Longmont-based Scythe Robotics, Colorado’s leading robotics manufacturer, will become part of Autonomous Solutions Inc. of Mendon, Utah, the two companies announced on Wednesday.
Scythe develops automated landscaping equipment and is best known for its M.52 model, an all-electric commercial mower that operates without a driver. ASI makes automated equipment for construction and agricultural firms, and has developed the Mobius autonomous fleet management system.
“With complementary values and missions, both Scythe and ASI build autonomy that shows up every day, in the real world, and delivers labor leverage for customers who can’t afford downtime,” said Jack Morrison, Scythe’s CEO, in a news release. “ Further, customers mowing with Scythe M.52 today will benefit from ASI’s scale, operational maturity, and decades of success in off-road robotics.”
Scythe launched in 2018, after Morrison, who relocated to Colorado for a Ph.D. program in robotics, partnered with Isaac Roberts and Davis Foster to develop a lawn mowing equivalent of a Roomba to assist landscapers who have been struggling for years with severe labor shortages.
In March 2024, the company received $372,000 in Strategic Fund Job Growth Incentives from the Colorado Economic Development Commission in return for building a new 28,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and adding 394 new jobs in Longmont.
The expansion was completed shortly after the incentives were approved, but the company, which had eight years to achieve the hiring target, has yet to ramp up. It currently has 50 employees and is looking to scale with ASI’s backing.
“With the acquisition now complete, we will work with the state to understand how it impacts our status as we maintain and grow our operations in Longmont,” said Billy Otteman, Scythe’s vice president of customer and product development, in an email.
ASI said the acquisition will allow it to deploy Scythe Sight, a proprietary computer vision system developed by Scythe, into its other industrial products.
ASI started in 2000 and has operations in Utah and Texas, including a large testing ground. It also has stronger account management programs and more established administrative and support systems that could help Scythe reach more customers.
Scythe will operate as a separate brand under ASI Landscaping. Executives at Scythe will stay on to help integrate their technology and contribute to the expansion, and the Longmont location will be maintained.
“Scythe’s AI technology will play a critical role in helping us develop the next generation of autonomous equipment across diverse industrial sectors,” Mel Torrie, ASI’s CEO, said in the release.
The Scythe M.52 mowed nearly 2 billion square feet of grass for dozens of customers across 30 states last year, according to the company.
