Company: Daxo Industries, Philadelphia, PA
Company Description: Daxo Industries is an AgTech company that addresses labor shortage in agriculture. Zapper, Daxo's flagship product, enhances fruit harvesting efficiency. HarveStar, an automated fruit placement technology, reduces damage and management overhead. With user-driven innovation, Daxo empowers growers to tackle modern challenges, improving productivity and quality in every harvest.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Student-Run Business of the Year
 Nomination Title: Daxo Industries - Academic Resilience Meets Startup Grit
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated organization since January 1 2023, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 194 words used.
Daxo Industries was founded in Jan 2023 by Tom Zhang, a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania, with a passion for robotics and agriculture. Recognizing the inefficiencies and challenges in fruit harvesting, Tom set out to create innovative tools that enhance productivity, reduce waste, and improve worker conditions. What began as a personal project has evolved into a fast-growing business poised to transform agricultural practices.
Since its inception, Daxo has raised $1.3 million in pre-seed funding, assembled a dedicated team, and developed Zapper™, an advanced harvesting tool that improves efficiency and fruit quality. The company has already sold units to leading orchards across the United States, earning praise for its innovative design and user-centric approach. By combining academic expertise with entrepreneurial vision, Daxo has demonstrated the ability to translate cutting-edge research into impactful, market-ready products.
Daxo’s mission extends beyond product development. The company is actively building partnerships with growers and investing in future innovations to tackle industry-wide challenges. With roots in academia and a strong focus on practical solutions, Daxo exemplifies how a student-run business can make a meaningful impact on a global industry while maintaining its commitment to innovation and sustainability.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the organization's achievements since the beginning of 2023 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 249 words used.
Since its founding in Jan 2023, Daxo Industries has made remarkable strides in its mission to revolutionize agricultural practices, achieving significant milestones that highlight its impact and potential.
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Product Innovation: Daxo launched Zapper™, an advanced harvesting tool designed to enhance efficiency, reduce fruit damage, and improve ergonomics for orchard workers. The design has received widespread acclaim from growers, with notable improvements in speed and fruit quality. Daxo has secured three patents and one trademark regarding Zapper™ and its harvesting technology.
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Market Penetration: Daxo successfully sold more than 400 units of Zapper™ to leading orchards across the United States, with growing interest from overseas market including New Zealand, Australia, and Italy. These partnerships have not only validated the product's effectiveness but also established Daxo as a trusted name in agricultural innovation.
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Customer Success and Feedback: Growers and managers have praised the Zapper for its precision and reliability. A respected agronomist from a customer in Washington State stated: “We trialed the Zapper™ last harvest season and are excited to continue collaboration with the Daxo Industries Team. Preventing stem punctures is crucial to maximizing quality.”
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Funding and Team Expansion: Daxo raised a million dollar in pre-seed funding, enabling the company to expand its team, accelerate product development, and prepare for future growth. This funding also supports ongoing research into new tools that address broader challenges in agriculture
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Recognition: Tom received the prestigious Wharton Innovation Fund Award and the Miller Innovation Fellowship, which recognize leaders who merge academic insight with entrepreneurial impact.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 242 words used.
Daxo Industries’ achievements are uniquely significant because we have brought to market the only product of its kind, Zapper™, which addresses the critical challenge of precision fruit harvesting with no direct competitors in the industry. Unlike traditional tools or emerging technologies that remain in pilot phases, the Zapper is a fully commercialized product with proven results in real-world orchard environments.
What sets Daxo apart is our rapid market traction. In less than a year, we have not only introduced a novel product but also secured a strong customer base, including leading orchards in high-value regions like Washington State. This level of adoption is unparalleled in the AgTech hardware space, where most competitors struggle to gain practical market validation for their solutions. By focusing on customer needs rather than purely on technological innovation, we have built trust with growers, demonstrated measurable improvements in their operations, and solidified long-term relationships.
Our approach to prioritizing customer feedback has also driven iterative improvements to the Zapper, ensuring it consistently meets the demands of growers. While many AgTech startups remain in the lab or pilot stage, Daxo stands out as a company delivering impactful, market-ready solutions with tangible benefits for its users.
These achievements underscore Daxo’s ability to not only innovate but also execute, creating a meaningful impact in a challenging industry. No other competitor in this space can claim the same level of customer adoption, operational integration, or measurable success within such a short time frame.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 203 words used.
The supporting materials included in this nomination highlight Daxo Industries' innovation, customer focus, and rapid growth.
The Daxo Overview video demonstrates our commitment to solving real-world agricultural challenges with innovative tools like Zapper™. It highlights our plans for introducing new products to further enhance efficiency and sustainability in fruit harvesting, showcasing our focus on continuous improvement and meeting customer needs.
The university article traces Daxo’s origin to Tom’s academic research, detailing how he transformed cutting-edge ideas into impactful solutions for the agricultural industry. It underscores his ability to bridge academia and entrepreneurship, positioning Daxo as a leader in translating research into market-ready products.
Tom’s LinkedIn profile provides a snapshot of his leadership, technical expertise, and milestones, including the successful launch of the Zapper and rapid market traction. It reinforces Daxo’s focus on innovation and execution, as well as our unique position as the only company with a product like the Zapper available in the market.
Together, these materials validate Daxo’s achievements and emphasize its unique approach—combining innovation with a deep understanding of customer needs. They demonstrate how Daxo has not only introduced a groundbreaking product but also established itself as a trusted partner in the agricultural sector within an incredibly short time frame.
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