Former Alphabet X spinout Mineral sells technology to John Deere

Earlier this year, reports surfaced that Alphabet had closed the book on its ag-tech robotics spinout, Mineral. The news arrived amid larger money crunches at Google’s parent. Citing a crowded market and profit concerns, Mineral ceased operation and pivoted to technology licensing.

This month, Mineral CEO Elliott Grant reprinted the leaked memo, while confirming that farming giant John Deere has acquired one of the startup’s technology suites to bolster its See & Spray crop spraying solution.

“The challenge of solving sustainable agriculture remains ahead of us,” Grant wrote in a post. “But it’s a relay race not a sprint.”