Key Takeaways
- Funding: Inari raised $144M for seed technology advancements, and Fermata secured $10M to develop AI-driven crop management.
- Partnerships: Syngenta collaborates with TraitSeq for biostimulant innovation, Ecoation partners with Mucci Farms for pest management, and Groundwork BioAg teams with ADAMA to distribute mycorrhizal inoculants in China.
- Acquisitions: Lindsay Corporation acquires a stake in Pessl Instruments, and ISAGRI purchases Sencrop to expand precision agriculture services.
- Industry Updates: John Deere launches autonomous machines, while farmers express hesitance toward adopting new agricultural technologies.
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AgTech Industry Updates: What are the latest funding developments?
Inari announced it had raised $144M, increasing its total equity funding to $720M. The funding round included investors such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Hanwha Impact, and Flagship Pioneering. The investment will be used to advance Inari’s seed technologies for soybeans, corn, and wheat, with a focus on accelerating the commercialization of its first-generation products and scaling multiplex gene editing solutions.
Fermata secured $10M in a Series A funding round led by Raw Ventures. The funds will support the development of a centralized digital platform for autonomous crop management. Fermata’s platform aims to enhance AI-driven crop health monitoring, yield prediction, and disease prevention capabilities.
Which partnerships are driving innovation?
Syngenta has partnered with TraitSeq, an AI company, to enhance biostimulant development. The collaboration will use TraitSeq’s AI platform to analyze biological data, with the goal of identifying biomarkers that can improve plant health and resilience.
Ecoation has formed a strategic partnership with Mucci Farms to deploy its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and yield forecasting platform across all Mucci Farms facilities. This partnership is expected to improve crop health monitoring, pest management, and yield prediction through advanced digital tools and machine learning.
Groundwork BioAg and ADAMA announced an exclusive commercial agreement to introduce Rootella® mycorrhizal inoculants to farmers in China. Starting in the 2025 planting season, ADAMA will make Rootella available to its farmer customers, aiming to enhance crop yields, improve soil health, and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers.
AgTech Industry Updates: What are the latest AgTech acquisitions?
Lindsay Corporation recently acquired a 49.9% minority stake in Pessl Instruments, an Austria-based company specializing in precision agriculture tools. The investment builds upon an existing strategic partnership established in 2023 and strengthens Lindsay’s position in irrigation management and smart agriculture solutions. Lindsay retains the option to acquire the remainder of Pessl at a later date.
ISAGRI has acquired Sencrop, a company known for its network of connected weather stations. The acquisition is expected to expand ISAGRI’s precision agriculture services, providing farmers and agribusinesses with enhanced data-driven insights to optimize operations and address climate-related challenges.
AgTech Industry Updates: What other updates are shaping the industry?
John Deere introduced its new autonomous machines at CES 2025, targeting agriculture, construction, and commercial landscaping sectors. The second-generation autonomy kit integrates advanced AI, computer vision, and camera systems to improve navigation and efficiency.
A report from BCG highlights hesitancy among U.S. farmers to adopt new agricultural technologies. The report, based on a survey of 1,000 growers, suggests that economic uncertainty and previous negative experiences with new solutions are key factors in this cautious approach. Most farmers prefer to continue using familiar technologies in 2024.
What upcoming events are on the horizon?
- 2nd International Conference on CEA | Feb 25, 2025 | Plymouth, UK
- World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit | San Francisco, 2025
- Indoor Ag Con | March 11–12, 2025 | Las Vegas, USA
Discover other events here.
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