Key Takeaways
- Saga Robotics has appointed Caine Thompson as General Manager, U.S., effective January 26, 2026.
- The company achieved a tenfold increase in treated vineyard acreage during the 2025 California wine grape season.
- Saga Robotics plans to nearly triple treated acreage again in 2026.
- Founder Pål Johan From will transition to Chief Growth Officer while remaining involved in U.S. operations through mid-2026.
- The company announced Xinomavro as a new investor, strengthening its capital base and wine industry expertise.
Saga Robotics Strengthens U.S. Leadership Amid Rapid Vineyard Adoption
Saga Robotics, a developer of autonomous agricultural robotics, has announced the appointment of Caine Thompson as General Manager, U.S., as the company accelerates its commercial expansion in the American market. Thompson will assume the role on January 26, 2026.
The leadership change follows a period of significant growth for Saga Robotics in the U.S. wine industry. During the 2025 California wine grape season, the company reported a tenfold increase in acreage treated with its Thorvald UV-C autonomous robot, which is designed to control fungal diseases without the use of chemical inputs. Building on this momentum, Saga Robotics expects treated acreage to nearly triple again in 2026.
Saga Robotics U.S. Growth Driven by Autonomous UV-C Technology
The Thorvald UV-C robot has gained traction among wine grape growers seeking alternatives to synthetic fungicides. The system uses ultraviolet light to suppress disease pressure, supporting organic, sustainable, and regenerative viticulture practices.
“To accelerate sustainable and regenerative viticulture further, chemical-free winegrowing is the holy grail,” said Caine Thompson. “The Thorvald UV-C robot is a rare technological breakthrough that lowers the barrier to entry into sustainable, organic, and regenerative winegrowing by eliminating the need for synthetic chemicals.”
Saga Robotics stated that increasing adoption reflects growing demand for scalable, non-chemical disease control solutions in commercial vineyards.
Leadership Experience Anchored in Agriculture and Sustainability
Background of the New U.S. General Manager
Thompson brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across agriculture, sustainability, and commercial operations in the United States and New Zealand. Most recently, he served as General Manager and Head of Sustainability at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, where he led operational growth while advancing sustainability and regenerative farming initiatives.
He has also been recognized within the wine industry, including being named to Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 and Wine Business Monthly’s Sustainability Stewards. Thompson is currently the only U.S. board member of the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation.
“As Saga Robotics enters its next phase of scale in the U.S., Caine Thompson brings exactly the operational discipline and commercial experience we need,” said Sacha de La Noë, CEO of Saga Robotics.
Founder Transition and New Investment
Founder Pål Johan From will step down as General Manager, U.S., and assume a newly created role as Chief Growth Officer. In this position, he will focus on strategic partnerships, UV-C technology development, expansion into new crops and markets, and future fundraising. He will remain involved in U.S. operations through June 2026 to support continuity.
Saga Robotics also announced Xinomavro as a new investor as part of a supplementary close to its 2025 funding round. Xinomavro is an AgTech investment fund focused exclusively on wine industry technologies.
“Their ability to scale autonomous UV-C treatment in commercial vineyards positions them as a category leader,” said Guillaume De Pracomtal of Xinomavro.
