In tech, we often talk about disrupting industries. But sometimes, the smartest path to market runs through existing channels, not around them. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, Craig Rupp, founder and CEO of Sabanto, revealed how his autonomous farming company is achieving adoption by embracing, rather than bypassing, traditional agricultural infrastructure.
The Commercialization Transition
By 2022, Sabanto had proven their autonomous farming technology worked. But having working technology and having a scalable business are two very different things. “Throughout 2022, we thought, okay, so we have all this… now let’s productize this,” Craig explains. The key insight? Success would depend not just on their technology, but on their ability to work within existing agricultural systems.
Leveraging Existing Infrastructure
Rather than trying to build a direct-to-farmer sales model, Sabanto made a strategic choice to work through established channels. As Craig describes, “We built up a dealer distributor network, and we’re doing training, we’re going through certifications and activities like that.”
This approach acknowledges a crucial reality about agricultural markets: farmers already have trusted relationships with equipment dealers. Instead of trying to disrupt these relationships, Sabanto chose to enhance them.
The Installation Advantage
A key part of their strategy was making their technology accessible through existing channels. Their system “takes about 4 hours” to install on existing tractors, making it feasible for dealer networks to implement. This isn’t just about convenience – it’s about leveraging the existing expertise and relationships of local dealers.
Understanding Their Market
This strategy is built on a deep understanding of their market. As Craig notes, there’s a common misconception that farmers are technology-averse. In reality, “They’re some of the more progressive technology adopting people you will ever meet.” He points to the rapid adoption of GPS guidance systems in the early 2000s, where “five years later, like 80% of the tractors out there had GPS guidance systems on them.”
Beyond Just Sales
Sabanto’s channel strategy goes deeper than just distribution. “Now what we’re doing is we’re going to market,” Craig explains. This includes:
- Building a certified dealer network
- Developing training programs
- Creating installation documentation
- Establishing certification processes
This infrastructure-building approach shows an understanding that in traditional industries, trust is built through systems and processes, not just technology.
The Platform Vision
Perhaps most importantly, Sabanto sees their dealer network as part of a larger platform strategy. “We want to give others the ability to add or I guess contribute to agriculture,” Craig explains. By working through established channels, they’re not just selling technology – they’re creating an ecosystem for innovation.
Lessons for Deep Tech Founders
Sabanto’s approach offers several key insights for founders entering traditional industries:
- Trust the Infrastructure: Sometimes the fastest path to market is through existing channels, not around them.
- Enable Don’t Replace: Focus on enhancing existing relationships and systems rather than trying to replace them.
- Build Complete Systems: Success requires more than just technology – it needs training, certification, and support infrastructure.
The Future View
Looking ahead, Craig envisions their dealer network becoming a crucial part of agricultural innovation. “There’s a lot of implement companies out there that are really innovative, and what’s stopping them from instrumenting or creating technology on their implements is just the proprietary nature of agriculture today.”
By building their go-to-market strategy around existing infrastructure, Sabanto isn’t just selling autonomous technology – they’re creating a platform for broader industry innovation. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best way to change an industry is to work with it, not against it.
For deep tech founders, the lesson is clear: disruption doesn’t always mean displacement. Sometimes the smartest path to market is through the very channels you might be tempted to disrupt.
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