About
At Olivabot, we are developing a robotic solution for olive harvesting in traditional olive groves. Our robots are inspired by the natural movements of animals, allowing them to navigate complex terrains and efficiently harvest olives without damaging the trees.
Olivabot will be commercially available approximately in 2028. For info and early testing, get in touch: hello@olivabot.com
Olive harvesting robot prototype
We are developing a robotic architecture inspired by the gibbon — a small, highly agile arboreal primate. The design focuses on nimble, branch-safe movement and gentle harvesting to work in traditional olive groves without damaging trees or fruit. The prototype shown in the images (Gibbon Bot Mk1) was field-tested in August 2025 in olive groves in southern Italy to validate hanging, gripping and basic arboreal locomotion.
Next steps: Mk2 development
The Mk2 prototype will incorporate two harvesting mechanisms inspired by common manual methods: a comb/raster and a stick "virga." These tools are designed to mimic traditional techniques, ensuring the best quality of the harvested fruit while maintaining the safety of the trees.
Development continues toward the next prototype. We plan to test an updated version in Autumn 2026 alongside the next harvest. We publish progress and welcome contact from farmers, partners and potential investors interested in field trials or collaboration.
Services
We provide consultancy services, prototypes and MVPs for early-stage startups.
- Robotics design and development
- Sensor integration and data analysis
- Field testing and optimization
Collaborations
Our collaborations and partners:
- Mycosense: Sensor system for water cleaning mushrooms. Funded by Province of Nord-Holland. More info: mycofarming.nl
- Madglove Sense: Sensor integration and computer vision system for hand rehab medical device. More info: madglove.com
- Demonstrator Lab Amsterdam: With the support of Demonstrator Lab at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, we accelerated our initial prototypes and received office space, business support, and opportunities to connect with early-stage startups and advance academic research with Dutch universities. More info: demonstratorlab.nl
Research
Olivabot collaborates with Dutch universities and public research bodies to advance R&D in field robotics and sensing. We share technology with partners, contribute to academic research projects, and work with public programs to test prototypes in real-world conditions.
Current research partnerships include sensor integration, autonomy in unstructured groves, and joint field trials. If you're a researcher, potential partner, or funder and want to collaborate, get in touch.
Contact
For info and more, reach out:
- Email: hello@olivabot.com