“We are the only ones we know of [developing biological products using predatory bacteria] in the field of agriculture,” says BioArmix CEO Dr. Tzvi Zvirin.
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.
The Plantik process grows high-heat-tolerant tomatoes in a fraction of the time it would take to do through traditional breeding.
If you’re going to make dairy proteins via precision fermentation, it makes sense to start with the highest value ones, says Sydney-based All G, which is aiming to launch bovine lactoferrin next year followed by human lactoferrin in 2026, with casein proteins to follow.
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?
Barcelona-based Heura made its name selling alt meat but has since developed novel texturizing technology that can be applied to everything from cheese to pasta.
The Series C funding will allow Agrolend to expand its credit offerings to industries, retailers and cooperatives.
“Put it this way,” says Kevin Helash. “If you’re trying to fund an eight-year regulatory process with investors who have a window of five years, there’s a disconnect there.”
“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.
“We use side stream raw materials rather than dextrose as feedstocks, and our product doesn’t go through the cold chain,” says Enifer cofounder Simo Ellilä.
Crude pongamia oil can be converted into biodiesel, renewable diesel, or sustainable aviation fuel, says Terviva founder and CEO Naveen Sikka.
Antwerp-based FlyBlast has a stable black soldier fly breeding line that expresses human insulin “at very high yields,” claims CEO Johan Jacobs.
“For me, supply is the absolute constraint in this [mycoprotein] market right now,” says ENOUGH CEO Jim Laird.
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.
“Now we’ve got a much more structured approach and good clarity on our verticals (gene editing, ag biologicals, tech platforms, decision science), we feel comfortable making investments early,” says Dr. Tom Greene.
Funding will also enable expansion to Turkey, India, and other geographies, and the creation of new fintech divisions and products.
The JackFruit Company is growing at a double digit pace at a time when many other players in the alt meat segment are struggling, says founder and CEO Annie Ryu.
Eventually, says Andrew Ive at Big Idea Ventures, “It all shakes out and the less smart money decides to go chase the next opportunity. So we had foodtech, we had crypto, and now we have AI…”
“We are getting closer to $100 million in revenues,” says BeeHero cofounder Omer Davidi. “We expect to be there very soon. This year, we’ll probably exceed $70 million.”
