overview

Subsidy and valorisation projects

Introduction

We create and join several research projects

‘Drive Innovation’ is one of the four major themes that set the course for Lely’s strategy. With our worldwide network, more than 550 R&D employees, a growing patent portfolio (more than 1,600 patents), and an installed base of more than 50,000 robotic solutions, Lely is known worldwide as a leading high-tech robotics company with a strong focus on innovation. Currently, Lely supplies customers in 50 countries worldwide.

To maintain Lely’s pioneering position, we initiate and participate in various research projects together with other industry partners, such as universities, robotics developers, and suppliers. Government-supported subsidy programmes enable us to accelerate innovation and prepare our technologies for future regulatory requirements.

explanation

Why we do this

  • Knowledge utilisation

    Knowledge utilisation

    Utilise knowledge from research institutions to support Lely innovations.
  • Inspiration

    Inspiration

    Stay up to date with state-of-the-art technologies and translate them into Lely solutions.
  • Validation

    Validation

    Validate Lely innovations through testing and scientific research.
  • Social impact

    Social impact

    Incorporate societal challenges into the Lely roadmap.

Our facilities

Where we develop, test and validate

Where we test and validate new concepts

During the development of new products and services, Lely has access to several operational farms where testing and validation activities can be carried out. These test farms are suitable for concepts and prototypes that require closer supervision than market-ready Lely products.

For early-stage concepts, Lely works with several farms located near the Lely Campus. As products and services approach market introduction, testing and validation can take place at a larger network of farms around the world.

Where we develop new hard- and software

On the Lely Campus, dedicated R&D office wings support the development of new electronics and software solutions. The 550 R&D employees have access to well-equipped workspaces located close to the R&D test facilities. Within the R&D office wings, there are also separate rooms equipped with testing equipment and spaces for building small test setups.

Where we test new hard- and software

The Lely Campus has several test halls where prototypes can be built and tested in simulated farm environments and where endurance tests can be performed. Each product requires its own specific test facilities. For example, a farm floor is available for testing manure robots, while a simulated feeding rack and feeding crane provide Lely’s feeding robots with a controlled environment for testing new hardware and software.

take a look

The projects we are working on

  • Horizon 2020 DECIDE

    Summary
    DECIDE, a five-year Horizon 2020 project, will develop data-driven decision support tools that offer robust and early signals of disease emergence and options for diagnostic confirmation. Moreover, options will be provided for controlling the disease along with their implications in terms of disease spread, economic burden and animal welfare.

    Project duration
    July 2021 – June 2026

    Consortium 
    UU, Københavns Universitet, Universiteit Gent, University of Liverpool etc.

  • Horizon Europe Dairy 4.0

    Summary
    This project aims at developing the next generation of automated voluntary milking systems, by expanding a milking robot with several sensors and AI algorithms to provide an overall animal health status classifier in support of the individualised feeding and treatment.

    Project duration
    October 2023 – June 2027

    Consortium 
    Cyric, UAB, TU WIEN, ICCS, Alpes Lasers

     

     

  • Innovatiesteun Boerenbond – NH3

    Summary
    Through this innovation project, the Lely Sphere will be demonstrated, and research activities can take place to have this system included on the (Flemish) PAS list. In this way, a large-scale rollout of this system in Flanders is ultimately envisaged.

    Project duration
    January 2023 – December 2026

    Consortium 
    -

     

     

  • NGF RE-GE-NL

    Summary
    A broad consortium with an integrated approach is needed to remove these barriers and enable the Netherlands to lead the transition to regenerative agriculture, which is also being pursued internationally. That is why this project is developed as a flywheel to achieve the intended transition and demonstrate on 1.000 farms. The project brings together players from across the system who want to work on future-proof solutions and make this happen.

    Project duration
    September 2024 – December 2030

    Consortium 
    WUR, LNV, Friesland Campina, Cosun, Fedecom, Royal Eikelkamp etc.

  • NGF NextGen High Tech

    Summary
    The Netherlands has been a leader in the agri-food sector for years. We have an enormous amount of knowledge, a strong collaborative mentality and a focus on sustainability. The market is still growing significantly, but it faces significant challenges. To stay at the top, we must continue to innovate. Within this project Lely works on enhancing their self driving robots and its capabilities to work together and adjust to the dynamic environment they need to operate in.

    Project duration
    January 2023 – December 2029

    Consortium 
    WUR, Sieplo, Trioliet

  • OPZUID LDU

    Summary
    The Local Dairy Unit (LDU) project aims to develop a fully automated dairy processing system that enables dairy farmers to transform milk directly from the milking robot into value-added dairy products on their own farms. By creating an easy-to-use processing installation suitable for dairy operations, the project seeks to establish new revenue opportunities for farmers while strengthening local and regional dairy supply chains. The project combines technological innovation, supply chain renewal, and circular production principles to reduce on-farm emissions and minimise the environmental footprint of dairy products.

    Project duration
    July 2026 - Jun 2029

    Consortium
    Test farmers and suppliers

  • PPS LCD

    Summary
    How can the transition to an integrally sustainable dairy farming and dairy chain be achieved in the short term, with a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per kg of milk central? The PPS wants to answer this question. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per kg of milk on the dairy farms in their chain by 50%. This by analyses, making an approach and development of instruments.

    Project duration
    January 2023 – December 2026

    Consortium 
    WUR, CONO Kaasmakers, Nestle, Unilever, Vreugdenhil, Agrifirm, ForFarmers etc.

  • PPS RCDF

    Summary
    The consortium of this PPP aims to make dairy farms function more circularly, gradually reducing their dependence on external fertilizers. As a first step in that development, this PPP investigates the agronomic effectiveness of the various manure products from low-emission stables with a rapid separation of feces and urine, including the products that meet the RENURE criteria. 

    Project duration
    July 2024 – June 2027

    Consortium
    WUR, Hanskamp, Slootsmid, NCM

  • PPS Synergia

    Summary
    The aim of the SYNERGIA research program (SYNERGIA stands for 'SYstem change for New Ecology-based and Resource efficient Growth with high tech In Agriculture') is to develop and integrate fundamental knowledge from the biological, technical and social sciences for the next generation of sustainable agricultural systems, which is based on the new concept of 'technology-4-ecology based farming' (T4E farming).

    Project duration
    January 2020 – December 2026

    Consortium 
    WUR, LNV, IMEC, Kubota, OnePlanet etc.

  • SBV Innovatiemodule

    Summary
    With two projects, Lely is developing new barn concepts which focusses on the reduction of emissions. New barn floors, robots and other techniques will be developed and tested. In collaboration with farmers these techniques will also be validated in real live environments.

    Project duration
    January 2021 – December 2026

    Consortium
    WUR, HAS

     

     

  • TKI TOWR

    Summary
    Shared and local decision making requires shared perception, the efficient use of available floor space, and the increase in overall robustness. The step change development is the autonomous but shared decision making of robots, to make it explicit what the shared goals of the robots are, and to decide locally about capability matching between individual robots, when mechanical problems occur, or differences in expected execution times.

    Project duration
    January 2023 – December 2027

    Consortium 
    TU Eindhoven, Vanderlande Industries

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If you have any questions about our projects, values or other related topics, do not hesitate to contact us.

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