This investment carries considerable risks and may lead to a loss of the entire assets invested. Projected returns cannot be guaranteed and may be lower than expected.
As a robotics startup, we rely on a strong team and sophisticated ideas to develop our robots. Our first product, the Range Robot, collects the golf balls on a driving range and returns them autonomously, without a driver, and learning independently. We have secured a strong partner for series production in Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG.
Meadow Robotics in the final spurt! Upcoming Discussions with Industry Leaders
In our new update, we would like to once again call on all Companists to invest in us and to accompany the success story of Meadow Robotics in the coming years. We are also looking forward to talks with big names in the industry who are interested in Meadow Robotics.
The robotics startup Meadow Robotics specializes in the development of outdoor service robotics.Meadow Robotics' first product is an autonomous robot called "Range Robot”. It represents the final link of an automated chain in the operation a golf driving range, thereby replacing conventional collection vehicles.
The founding team contributes a high level of expertise from the fields of information technology, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering to the company for this purpose. Therefore, the founders were able to develop the robot themselves and have it produced by the Smart Factory of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG.
Up to now, golf club employees have had to attach a ball collecting device to their vehicle when necessary to collect several thousands of golf balls distributed over the huge area. Disadvantages include personnel costs, including the costs of personnel planning, opportunity costs arising from the necessary closure of the range, and noise and exhaust fumes from gasoline-powered collection vehicles.
The Range Robot, on the other hand, offers a fully automated solution without the need for personnel and thus solves the problems previously encountered when collecting golf balls. In addition to the considerable cost savings due to personnel savings, the range does not need to be blocked and the efficient electric motor reduces operating costs compared to gasoline-powered collection vehicles.
Operators of golf driving ranges have the option of either buying or leasing the Range Robot.
The three founders started developing the Range Robot in 2013 and received ESF funding in 2017. At the beginning of 2018, Meadow Robotics was able to secure Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG as a competent and experienced manufacturing partner for serial production.
The first revenues will be generated by 5 pilot customers from mid-2018 onwards.
Why equity crowdfunding?
With the support from Companisto, Meadow Robotics can finance pre-ordered systems and invest in the acquisition of foreign retail partners, among others.
The know-how and technologies Meadow Robotics has developed form the basis for future developments in various fields of application such as agriculture and forestry.
The Range Robot makes golfing more relaxed for all parties involved: the players, the golf clubs, and the employees. It is a system for the automated return of golf balls hit on the driving range.
Up to now, golf club employees have had to attach a ball collecting device to their vehicle when necessary to collect several thousand golf balls distributed over the huge area. In the future, Range Robot will do the work of collecting and returning the balls from the practice area. Fully automated, reliable, flexible.
The Range Robot increases the profitability of the golf club operating the driving range. It reduces the number of employees involved in collection activities to a minimum, thereby reducing planning costs. The range no longer needs to be blocked during collection.
Range Robot increases the hours of effective use available, wherefore more golfers can train. An efficient electric motor also reduces operating costs compared to a gasoline-powered collection vehicle.
Golfers benefit from the use of the Range Robot system. The practice ranges are always well-maintained and only few balls lie around. This makes it easier to identify the individual ball hit. Noise, exhaust fumes, and large vehicles are also reduced.
Driving range employees see a shift in the focus of their work: It shifts from the operation of the collection vehicle, which adds little value and is physically demanding, toward the quality-enhancing care of green areas and facilities in the immediate vicinity of the range.
Future developments by Meadow Robotics
The Range Robot system, the technology developed for it, and the experience we gain from operating the system form the basis for our future developments. Many other fields of application are feasible due to the design as an autonomous machine. Therefore, future developments are not limited to a mowing robot, but can intentionally include agricultural and forestry tasks.
Meadow Robotics specializes in the development of outdoor service robotics and generates revenue through the sale of its products.
As the first development, the Range Robot system will be distributed through classic retail business, which is widespread and established in the target market. We will generate additional revenue through service contracts.
The project price of a Range Robot system for an average driving range is EUR 36,000. A dealer margin of 25 % plus a performance-related bonus may be applied. Meadow Robotics plans to achieve a gross margin of approx. 60% of the project business.
The retailer plans the employment of our product together with the customer. After the purchase, the retailer provides the technical support needed. We support the retailer in all phases of the product lifespan. We promote product-related marketing measures, provide drafts for maintenance contracts, and provide support via telephone and the Internet.
Our distributors also work with leasing companies for capital goods, making various types of financing available to the customer.
The installation of the Range Robot is made as easy as possible for the customer. We use our online platform to receive direct feedback from users and thus increase customer satisfaction.
Our product is designed specifically for use on a driving range. Close cooperation with operators, green keepers, and golfers already during the conception of the device made it possible to identify the demands put on the system. Our experience in the field of mechanical engineering and software development provides the ideal prerequisites to satisfy these demands.
The device is perfectly suited for demanding surfaces and therefore for use on the driving range due to a special kinematics, which requires few moving parts. It can hold a large number of balls to ensure continuous play even when the driving range is busy. The balls are detected through the integrated camera.
The device learns independently and continuously optimizes its collecting behavior. This gives the Range Robot an unparalleled efficiency and flexibility.
Commissioning the Range Robot System is particularly easy and does not require the labor-intensive installation of a perimeter wire, as is the case with a conventional mowing robot, for example.
The Range Robot can be operated and monitored from any smartphone, tablet or computer thanks to a user-friendly app. The user can choose between different modes such as mowing preparation, tournament operation or fully automated operation. These can also be scheduled using a calendar. Intelligent health monitoring reduces standstills to a minimum.
We have pre-registered the innovations of the Range Robot System in order to secure our technical lead.
With this foundation and the experience we have gained in operating the system, we can develop other products for various fields of application such as agriculture and forestry.
In addition to conventional, personnel-intensive ball collection on driving ranges, we have competition in form of a product by the company Belrobotics. Their product is a collecting device based on a lawnmower robot.
This device has a very low market penetration. We estimate that this is due to low reliability and difficult operation. It also requires a great deal of expense for commissioning.
Our partner, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, will support us in the industrialization phase and carry out preparation for the production process. Serial production of the Range Robot system will be carried out by the Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. This enables us to be significantly more efficient and reduce our product's time-to-market considerably.
When selecting our distributors, we attach great importance to a broad customer base and the possibility of providing technical support.
We are already in close contact with German retailers and have also achieved initial success in the form of declarations of intent. Our partners are currently Sellschopp and GolfComfort. We are also aiming for partnerships with Golfkontor and Golftech.
Our distributors already have an international network and enable us to acquire new distributors worldwide.
In the course of a fee-based pilot operation, 5 selected golf clubs will be able to use our system as early as the 2018 season. The first devices will start operating as scheduled in July. We have already been able to win the first customers for this.
We attended the most important golf trade fairs in Germany in 2018 to raise awareness of the Range Robot system. In our conversations, we asked the clubs whether they were willing to use our product. We were able to confirm the results of our previous customer survey. Interest in our system remains high. Our distributors and we have already received the first inquiries outside the pilot operation.
Our customer is every golf club with a driving range and every city golf course that operates a driving range. Operating a golf course involves maintaining the green areas. Personnel usually represent a high expenditure for our target group.
Due to the number of balls hit on the driving range, our system is profitable for at least 50% of all golf courses.
In Germany, there are about 800 golf courses with a driving range. A Range Robot System costs EUR 7,560 per year for leasing and EUR 1,800 per year for maintenance and spare parts, which means that the market potential in Germany is around EUR 7.5 million per year.
The market potential of approx. 6,700 courses throughout Europe amounts to approx. EUR 63 million annually. On the international market, approx. 36,000 courses result in a market potential of approx. EUR 337 million per year.
Since more than 80% of the golf courses are located in a few countries, primarily in the USA and Europe, we will concentrate on these markets.
The concept for the Range Robot dates back to 2013. The development of the business model started in 2015 by surveying our customers. We thus started collecting data for a comparative calculation of customer profitability early on. Since then, several improvements have been made to the prototype developed.
Our current prototype has a demo mode, which allows us to demonstrate the device to the customer. Meadow Robotics GmbH was founded in 2017 to provide a framework for the product. We also registered a trademark for the Range Robot logo in late 2017. At the moment, there is an opposition to this application for which we are seeking a mutual agreement.
Meadow Robotics has already received funding through the ESF and eligibility within the framework of the "INVEST - grant for venture capital" measure.
A statement of intent was signed with the Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at the start of 2018. We recently submitted a patent application that will be processed during the course of 2018. As of April 2018, the casing for the Range Rover is near completion. Once it is done, the devices will be ordered from our manufacturing partner for our pilot customers.
Software developments are running parallel to hardware developments. The main tasks here concern integration and optimization before pilot operations launch.
The pilot phase will span approximately 6 months. Afterwards, manufacturing by our production partner will be optimized continuously and switched to serial production. Additional functions that offer extra customer benefits will be distributed through software updates.
Sales will start with the experiences gained from the pilot operation. Our initial focus will be on Germany and will be gradually extended to select markets in the EU. We will tap into additional international markets as of 2021.
Our goal is to open up additional fields of application in service robotics through continuous improvement of our technology. In this regard, we can exploit our advantages in the field of agriculture and forestry.
We intend to allocate the funds raised as follows:
Level 1: EUR 100,000 – Investment threshold
- The Range Robot systems for pilot operations will be ordered
- Online marketing will increase awareness about us
- Preparation for follow-up financing
Level 2: EUR 300,000 – Speed up development process
- Development of the Range Robot system to reach market maturity
- Start of the development of a web app
- Preparation of the patent
- Financing of pre-ordered systems
- Expansion of marketing measures
Level 3: EUR 500,000 – Investment limit
- Drafting of contracts for international trade
- Acquisition of foreign distribution partners
- Faster entry into new markets
Rolf Kübler is an experienced advisor to our team. He has decades of experience in the areas of management and sales, has international contacts, and is a meaningful support to us through his network.
Next to our personal contacts with golfers and in green-keeper associations, he facilitates access to the owners and operators of countless golf courses.
Founders from l. to r.: Pascal Deschner (CMO), Martin Lang (CTO) and Michael Stoll (CEO)
Meadow Robotics GmbH
Opelstraße 1
68789 St. Leon-Rot
Telephone: +49 (0)6227/877490
Email: investment@meadow-robotics.com
Website: http://www.meadow-robotics.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meadowrobotics
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