Tag: United Kingdom

Crop gene editor Tropic Biosciences banks $35m in fresh funding

July 6, 2022

The UK startup is applying gene-editing tech to develop high-performance varieties of three crucial commodity crops: banana, coffee, and rice.

Virgin Money launches $251m Agri E Fund in a bid to help UK farmers hit net zero

June 6, 2022

The financial services provider will support UK farmers with green loans and carbon audits.

How innovation in farm payments can create a welfare system for the environment

May 31, 2022

Farm payments should mirror social welfare schemes in having both the short-term needs, and the long-term interests, of users in mind.

Stable raises $60m to help farmers manage food price volatility

May 26, 2022

It will use the Series B funds to grow its fintech platform which simplifies commodity hedging for farmers and food businesses.

EXCLUSIVE: Moa nets $44m Series B funding to launch the next generation of herbicides

May 26, 2022

With herbicide resistance on the rise, Moa Technology wants to “replenish the toolbox” available to farmers, says CEO Virginia Corless.

Connecting African smallholders with agronomic services, Climate Edge scores seed funding

May 18, 2022

The UK-based startup secured the funds from US investor Regenerate Ventures.

EIT Food identifies unmet needs of Europe’s agrifood SMEs in new report

April 20, 2022

Agrifood SMEs in Europe could do with some additional support from investors and industry – especially in terms of help with scaling-up, the report suggests.

Better Origin banks $16m in Balderton-led Series A for its AI insect mini-farms

April 7, 2022

The Cambridge, UK-based company aims to recreate ‘upcycling’ in nature by feeding our food waste to fly larvae – which are then fed to livestock.

Livestock app Breedr bags $16m Series A funding as it moves into farmer finance

March 22, 2022

The UK-based startup, which helps cattle farmers keep track of their herds and trade animals online, is launching a product to help them with cash flow.

Q&A: How AgDevCo will use $90m from CDC, others to boost Africa’s mid-size agribusinesses

March 16, 2022

It’ll now be able to back more high-growth, ‘mid-cap’ agribusinesses aiming to become regional and global players, says chief investment officer Chris Isaac.

Better Origin on using insects to produce ‘carbon-neutral’ eggs for Morrisons

December 22, 2021

The UK startup will use its insect farms to turn food waste from Morrisons supermarkets into feed for hens to produce ‘carbon-neutral’ eggs.

Phytoform bags $5.7m to boost crop resilience through genome edits

December 16, 2021

The UK startup offers an AI-driven gene editing platform that uses CRISPR technologies to build more resilience in plants and better crop sustainability.

COP26 produced a ‘yoyo of feelings’ about agrifood’s climate role

November 11, 2021

The overwhelming feedback from COP26 has been one of mixed emotions as delegates tried to grapple with announcements and figure out their impact on agrifood.

IGS banks $58m to cement its place as the John Deere of vertical farming

November 4, 2021

“We’ve spent the money to take the R&D risk away” for vertical farm operators, IGS’s David Farquhar says on the sidelines of COP26.

Prince Charles’ ode to private markets at COP26 was a clarion call for agtech

November 3, 2021

If this is really is our “last, best chance,” the UK royal’s well-researched and well-grounded approach is worth taking seriously.

GROW & Innovate UK launch bespoke program to take British agrifood startups to Asia

October 20, 2021

Global Incubator Programme – Gateway to Asia will help eight UK agrifood startups develop a roadmap to remotely establish their in-market presence in the region.

Culling 150,000 healthy pigs shouldn’t ‘just happen’ in a functioning food system, Mr Johnson

October 8, 2021

Animal agriculture can become a more sustainable enterprise with the help of technology, investment, and entrepreneurialism.

1 in 5 ‘eager to try’ cell-cultured protein – but most prefer animal meat ‘in the long run’

August 19, 2021

However, the survey’s choice of terminology may be problematic.

Meet Biteback & Cellular Agriculture: The GROW Impact Accelerator’s food ingredient futurists

August 13, 2021

Biteback is creating edible oils from mealworms, while Cellular Agriculture has designed a new type of bioreactor to bring down cultivated meat’s costs.