While the world is facing the challenges of sustainable food production intensification, new technologies offer a tremendous opportunity to address these issues, writes Marco Brini in the wake of publishing a book about digital ag adoption.
Several biomaterials startups made headlines with fundraises, partnerships and other developments for leather, wood and oil alternatives.
Better Bite Ventures, a fund focused on alt protein startups in APAC, has invested in four startups under its early-stage First Bite initative.
Plus, $53 million for restaurant tech platform Odeko, new CRISPR-based research and non-browning bananas.
Tablepointer aims to be the partner of small-to medium-sized businesses, helping them optimise energy usage and increase profitability.
Meanwhile, vertical farm Kalera gets delisting notice from Nasdaq and Australian eGrocer Milkrun shuts down after just 18 months of operation.
Digital burger delivery service VICIO scored a fresh round of funding and CPG giant Danone invested in cultivated breast milk startup Wilk.
Indoor mushroom startup Smallhold expanded thanks to a retail partnership with Sprouts, while reservations platform OpenTable partnered with ChatGTP.
Innovators creating bio-based alternatives to synthetic, fossil fuel and animal-based products and materials are capturing investor attention.
Australian startup Cauldron has raised AUS $10.5m to scale a platform enabling firms to produce high-value ingredients via precision fermentation more efficiently via a continuous process.
Oatly raised $425m as it “moves towards reaching financial self-sufficiency,” cultivated meat startup Fork & Good opened a pilot plant in New Jersey, and Klimato secured €4.2 million ($4.5 million) to expand its platform to help restaurants report the carbon footprints of their cuisine.
The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) has launched a new tool for agriculture impact investment funds to measure the impact of their investments against others.
MITRA, an Indian manufacturer of fruit spraying equipment, has today been fully acquired by major automotive manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra.
Sugar-eating microbes dominate industrial fermentation today. But algae will be the “predominant biomanufacturing platform of tomorrow,” predicts Australian startup Provectus Algae, which is unlocking the potential of photosynthetic algae to make high-value ingredients.
Immi raised funds for plant-based ramen while Bayer & Microsoft launched new data tools.
Singapore’s Next Gen Foods acquired an alt-dairy startup, while agtech funding this week was all about ecosystem restoration projects.
Speakers at this year’s Indoor Ag-Con offered the indoor farming industry insights, predictions and some major reality checks about the future.
Companies including Bushel, Topcon and Afresh Technologies, launched new tools; Umami Meats & Triplebar collaborate on cultivated fish.
Israeli startup Aleph Farms has struck deals enabling it to take an “asset-light” approach to scaling up cultivated meat production in Israel and Singapore. CEO Didier Toubia tells AFN Aleph is also scouting for sites in the US for a larger scale facility and believes it can achieve cost parity with premium beef by 2028.
63% of consumers also agree that snacks with a higher environmental impact should cost more, according to Mondelēz International Malaysia & Singapore.
