Key Takeaways
- AgTech Digest July 20 2025 highlights progress across agritech, plant science, and CEA.
- New partnerships and funding rounds signal investor confidence in IoT, biologicals, and rural innovation.
- Greenhouse podcast series launched under the iGrow Podcast Network.
- Vertical farming receives increased government and academic support globally.
- Smallholder-focused models and smart feed systems support food security and regional development.
AgTech Digest July 20 2025 Showcases New Content and Original Programming
New Podcast Series for Greenhouse Operators
AgTech Digest July 20 2025 marks the launch of Greenhouse Success Stories, the third original podcast series from AgTech Media Group. Sponsored by Harnois Greenhouses and hosted by Trina Semenchuk, the show provides actionable insights from greenhouse professionals in North America and beyond. It joins the iGrow Podcast Network, consolidating the group’s expanding audio footprint in controlled-environment agriculture (CEA). Read our announcement here.
Agritech Developments Signal Growing Market Confidence
Automation, IoT Infrastructure, and Rural Innovation
Topcon Agriculture introduced its UC7 Plus boom height control system to improve spraying precision by 30%. Meanwhile, Emergent Connext completed a $5 million seed funding round to scale rural IoT infrastructure across six U.S. states.
Gramik™ secured $2 million in bridge funding ahead of its planned $6.7 million Series A, aiming to engage 1 million farmers through private labels and agronomy services by 2026.
AgEagle Aerial Systems sold imaging drones and cameras to Wingtra and Brazil’s Atvos Agroindustrial to support sustainability-focused crop management over 1.2 million acres of sugarcane.
Bayan-Mayani launched a cooperative-based rural development initiative with HSBC Philippines to boost smallholder adaptation through localized governance and clustered agricultural cooperatives.
Plant Science and Agribusiness Backed by Global Capital
Focus on Inputs, Sustainability, and Regional Expansion
Puna Bio completed a Series A round that included investment from the Gates Foundation—its first direct investment in an Argentine startup. The initiative will scale affordable inputs for smallholders across Africa.
Kemin Industries launched RevoCURB, a natural soil treatment exempt from FIFRA 25(b) regulation, targeting pest and disease management in both organic and conventional systems.
Wayne-Sanderson Farms opened a $43 million automated feed mill in Arkansas, supporting 130 family farms and enabling advanced formulation capabilities.
Reinke Manufacturing expanded its irrigation footprint by acquiring industrial assets from Scott Specialties in Kansas, with plans to convert the facility into a second operational center.
CEA and Vertical Farming See Institutional and Technical Momentum
Academic Grants and Global Partnerships
Van der Knaap Group partnered with Canada’s Premier Tech to jointly expand product lines and distribution across Europe and the Americas. The partnership focuses on biologicals and sustainability in horticulture.
Université Laval received a $5 million grant from the Weston Family Foundation for the VertBerry project. The initiative aims to reduce Canada’s reliance on imported strawberry transplants using bioponic systems in closed environments.
Additional Updates in Climate and Sustainability
- Big Idea Ventures introduced a new cohort tackling sustainable ingredients and fermentation technologies.
- Regrow Ag and Embrapa are localizing the DNDC model to Brazil’s tropical soils to improve carbon accounting.
- JBS invested $7 million in cattle traceability and rural environmental programs in Pará, Brazil.
- CIBO Technologies joined a Virginia Tech-led conservation initiative across four U.S. states using its modeling platform.
Industry Events to Watch
- Commercial UAV Expo | Sept 2–4, Las Vegas, USA
- Taiwan Smart Agriweek | Sept 3–5, Taiwan
- Global Vertical Farming Show 2025 | Sept 10–11, Dubai, UAE
- SPACE 2025 | Sept 16–18, France
- AgraME | Oct 6–7, Dubai
- Vertical Farming World Congress | Oct 7–9, Amsterdam
Acknowledging iGrow Network Directory Members
Established Plan:
SpectraGrow, LettUs Grow, Harvest Returns, Women in CEA, Harnois Greenhouses, Verde Compacto
Scale-Up Plan:
Sollum Technologies, Babylon Micro-Farms, Ounce of Hope Aquaponics, Grow-Tec, Microclimates
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