growers struggling with labour shortages. Early prototypes were built and tested in small-scale trials to validate the core approach: autonomous navigation + in-field refrigeration + ergonomic design.

2025

First Field Trials

The first full-scale Forager platform entered field trials with partner growers. Early results showed significant productivity improvements — pickers were spending more time picking and less time walking and sorting. The feedback shaped the next iteration of the platform.

2026
Current

Commercial Pilot Program

Forager is now offering free trials with leading Australian berry growers. Pricing is confirmed at $3,000/month per platform — delivery fees are waived for a limited time. Check out the ROI calculator to see how much you could save introducing Forager onto your farm.

2027

Full Commercial Launch

Planned: Full-scale commercial availability across Australia. Expanded platform options for different crop types. Service network established. Forager becomes the standard for efficient berry harvesting.

Join Us in Transforming Harvest

Whether you're a grower looking to solve your labour challenges or an investor interested in agtech, we'd love to talk.

Get in Touch See the ROI