people and culture

Kiwi Robotics is driven by a diverse team of horticulture specialists, automation engineers, and AI developers. Our team operates across New Zealand and internationally.
We build tools designed for the scale, speed, and the realities of orchard life. Our technology is engineered to withstand the rigours of rain, dust, time pressures, and the complex human factors that standard data analysis often misses.

We believe in a simple philosophy: constant innovation, rapid movement, and collaboration with you, the growers. We work alongside you — never above you.

As the people who grow the fruit, you deserve tools that evolve with you.

Meet

MIKE STEELE,

Founder and Group ManagingDirector

Mike Steele is a lifelong horticultural specialist, orchard investor, and problem-solver who understands the realities of the thinning season. After years of navigating, labour constraints, inconsistent crew performance, and the limits of standard heat maps, he set out to build a solution he wished existed.

Before creating Kiwi Robotics, Mike collaborated with a global engineering network developing impactful technology — including cloud-based digital access tools and early agricultural robotics designed to support more sustainable food production. While that work spanned international environments, the purpose behind it was always based on the same principle: create technology that benefits people at ground level.

Kiwi Robotics is the culmination of those two worlds — strong horticultural experience and advanced AI engineering — brought together to deliver practical tools for New Zealand growers.

“Our strength comes from pairing real orchard experience with world-class automation and AI development. The result is technology that fits the realities of orchard life and makes a genuine difference to growers.”