Key Takeaways
- Coverage includes major product launches, partnerships, and funding updates across AgTech.
- Highlights include CropX’s new Strato 1 weather station and Bluewhite’s NVIDIA-powered GEN 4 system.
- 2024 FoodTech 500 reveals shifting investor priorities in agrifood innovation.
- Syngenta and PepsiCo announce a new regenerative ag collaboration in sunflower supply chains.
- Cultivator’s AGTECH ACCELERATOR adds a new cohort of early-stage companies.
🔍 Precision Ag & Digital Farming Updates
From AI Soil Insights to Weather-Driven Irrigation Optimization
- Netafim & Virridy: Launch carbon credit initiative in Turkey, pairing precision irrigation with emissions monitoring.
- Bluewhite: Introduces GEN 4 autonomous farming platform with NVIDIA tech, to be featured at GTC 2025.
- Agmatix + BASF: Co-develop AI model to predict soybean cyst nematode (SCN) risks.
- CropX: Debuts “Strato 1” weather station, enhancing real-time farm decision-making.
- Elaniti: Secures €1.5M to enhance AI-driven soil DNA analysis for better farm productivity.
- FarmWise: Winds down operations; evaluates future of its Vulcan precision weeding tech.
📖 Read the most recent precision ag news here →
🧬 FoodTech 500: New Leaders in AgriFood Innovation
Investor Caution, Strategic Growth, and Tech-Focused Bets
According to Forward Fooding’s newly released 2024 FoodTech 500, agrifood tech is evolving fast despite a funding downturn:
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Global Funding Drop: From $61.2B in 2021 to $16.1B in 2024.
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Fewer Deals, Larger Sizes: Median deal size increased from $3M to $5M.
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Key Sectors Gaining Share:
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Ag Biotech: 3.8% → 6.2%
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Precision Ag: 2.7% → 6.6%
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Protein Fermentation: 2.3% → 3.4%
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🔍 Notable companies featured:
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AgTech: CropX, ProducePay, Desert Control
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Indoor Farming: IUNU, Edible Garden Ag, Vertical Future
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Biotech & Ingredients: TraceGrains, Michroma, Shiru
📊 Explore the full FoodTech 500 list here →
🌱 Controlled Environment Ag: New Tech, New Challenges
Product Launches, Partnerships & Industry Shake-Ups
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Innovation Agritech Group: Lists shares on JP Jenkins, boosting visibility for its aeroponic vertical farming tech.
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Growlink: Launches LINKS, a smart controller for lighting, irrigation, and nutrients, built for greenhouse scalability.
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Plenty: Faces financial distress; closes Compton facility amid funding talks and legal claims.
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Berger & Sollum Tech: Partner to optimize greenhouse lighting for lettuce and other crops using dynamic LEDs.
🌍 Soil Carbon, Regenerative Ag, and New Startups
Field-Level Impact Through Innovation
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Seqana & Klim: Roll out precision soil sampling across 29,000 hectares in Germany.
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Syngenta + PepsiCo: Partner on traceable, regenerative sunflower farming in Argentina using Cropwise and third-party verification.
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FA Bio: Wins UK funding for nutrient efficiency via microbial inputs.
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Cultivator: Launches Cohort 4 of its AGTECH ACCELERATOR, adding early-stage firms from Canada and the UK.
📰 Catch up on regenerative ag and startup ecosystem news →
📅 Upcoming AgTech Events
Key Dates for Your Calendar
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Plant Empowerment Workshop: May 6–7, 2025 (UK)
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Electronic Conference on Entomology: May 19–21, 2025
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Reuters Transform Food & Ag Europe: Summer 2025
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Commercial UAV Expo: Sept 2–4, Las Vegas
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Taiwan Smart Agriweek: Sept 3–5, 2025
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Global Vertical Farming Show: Sept 10–11, Dubai
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SPACE: Sept 16–18, France
🗓️ Browse the full events calendar →
🌾 Explore the AgTech Directory
Discover Startups, Partners & Technologies Shaping Tomorrow’s Agriculture
Search our curated AgTech Directory to explore:
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AI crop monitoring platforms
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Robotics, sensors, & IoT tools
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Regenerative farming inputs
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Water-saving irrigation solutions
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Soil intelligence & carbon tracking
✅ Filter by region, sector, or use-case
✅ Designed for growers, researchers, and investors
☕ Prefer to Listen?
🎧 Tune in to the full episode of this week’s recap on the AgTech Weekly Review Podcast — available on all major platforms.
