German agri-robotics startup eternal.ag has emerged from stealth with €8 million in funding, aiming to automate greenhouse harvesting using AI-powered robots. Founded in 2025 and based in Cologne, the company plans to expand across Europe as labor shortages reshape the agricultural sector.
German startup eternal.ag has officially launched after operating in stealth mode, securing €8 million in funding to accelerate the development of autonomous robots for greenhouse agriculture. The investment round was backed by Simon Capital, Oyster Bay Venture Capital, EquityPitcher Ventures, and Backbone Ventures, according to Vestbee.
Founded in 2025 by Renji John and Sherry Kunjachan, the company focuses on building AI-driven robotic systems capable of harvesting crops without human intervention. Its flagship product, called Harvester, is initially designed for tomato production and can operate up to 22 hours per day.
A response to labor shortages
The launch comes at a time when agricultural labor availability in Europe has declined by up to 30% since 2010, creating structural challenges for growers. eternal.ag aims to address this gap by replacing repetitive manual work with automation.
The system uses artificial intelligence to identify, select, and harvest produce, while continuously collecting operational data. This feedback loop allows the software to improve performance over time, increasing efficiency and accuracy in greenhouse environments.
Simulation-first development
One of the key differentiators of eternal.ag is its simulation-first development approach, which enables faster iteration cycles and safer testing conditions.
“We develop and validate our robots using simulation-first development. That allows us to train, test, and fail safely in virtual greenhouses, cutting iteration cycles from months to days. Once deployed, every robot action feeds data back into the system, which is designed to learn, improve and scale,” said Renji John, CEO and co-founder.
This approach reduces development risks and accelerates deployment timelines, a critical factor in a competitive agri-tech landscape.
Expansion plans across Europe
Following the funding round, eternal.ag plans to scale its technology across European markets, expand commercial deployments, and adapt its robots to support a broader range of crops beyond tomatoes.
The long-term goal is to enable fully automated greenhouse operations, where robotics and AI manage large parts of the production process.
Investors see strong potential in this model, particularly as the agricultural sector faces mounting pressure to improve productivity while maintaining sustainability.
“Greenhouse horticulture is one of the most efficient and sustainable ways to grow fresh produce year-round. Yet, labor shortages put the industry at risk, and robotics is the only future-proof solution to build a decentralized, resilient food supply chain for the next generation,” said Niklas Leske, Principal at Simon Capital.
A shift toward automated agriculture
The rise of companies like eternal.ag reflects a broader transformation in agriculture, where automation, data, and AI are becoming central to production systems.
Greenhouses, in particular, offer an ideal environment for robotics due to their controlled conditions. By integrating seamlessly into existing infrastructure, eternal.ag’s technology lowers adoption barriers for growers.
As the company moves from development to commercialization, its success will depend on how quickly it can scale deployments and demonstrate cost efficiencies for farmers.
With fresh capital and a clear focus on automation, eternal.ag is positioning itself at the forefront of the next generation of agricultural technology, where human labor is increasingly augmented—or replaced—by intelligent machines.
