GRoW vs Rubion
Two harvesting machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
Israeli dual-arm greenhouse robot that harvests vine tomatoes on pipe-rail systems using an AI 3D vision system, developed with Dutch greenhouse-tech partner Ridder. Running in Dutch greenhouses — validated at grower Lans in the 2025 NPPL-R trial by Wageningen UR (up to ~90% of eligible vines harvested, operator supervision still required) and picking ToBRFV-resistant varieties at Axia Vegetable Seeds' demo greenhouse.
Best for: Large Dutch-style vine-tomato greenhouses on pipe rails wanting to automate harvest labour, with tolerance for a validation-stage machine that needs supervision and a crop structure adapted to robotic picking.Strawberry-picking robot for tabletop systems; little public evidence of commercial rollout since ~2021, with Octinion's picking activities continuing under picking.technology — commercial status uncertain.
Best for: Tabletop strawberry growers facing harvest-labour shortages and tight picking windows.| GRoW Verified 2026-07-17 | Rubion Verified 2026-07-16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Harvesting | Harvesting |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | Israel | Belgium |
| Availability | Pilot / limited | Pilot / limited |
| EU market | CE-marked | CE-marked |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-17 | 2026-07-16 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Electric, self-propelled on greenhouse pipe rails | Battery-electric · shift-length runtime |
| Required tractor power | Not required (pipe-rail trolley platform) | Not applicable |
| Dimensions | Not disclosed | 1.50 × 0.90 × 1.60 m |
| Weight | Not disclosed | 340 kg |
| Min farm size | Not disclosed (targets large commercial greenhouses) | 1 ha tabletop |
| Productivity | WUR NPPL-R 2025: up to ~90% of vines meeting crop criteria harvested; cycle-time figures not published | Picks at ~human single-hand rate, 24 h |
| Max speed | Not disclosed | Aisle travel pace |
| Sensors | AI 3D vision system with high-resolution colour imaging for truss detection and ripeness | Stereo vision · ripeness detection · soft gripper |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Native price | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Business model | Direct from MetoMotion / via partner Ridder (NL); demo-request sales process, commercial terms not published | Lease / harvest-as-a-service (pilot) |
| Ongoing cost | Not disclosed | Not disclosed — pilot terms |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Vine tomato harvest success (vines meeting crop criteria) ~90% harvest success · independent | Harvest labour dependency partial automation · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | CE status not published; operates in Dutch commercial greenhouses | CE marked (pilot units) |
| Machinery Regulation | Placed on the EU market with partner Ridder; Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 autonomous-machine provisions apply | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 |
| CAP subsidy | Greenhouse harvest automation — not directly tied to CAP eco-schemes | Eligible under horticulture innovation schemes |
"—" means the manufacturer has not disclosed the figure; we never estimate silently. Model either machine's payback with your own numbers on its ROI calculator page.