Mushroom harvesting tech transfer to Mycionics Inc.

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) announced today the transfer of its patented robotic mushroom harvesting technology to Mycionics Inc., a Canadian agtech company located in Putnam, Ontario.

The move comes at a time when the horticulture industry looks to accelerate its automation efforts to benefit Canadian growers with Vineland uniquely positioned to contribute, given its innovative technology portfolio. Today, mushrooms destined for the fresh market are harvested solely by hand, making Canada’s mushroom industry heavily dependent on human labour — a resource in short supply.

Under the terms of the agreement, Vineland’s intellectual property will be incorporated into Mycionics patent portfolio as they commercialize their mobile robotic harvesting system.

“Today’s announcement is further validation of Vineland’s role as a collaborative force in Canada’s horticulture innovation space and represents an important breakthrough in our efforts to launch impactful labour saving automation solutions for the industry,”
said Ian Potter, Vineland’s President and CEO.

“2022 represents a major milestone for Mycionics as we successfully deployed six of our robotic harvesting systems at Whitecrest mushrooms with no major infrastructure changes. The systems are continuously picking, trimming and packing fresh market quality cremini mushrooms addressing the labour gap the farm was facing. Merging Vineland’s intellectual property into Mycionics’ existing patent portfolio will amplify the extensive work Vineland has contributed to solving increasing labour challenges faced by Canadian mushroom farms. We are excited to leverage Vineland’s IP,”

said Michael Curry, CEO, Mycionics.

Vineland acknowledges the investment and support of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) and the Automation Cluster under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership in achieving this milestone.

About Vineland Research and Innovation Centre

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is a uniquely Canadian results-oriented organization dedicated to horticulture science and innovation. We deliver innovative products, solutions and services through an integrated and collaborative cross-country network to advance Canada’s research and commercialization agenda.

We are an independent, not-for-profit organization, funded in part by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial initiative. For the latest on our research and innovation visit www.vinelandresearch.com.

About Mycionics Inc.

Mycionics’ globally patented robotic harvesting system continually picks, packs and weighs mushrooms that meet fresh market quality and size requirements. Data collection provides valuable insight into the farms existing growing and harvesting metrics, leading to better agronomic, commercial and operational solutions for the farm. Learn more at www.mycionics.com.

Photo: Ian Potter, Vineland’s President and CEO

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