BRIEF: Barn2Door raises $3.4m Series A to connect farmers to customers

Seattle-based Barn2Door has just closed a $3.4 million Series A, led by Lead Edge Capital, with participation from Global Founders Capital and other investors. The round builds on the $1.2 million it raised in equity funding in May, according to a regulatory filing.

AFN has reached out to Barn2Door and lead investor Lead Edge Capital for comment, stay tuned for updates.

With the fresh injection of funds, CEO Janelle Maiocco said that the farm tech startup will continue building technology to link farms with customers, according to an interview with GeekWire. Founded in 2015, the startup runs an online marketplace for chefs to buy food directly from farmers. It has farm clients across 40 US states, with its heaviest concentration in the Midwest. Maiocco said she started her company powered by her passion to increase access to sustainable food. She previously ran Farmstr, a similar marketplace connecting consumers to farmers with food to sell.

“I feel a deep conviction about helping to improve access to clean, sustainable foods that are locally produced,” said Maiocco. “At Barn2Door, we aim to make it easy for farmers to sell their food online, improving the convenience for their customers. By doing so, we can promote better stewardship of our planet, and improve the margins and viability of family-owned farms.”

Checking out Barn2Door’s website, it says it was created “from the idea that farmers should profit more from the products they sell – without a middleman marking up prices.” The team believes food should be as convenient to buy direct from local farmers, “as it is to go to the grocery store or buy from an online grocer.” It’s also come up with one-click access for customers to purchase anytime across web, social, and mobile.

Startups that give similar services include restaurant software maker ChowNow, which connects customers with local restaurants. Aside from Barn2Door,  a string of other companies in farmtech have closed significant funding rounds. On September 26, vertical farm tech Intelligent Growth Solutions expanded its Series A to £7m. India’s Gramophone, which helps farmers gain access to crop protection, crop nutrition, seeds, agri hardware, and more, sealed a $3.5 million Series A in August.

Know of a farmtech startup that’s helping to connect farmers with buyers? Drop me an email at [email protected].