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In 2024 Asia-Pacific agrifoodtech startups have shown resilience against global market headwinds, securing $4.2 billion in funding and 31% of the global investment in the sector this year.
The vertical farmer best known for its strawberries is also gearing up for its first international expansion via a new R&D center in Tokyo.
For a sector that deploys cutting edge tech in everything from logistics to pathogen control, the food industry is still stuck in the dark ages when it comes to finding co-manufacturers, says Keychain CEO Oisin Hanrahan.
The fact Plantible has secured long-term offtake agreements and is able to scale in a modular fashion –scaling out rather than scaling up with proven tech—has helped build trust with investors, says its CEO.
Germany-based Klim will introduce a financial services layer to its insetting platform to aid in the transition to regenerative agriculture.
Shiru is “building a comprehensive platform that will revolutionize ingredient discovery across multiple molecular classes,” claims founder and CEO Dr. Jasmin Hume.
In an interview with AgFunder News YoLa Fresh co-founders explain how their company is addressing key challenges like food waste, inefficiencies in fresh produce distribution, and limited market access for smallholder farmers.
“Our basic focus is making full use of the whole hemp plant: seed for feed and stalks for construction,” says cofounder Suneet Shivaprasad.
Metablify officially launched this week out of the Danforth Technology Company, a subsidiary of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
QarboTech’s tiny carbon dots integrate with chloroplasts, the tiny factories in plants that turn sunlight into energy, optimizing light absorption and electron transfer.
Startups in the Ag Marketplaces & Fintech category have taken the top spot for funding in recent months, bringing in $65 million, or 41% total investment on the continent so far in 2024
Israel-based agrifoodtech startups have closed just 17 funding rounds since the start of the conflict. Raising some $161 million since October 7, 2023, the total is a 72% drop on the same period the year before, and some 73% fewer deals.
Series D funding will go to a few different areas, including expanding availability of the LaserWeeder into new geographies.
Plenty of commentators—and jaundiced investors—may query the economics of insect agriculture given the struggles of some high-profile players. But what about the touted environmental benefits? Is it a given that it is more sustainable to feed animals insect protein than, say, corn or soybean meal?
The Series C funding will allow Agrolend to expand its credit offerings to industries, retailers and cooperatives.
“The thing that will be most successful in this market has to be very low cost and very high efficacy. And right now I don’t see how that can be achieved with anything that’s not a synthetic chemical,” says Dr. Tom Williams.
Crude pongamia oil can be converted into biodiesel, renewable diesel, or sustainable aviation fuel, says Terviva founder and CEO Naveen Sikka.
The “investment towards future partnership” will help transform the way cocoa is produced in a market where demand is expected to dramatically exceed supply in the coming years, claims the startup.
Funding will also enable expansion to Turkey, India, and other geographies, and the creation of new fintech divisions and products.
