The year starts strong for eGrocery with Dutch startup Picnic landing a multi-million round. While the eGrocery sector has struggled throughout the last couple years, Picnic likely stands out to investors thanks to the free delivery, electric vehicles and circular economy aspects of its model.
Also this week: Finnish salmon farming company GeoSalmo raised funds, Denmark’s Kost Capital launched a new fund for agrifoodtech startups, and several C-suite execs made moves to new roles. Also, R.I.P. for RIP Foods.
Foodtech funding
🇳🇱 Dutch online grocer Picnic raises $388 mln from investors, Gates Foundation – Reuters
🇫🇷 Paris-based foodtech Standing Ovation receives €3 million to begin industrialization phase of non-animal casein – EU Startups
Agtech funding
🇧🇪 M&G Investments Makes $75m Investment in Biobest – Global AgInvesting
🇮🇸 GeoSalmo reels in €13.4 million investment – The Fish Site
🇮🇹 Italy’s Mogu raises €11m to expand mycelium materials for interior design, fashion, and cars – Vegconomist
🇮🇹 SQIM closes €11m funding round – FinSMEs
🇧🇬 Bulgarian scale-up Nasekomo raises €8m series A to fuel robotized insect bioconversion expansion – The Cursive
🇬🇧 CGF co-leads £5.3m investment in FA Bio – CGF
🇮🇩 Indonesia agritech startup Semaai raises US$4.7 million in pre-Series A round – The Business Times
🇨🇦 GeneNeer secures $1 million in seed funding to revolutionize crop seed innovation – Tall Grass Ventures
🇳🇱 Dutch-based cell-cultured leather company Qorium raises funds; appoints former Nike exec as new CEO – Silicon Canals
Funds, grants & accelerators
🇩🇰 Danish Kost Capital launches €25 million fund to fuel foodtech innovations and bioeconomy growth – Arctic Startup
🇫🇮 Finnish foodtech startup Enifer awarded $13.2m grant to build mycoprotein factory – AgFunderNews
🇺🇸 Integrative Center for Alternative Meat and Protein to Launch at UC Davis Jan. 17 – UC Davis
People moves
🇺🇸 Perfect Day founders step away as company finalizes ~$90m pre-series E, installs interim CEO – AgFunderNews
🇩🇪 Bayer makes key leadership changes to its Crop Science division – CropLife
🇺🇸 Dean Banks appointed CEO of Indigo Ag and CEO-partner of Flagship Pioneering – PR Newswire
🇺🇸 Chef Robotics hires Somudro Gupta as head of software to scale AI in the physical world – PR Newswire
🇺🇸 John Frost joins Chobani – Food Business News
🇺🇸 Pivot Bio names Robert Houghton chief financial officer – Pivot Bio
Other news
🇪🇸 RIP Foods closes its doors after four years, “It was David vs Goliath” – Vegconomist
🇺🇸 Cibus rises after it successfully regenerates wheat plant from single cells – Seeking Alpha
🇦🇺 Loam Bio, carbon technologies leader, launches new opportunities for the U.S. – Business Wire
🇺🇸 The future of alt meat is hybrid, says Mush Foods as it launches mycelium blends in US market – AgFunderNews
🇫🇮 Netled applies for corporate restructuring – Vertical Farm Daily
🇦🇹 🇨🇭 Honey… without bees? MeliBio rolls out plant-based alternative in Austria and Switzerland with ALDI – AgFunderNews
🇺🇸 Meati Foods at Target? It’s part of the plant-based company’s growth strategy – Food Dive
🇺🇸 FreshDirect restructures corporate division, cuts jobs – Grocery Dive
