THE ERA OF ORGANIC TOOLS IS COMING TO AN END
- Organic Tools
- Sep 15
- 4 min read
Dear friends of Organic Tools, Dear customers and partners,
After more than seven years of building, we gave it our very best. But today we have to say goodbye: Organic Tools GmbH is insolvent, we have filed for bankruptcy and unfortunately must close the company (see press release below).
We, the three founders, grieve that something beautiful and unique is coming to an end. At the same time, we are grateful for the genuine encounters, your trust, and the active support throughout this journey. And we also feel a sense of relief that there is now clarity – and that new things can become possible again.
Even though the GmbH is now “composting,” Organic Tools has borne fruit and, as a pioneer tree, has brought many valuable fruits and courageous seeds into the world:
More than 1,700 Fruit Harvesters have inspired people from Japan to the USA – with simple, ingenious harvesting technology that made traditional orchard fruit sexy and future-proof again.
The Traktrak – a promising, modular electric tool carrier for diverse vegetable production – unfortunately never made it to market, but inspired many along the way.
The vision remains:
A humanity that finds home again in nature.
Technology that serves humans – not the other way around.
A farming culture that promotes health, where food of the highest quality grows in abundance and the diversity of life belongs.
The many stories and legends of this adventure may be told in another place.
Now there is one last chance for the Fruit Harvester to live on in a new home – and this is where you come in!
On Startnext, a crowdfunding campaign is running for the cooperative LandAufbau eG to take over the Fruit Harvester from the bankruptcy estate.
👉 Please support: pre-order the Obstraupe Fruit Harvester for 2026 now with a 20% Early Bird discount, become a cooperative member – and spread the word!
September 15, 2025
Press release, Organic Tools insolvency
INSOLVENT OBSTRAUPE TO BE SAVED THROUGH CROWDFUNDING
THE LAST HARVEST? FRUIT HARVESTER FACING THE END.
COOPERATIVE ATTEMPTS A NEW START.
Organic Tools GmbH: Insolvency opens up opportunity for farmers' cooperative – rescue of the "Obstraupe" launched via crowdfunding
Vienna, September 15, 2025 – After seven years of building, more than 1,700 devices sold, and around 4 million euros in revenue since its founding in 2018, Organic Tools GmbH has had to file for insolvency at the Commercial Court of Vienna. Despite the success of the Fruit Harvester and a record turnover of nearly €1 million last year, the company’s expansion strategy did not succeed: expensive investments in new innovations, setbacks in international markets, and delays in product launches overstretched financial resources. Talks with potential investors collapsed, and restructuring is not being pursued. A bankruptcy petition has been filed for the closure of the company.
“This decision was anything but easy for us. We gave everything to strengthen small-scale farming and deliver the best tools. We look back on an intense and enriching time and are grateful for such wonderful customers,”
say the three founders from Upper Austria, Lukas Griesbacher, Stefan Bermadinger, and David Brunmayr. “All the more important to us is that at least the Fruit Harvester does not disappear from the market, but continues to support farms, orchards, and traditional cultural landscapes.”
RESCUE THROUGH "LANDAUFBAU" COOP
This is where a new initiative begins: the innovation cooperative LandAufbau eG wants to take over the Fruit Harvester from the bankruptcy estate and place it permanently in farmers’ hands. This way, the proven tool for orchards and agroforestry will not only be preserved but also become the foundation of a cooperative that strengthens farms and continues to develop innovations from within agriculture.
“With the cooperative taking over, there is a real chance to reorganize production and sales – and to secure the tool in farmers’ ownership instead of it disappearing or being sold off,”
"Together we are shaping the future of farming, and an important component of this future is the right tools – the Obstraupe is a perfect fit, and demand is unbroken. With the takeover by the cooperative, there is an opportunity to restructure production and sales – and to keep the tools in farmer ownership instead of them disappearing or being sold off," says Josef Rohregger, founder of LandAufbau eG.
CROWDFUNDING LAUNCHED
To make the takeover possible, a crowdfunding campaign is currently underway with pre-orders for the Fruit Harvester for 2026. The goal is to raise enough funds to acquire the business model from the bankruptcy estate and initiate a restart. Supporters can pre-order a Fruit Harvester at the “Early Bird” price for delivery starting summer 2026 – and also become members of the cooperative themselves.
ABOUT THE OBSTRAUPE
The Fruit Harvester OBSTRAUPE was launched by Organic Tools in 2018 and has since made the harvesting of orchard fruit significantly easier. The founders also surprised with an appearance on the TV show 2 Minuten 2 Millionen. The harvester enables fruit picking five to ten times faster, saves both backs and fruit, reduces food losses, and increases the value creation in farms. It also plays an important role in preserving species-rich traditional orchards – the last forest gardens of Europe.
SAVE THE OBSTRAUPE NOW!
“We are convinced that saving the Fruit Harvester is more than just securing a product – it is a symbol of farming innovation and of the future of agriculture in farmers’ hands,” says David Brunmayr of Organic Tools. “That’s why we ask everyone who cares about small-scale farming and a future-fit agriculture: support the LandAufbau campaign – and help save the Fruit Harvester.”
Campaign: www.startnext.com/landaufbau /
Further links: www.landaufbau.at / www.organic-tools.com
Press photos Obstraupe: https://myalbum.com/album/WFDKoLCU2Wzy/
Press contact:
Organic Tools GmbH: David Brunmayr / david@organic-tools.com +43 670 2051811
LandAufbau eG: Josef Rohregger / josef@landaufbau.at / +43 650 8638285
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