There’s no way to sugarcoat this: investment in agrifoodtech startups is at its lowest point in six years. But considering the contribution of the agrifood sector to the global economy and livelihoods, has the correction gone too far?
Innovators ready to scale up climate-smart technologies for the produce industry are encouraged to apply.
Agrifoodtech startup investment has hit its lowest point in six years as a result of fewer and smaller deals.
Fresh off a fundraise, Denmark-based NitroVolt CEO and cofounder discusses the path from PhD student to CEO of a climate tech startup.
Plus: Plant-based “NotDogs” from Oscar Mayer and NotCo, John Deere’s “right to repair” case drags on, new meat labeling beef in Iowa.
Bayer CEO Bill Anderson called the ongoing litigation “a huge burden” on company financials during a recent investor call.
Indiana’s Producer Led Innovation Challenge tackles the challenge of making farmers more productive in the face of economic headwinds.
Cibus announced a $510 million close of Cibus Fund II and a $135 million close of its Cibus Enterprise Fund II.
According to one industry source, Gro received “some money with a lot of conditions.”
“In the first six years, we had more failures than successes,” says insect ag pioneer Kees Aarts.
Meanwhile, France bans the meat from plant-based meat labeling, the US aims for more wind-powered farms.
Farmers aged 18-60 may represent a much larger share of the agricultural market in 10-plus years, says grain-trading platform Bushel.
Extensive field trials in Spain with leading commercial tomato varieties grown in open fields have delivered 10-17% increases in yield, claims SaliCrop.
For the second year in a row, the sector saw an increase in VC investment despite an overall decline in agrifoodtech funding.
“We have a very clear strategy that will allow us to establish a brand based on our quality,” says Oishii co-founder Hiroki Koga.
ThriveAgric has a target to provide $500 million in credit to 10 million smallholder farmers by 2027 and $1 billion to 20 million by 2050.
Despite weak evidence for its efficacy, routine ‘preventative’ livestock antibiotic dosing is still common in many countries, says animal health co Genics.
CTO James Cariello has been named as the new CEO at the firm, which recently laid off 10% of its staff and has been trying to raise fresh capital through a convertible bond.
“Our first farm was profitable within a few months of opening, so we realized we might be onto something big,” says Gotham Greens founder and CEO.
Plus: Syngenta develops new bioinsecticide, layoffs at Meati, and Miruku raises $5m for molecular farming.
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