This week saw new developments in alt-textiles: Switzerland-based DePoly secured new capital to open a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling plant, while German startup eeden closed a Series A deal to scale its textile-recycling operation.
Elsewhere, Lithuanian climate finance startup HeavyFinance rebranded to InSoil and launched a new credit fund, and Freight Farms, a key provider of container farming tech to the indoor ag industry, abruptly ceased operations and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Startup funding
🇺🇸 Growers Edge raises $25m in funding FinSMEs
🇨🇭 DePoly secures $23m seed to launch PET recycling plant in Switzerland Tech.eu
🇩🇪 Germany’s textile recycling startup eeden closes $20.5m Series A round led by this Dutch VC firm Silicon Canals
🇺🇸 Irrigreen raises $19M in Series A funding Finsmes
🇬🇧 Scottish aquaculture tech company Ace Aquatec raises €11.7M; will create 15 jobs Silicon Channels
🇬🇧 Arda Biomaterials brews up new funds ($5.25 m) for alt-textiles, eyes partnerships in fashion and automotive AgFunderNews
🇬🇧 Puresport raises $4.8m to accelerate global expansion plans The Grocer
🇬🇧 WineFi secures $2.1 million seed funding for fine wine investing platform Tech.eu
🇮🇳 Indian healthy snacking startup Phab bags $2m seed funding Tech in Asia
🇳🇱 Amsterdam’s Peckish raises $912,000 to expand its AI-powered inventory management platform for restaurants Silicon Canals
🇺🇾 Uruguayan healthtech startup Yeda Health raises $300,000 pre-seed round LatamList
M&A, IPOs & partnerships
🇺🇸🇬🇧 US delivery giant DoorDash makes $3.6 billion offer for UK-based Deliveroo AgFunderNews
🇺🇸DeNovo Foodlabs and EFFV create JV to scale lactoferrin via precision fermentation AgFunderNews
🇫🇷 Standing Ovation and Tetra Pak partner to optimise alternative casein production FoodBev Media
Funds, grants & accelerators
🇱🇹 HeavyFinance rebrands to InSoil InSoil
🇯🇵 EFM and Sojitz launch $200m US forestry fund targeting Japanese LPs AgriInvestor
🇬🇧 Verb Ventures launches $28.5m fund for supply chain platforms Tech.eu
🇪🇸 Aldea Ventures closes $57m of targeted $143m for Fund II, strengthens US strategy and deep tech focus Silicon Canals
🇨🇳 China life sciences-focused Dalton Venture expands operations to Hong Kong South China Morning Post
People moves
🇩🇪🇺🇸 Paul Ritch joins Klim as US Market Lead LinkedIn
Other News
🇺🇸 Freight Farms files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, leaving growers disconnected
🇨🇳 DJI report charts rapid rise in global adoption of ag spray drones AgFunderNews
🇺🇸 Texturised fresh spirulina gains EFSA greenlight as a non-novel ingredient Food and Drink Technology
🇨🇦Nova Scotia launches large-scale bioinnovation centre with global fermentation capacity Vegconomist
🇯🇵 Japan’s leading beer company Asahi launches the country’s first yeast-derived milk FoovoBridge
🇺🇸Federal lawsuit against Florida ban on ‘lab-grown’ meat still alive after judge’s ruling Newsday
