How Zordi grows flavorful strawberries indoors using AI and robotics

The intersection of AI, robotics, and sustainable agriculture is creating new possibilities for indoor farming, with startup Zordi leading innovation in automated strawberry cultivation.

Company overview and mission: Zordi, founded in 2020 by Gilwoo Lee and Casey Call, is revolutionizing indoor agriculture through AI-powered robotics and sustainable farming practices.

• The company has successfully placed its strawberries in Wegmans stores and is expanding operations through partnerships in New Jersey and California
• Founded by Lee, a Ph.D. candidate in AI and robotics from the University of Washington, and Call, former head grower at vertical farming startup Plenty
• The engineering team is based outside Boston, with farms operating in southern New Jersey and western New York

Technical infrastructure and capabilities: Zordi employs a dual-robot system within its hydroponic operations, powered by NVIDIA technology.

• A scouting robot utilizes foundational models to gather data on plant health
• A harvesting robot performs delicate fruit picking and handling tasks
• The company leverages NVIDIA GPUs in both cloud and desktop environments for training various models
• NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin modules enable efficient sensor data collection and model execution

Innovative farming approach: The company’s system combines AI automation with sustainable farming practices to optimize crop production and quality.

• Real-time monitoring through a software platform provides spatial mapping and live dashboard views
• AI-powered crop care recommendations enable inexperienced operators to manage farms effectively
• The system focuses on energy efficiency while maintaining consistent fruit quality
• Hydroponic operations reduce water usage and environmental impact

Future developments and expansion: Zordi is actively working to enhance its capabilities and scale operations.

• The company is exploring implementation of Omniverse Isaac Sim for simulations and digital twins
• Plans include expanding beyond strawberries to include cucumbers and tomatoes
• Development of more sophisticated gripping simulations aims to improve harvest delicacy and extend shelf life
• The team is working toward creating a fully autonomous farming system with AI-driven decision-making

Market impact and sustainability goals: Zordi’s approach addresses multiple challenges in modern agriculture while pursuing environmental benefits.

• The system helps combat widespread agricultural labor shortages
• Regional deployment strategy reduces transportation carbon footprint
• Focus on sustainable practices supports more environmentally conscious farming
• AI-driven automation enables consistent product quality despite operational challenges

Looking ahead: Agricultural innovation convergence: While Zordi’s current focus on strawberry production demonstrates promising results, the broader implications for agricultural automation suggest a fundamental shift in how indoor farming might evolve, particularly as AI and robotics capabilities continue to mature and adapt to various crop types.