Key Takeaways
- Athian completed a $4 million Series A round backed by major food and agriculture investors.
- The company has facilitated $18 million in payments to farmers since 2024 for emissions-reducing practices.
- New and existing investors span the food value chain, including dairy, livestock, ingredients, and foodservice.
- Funding will support expansion into new species, additional protocols, and international markets.
- Leaders highlighted the role of technology-driven Scope 3 insets in supporting farmers and helping brands meet climate targets.
Athian Reports $18 Million in Farmer Payments and Closes $4M Series A
Athian announced it has facilitated $18 million in payments to farmers since 2024, reflecting rising demand for supply-chain emissions reductions. The company also closed a $4 million Series A, with new investors including Ajinomoto Group Ventures, Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Cultivate Next Fund, and Mondelēz International’s Sustainable Futures platform.
These investors join Athian’s seed partners — ranging from dairy cooperatives to ingredient companies and livestock operators — broadening the company’s reach across the food supply chain.
Supporting Scope 3 Emissions Reduction Across the Value Chain
Founded in 2022, Athian operates a marketplace that verifies and sells on-farm emissions reductions — known as Scope 3 insets — to downstream buyers such as CPGs, retailers, and foodservice companies. Farmers are compensated for adopting science-based protocols including alternative manure systems, feed ingredients, and digester improvements.
“Athian's original vision was to bring together companies from every step in the food supply chain to deliver a more resilient and sustainable product to consumers,” said Paul Myer, founder and CEO. “Our new funding partners are helping us achieve that vision by supporting our industry-wide effort to give credit to farmers, processors and food companies for their sustainability efforts.”
Industry Leaders Highlight Impact and Market Need
Investors emphasized the alignment between verified Scope 3 solutions and long-term climate goals.
“At Mondelēz, we are interested in sparking and scaling change,” said Susanne Mathis-Alig. “The Athian model has the potential to help us achieve our business goals by measurably addressing key challenges, such as expanding adoption of emissions-reducing practices and delivering ROI to farmers.”
Chipotle’s President, Chief Strategy and Technology Officer Curt Garner added: “By 2030, we aim to report a 50% reduction in Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions… Tools that incentivize on-farm GHG reductions will help companies like ours achieve these ambitious goals.”
Next Steps For Athian: More Protocols, Beef Pilots, and Global Growth
Funding will support expansion of Athian’s protocols, cost-sharing tools for supply-chain partners, and pilot projects in beef cattle. The company will also test applications beyond dairy and explore opportunities outside the U.S.
