International

[ad_1] Humans have deployed technology to defy nature’s limitations on the cultivation of food – often to nature’s detriment. Now, a growing number of venture capitalists are doubling down on technology to harmonize agriculture and nature.  Mission-driven investment firms are writing early stage checks to companies making biological crop treatments, food preservation techniques and tech-controlled […]

[ad_1] AgFunder’s sixth annual investment report — rather flirtatiously described by the research team as “our love letter to the industry” — is now officially published; it can be downloaded right here, right now. There’s more maths behind this romantic agri-foodtech gesture than quills by moonlight: “Utilizing new advanced machine-learning algorithms and artificial intelligence to […]

[ad_1] NewLeaf Symbiotics, which develops and commercializes proprietary microbes for biological inputs, has raised $20 million in Series D funding. Koch Agronomic Holdings, Leaps by Bayer, Otter Capital, S2G Ventures and RockPort Capital were participants in the investment round. The company raised a $30 million Series C in 2017 that was used to triple its […]

[ad_1] The global food system is changing in a few key ways. Chief among them is increasing consumer demand for more information about where their food comes from. As a farmer producing pasture-raised, grass-finished beef, lamb, and goat meat for direct-to-consumer sales, I see it happening every day. The demand extends to more than just […]

[ad_1] The non-profit program backs growing companies solving key challenges in agriculture with up to $1 million in funding — apply by March 26! Elemental Excelerator is now accepting applications for its 9th cohort of startups that can help meet the environmental, social, and economic challenges brought on by a changing climate. With 99 companies […]

[ad_1] ICL, the $5 billion Israeli fertilizer company, has acquired North Carolina-based Growers Holdings, a data-driven farming platform that aims to provide farmers, agronomists, and other professionals with better decision-making capabilities. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed but it is understood the deal was similar in size to recent precision ag acquisitions such […]

[ad_1] A note from Abigail Ryder, Program Director, Rethink Events: We’re looking forward to a lively debate at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit as Meredith Ellis adds the farmer’s voice to a key discussion about how agriculture can be part of the climate change solution. Here, she shares not only her passion for ranching but also how […]

[ad_1] When an entrenched big food company buys a progressive newcomer, skepticism over whether the startup can maintain its integrity under the parent company’s shadow often runs rampant. The situation was no different when Perdue purchased Niman Ranch in 2015. According to Niman Ranch general manager Chris Oliviero, the relationship between itself and parent company […]

[ad_1] Equinom, an Israeli seed breeding startup designing enhanced crops like “shatter-free sesame” or peas bulked with a higher protein content without genetic engineering, has closed its Series B funding round at $10 million. Leading the round is BASF Venture Capital, which marks the first early-stage investment from the German chemicals giant into an Israeli […]

[ad_1] Bayer held a Crop Science R&D Pipeline Showcase last week that highlighted the ag giant’s current portfolio of technology and revealed that a new herbicide is coming down the pipeline. The chemical is still in R&D and Bayer could not reveal many details about the new addition but stated that it will make its […]

[ad_1] India’s fresh produce industry has severe shortcomings. Bottom line: Not enough of it gets produced; nor can its consumers rely on its consistency or freshness. For the producers themselves, getting their tomatoes or lettuce to market at a fair and timely price is fraught with financially hazardous uncertainty. Does this all herald an opening […]

[ad_1] Small Robot Company (SRC), a British agrobotics startup, has told AFN that it has closed its latest Crowdcube equity crowdfunding campaign at £2.1 million. The company has now secured a total of £4,840,000 in funding to date. Late on Monday, the VC firm 7percent Ventures was confirmed as lead investor, having plowed in £200,000. […]

[ad_1] Sencrop, which provides weather data to farmers throughout Europe with its agro-weather stations and sensors, has acquired Visio-Green Agriculture, a subsidiary of Latitude GPS in what Sencrop’s co-founder indicated would be the first “in a process of consolidation and bringing more value to farmers.” Founded in 2016, Visio-Green makes sensors for agriculture including agro-weather […]

[ad_1] Every season, farms have to fork out serious cash for huge stacks of inputs, whether that’s feedstuffs, fertilizers, or pesticides. Anywhere in the world, the traditional way to get hold these is via locally-connected networks of retailers who work closely with farmers year by year, building up close personal relationships. The drawback to this […]