Harvesting without hands – the world's most automated plant factory is Norwegian
Construction of the new test facility at Gardermoen is in full swing. From this autumn, the factory is expected to produce up to 100 tonnes of fresh lettuce year-round, focusing on varieties that are currently imported.
«We are building the world's first fully automated plant factory, where robots handle the entire process, from sowing the seed until the product leaves the factory.»
Robots will handle everything from sowing and harvesting to washing and packaging – with no manual handling. The pilot facility is a collaboration with Coop Norge and will lead the way for the industry in Norway and internationally. The first products will reach shops this autumn, powered by world-class Norwegian agricultural technology.
From NTNU lab to green global tech pioneer
Vertical farming means growing plants upwards in stacked shelving systems rather than horizontally, as in a field. But despite the potential for significant sustainability gains and strong market interest, the lack of full automation has so far prevented sustainable business models from taking root in agriculture.
Avisomo began as a bachelor's degree project at NTNU in 2018. From the outset, the founders chose to listen to those who know cultivation best – greenhouse growers and agronomists with hands-on industry experience.
'It gave us early insight into what it actually takes to develop functional growing systems. That is why we decided to develop a flexible solution that can easily be adapted to different crops and integrated into existing value chains,' says Harnes.
What sets Avisomo apart from other companies in the market is its integrated approach, combining automation and software in a complete 'plug-and-play solution'. While other agricultural technologies still rely on traditional methods and specialist agronomic expertise, Avisomo delivers autonomous plant factories with robotic processes that monitor and adjust growing conditions in real time.
«This has never been done before. We are the first company in the market to offer vertical farming as a fully integrated, industrialised part of the value chain – not just as a growing system.»
'We offer a licence-based solution where customers own and operate the production facilities themselves. But they do not need any prior knowledge, as Avisomo controls the entire factory through its software,' Harnes explains.
The software acts as the brain of an intelligent logistics system, keeping the entire production process running seamlessly. Because it integrates with customers' ordering systems, a single fruit and vegetable purchasing manager can start a new batch of salad production from the store at the touch of a button.
New agricultural innovation eliminates plant diseases
Avisomo's solution is described as 'hands-free farming'. As robots handle the plants in sterile environments, this prevents bacteria and plant diseases from entering and spreading. The system's modular design also helps minimise the risk of infection.
'Disease is not caused by a single bacterium, but develops when enough bacteria weaken the immune system. The same applies to plants. By shortening the water pathways and using smaller modules, we reduce the risk of bacteria having the time and space to spread,' Harnes explains.
Avisomo's system is built on pioneering plant research, translated into digital growing recipes. These control growing conditions with microscopic precision, tracking each plant individually throughout its growth cycle and adjusting light, CO₂, temperature and nutrients based on data-driven growth models.
'This approach eliminates variables, standardises production and maximises yields – bringing 'surgical precision' to agriculture. The result is predictable, high-quality crops and the ability to tailor product categories, such as salads with enhanced nutritional content, specific flavour profiles or optimal shelf life,' says Harnes.
Tests carried out by Coop have shown that Avisomo's products can have a shelf life of up to 10 weeks. This is a significant improvement compared with today's salads and offers enormous potential for reducing food waste.
- Today, up to 30 per cent of imported lettuce is lost before it reaches supermarket shelves, mainly due to long supply chains. By significantly extending its shelf life, we can dramatically reduce this waste, benefiting both the environment and the economy.
Receives funding as an important climate initiative
In 2024, we awarded Avisomo NOK 18.7 million in grants for bioeconomy and climate initiatives. The company also raised NOK 39.5 million from external investors. The grant came through Bionova, which supports technology development and climate initiatives in Norway's agriculture, forestry and aquaculture sectors.
Our funding has helped Avisomo take its innovation from the trial stage to a fully commercialised and industrialised system.
«Without your support, we would have had to stretch ourselves much further. Even in the best-case scenario, it would have taken another three years. »
EVP for Innovation Norway Innlandet, Sverre H. Bjørnstad, says Avisomo's solution has been assessed as novel and innovative:
'The project helps address some of the global challenges in food production. We also see export potential for the company as a result,' he says.
To feed a global population of 10 billion by 2050, we need to dramatically increase food production while reducing the environmental impact of agriculture.
Conventional agriculture consumes 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater, causes harmful fertiliser run-off and emits more greenhouse gases than the entire transport sector. Vertical farming systems can use up to 90 per cent less water, require far less land, eliminate the need for pesticides and reduce transport emissions through local production. This method could have a significant impact in Norway.
'There is no doubt that vertical hydroponic farming can help improve Norway's self-sufficiency and provide the food industry with more reliable supplies of fresh produce,' Bjørnstad points out.