The category’s strong fundraising performance underscores its potential to positively impact Asia-Pacific, especially when it comes to smallholder farmers.
Late-stage deals in the Asia-Pacific region grew by more than 30% in 2021; in H1 2022, the median size of deals dropped for the first time in three years.
Innovative Food startups garnered $356 million in 2021; much of that went to Singapore alt-protein companies as well as those in China and India.
Apeel Sciences and Benchling are among the startups addressing the tools and services needed in the middle of the agrifood value chain.
Some of last year’s top startups for In-Store Retail & Restaurant Tech are struggling to stay relevant in the current tech downturn.
Bolt Threads leads the category, followed by several other startups developing biomaterials to replace animal- and petroleum-based fabrics.
New York is the most diversified investment landscape with a greater mix of upstream and downstream agrifoodtech startups.
Roughly 70% of German agrifood’s $3.3 billion in funding went to just two companies, both part of the now-struggling instant-delivery sector.
Sustainable Farming is both under-funded and a major opportunity for investors wishing to get involved with climate tech.
Investors should view the current tech industry downturn as an opportunity to funnel more patient capital one area holding strong: climate tech.
Circular economy startups addressing food waste, plastic alternatives and upcycling in Europe’s agrifood sector raised just 2.6% of VC funding last year.
Upstream and downstream investment in Europe agrifoodtech were almost on par with one another last year, though upstream closed more deals.
Alternative protein and eGrocery grabbed the bulk of the top 15 deals in 2021, but midway through 2022, the future for one of them is far less certain.
2021 was “a year of momentum for ag biotech and alternative proteins” in the region.
It also saw upstream agrifoodtech deal numbers surpass downstream deals for the first time, says Omnivore managing partner Mark Kahn.
In 2021, eGrocery dominated dealmaking yet again; but upstream startups vastly increased their share of funding.
Most of the top deals involved eGrocers and Restaurant Marketplaces, highlighting the continent’s thirst for ‘quick commerce.’
Top Ag Biotech investment deals in 2021 covered gene editing, farm inputs, animal health solutions, and biofertilizers, among others.
Innovative Food was 2021’s most active agrifoodtech investment category, driven by mega-deals for the likes of Impossible Foods and Perfect Day.
How does agrifoodtech’s share of VC funding compare to agrifood’s share of GDP in the US?
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