Key Takeaways
- Ambrook secures $26.1M Series A to expand its AI-powered ag finance tools; ZenaTech completes first West Coast acquisition to bolster drone-based precision ag.
- Danny Bernstein highlights capital inefficiencies in AgTech and proposes new financial structures to drive real-world adoption.
- GDM acquires full ownership of AgReliant Genetics; Terrana Biosciences launches with $50M to develop RNA-based crop traits.
- Syngenta expands its biologicals portfolio, while FMC and Agrobiomics announce new product approvals and funding.
- Little Leaf Farms announces major CEA expansion in Tennessee; Source Agriculture invests in Hydrosat for smarter irrigation insights.
Strategic Acquisitions and Funding Fuel AgTech Momentum
This week’s news reflects a surge in capital and consolidation across AgTech and agribusiness. Ambrook raised $26.1 million to scale its financial management tools for farms, now used by over 2,500 operations managing $1.6 billion in transactions. The round, led by Thrive Capital and Field Ventures, will support workflow expansion and the growth of Ambrook Pay.
Meanwhile, ZenaTech entered the West Coast market with the acquisition of a California-based civil engineering and surveying firm. This move supports its Drone-as-a-Service platform, reinforcing precision crop analytics and irrigation insights.
On the global agribusiness front, Bunge finalized two major moves — completing its merger with Viterra Limited and selling its dry milling operations to Grain Craft. These steps reflect Bunge’s strategy to sharpen its focus on core food, feed, and fuel value chains.
Interview: Danny Bernstein on the AgTech Capital Gap
In this week’s featured interview, Danny Bernstein, CEO of The Reservoir, outlined persistent challenges in AgTech financing — from limited liquidity to the absence of standardized investment vehicles. His team is piloting bundled SPVs and ETF-style models to de-risk early-stage commercialization and increase investor exposure.
Bernstein also stressed the importance of involving growers earlier in the product lifecycle, accelerating real-world feedback, and aligning policy with innovation to bridge the capital adoption gap.
Read the complete conversation here,
Plant Science: RNA Tools, Biostimulants & Market Expansion
Several notable updates emerged in plant science:
- GDM will fully acquire AgReliant Genetics, strengthening its position in North American corn and soybean seed markets.
- Terrana Biosciences, launched by Flagship Pioneering with $50 million, is advancing RNA-based crop enhancement without genetic modification.
- FMC’s Tremisia® Fungicide received regulatory approval in Ukraine, expanding its EMEA footprint with a fluindapyr-based dual-action solution.
- Agrobiomics secured €7.5 million to commercialize drought- and salinity-resistant biostimulants, targeting cereals and high-value crops in climate-vulnerable regions.
Other Key Industry Developments
- Source Agriculture invested in Hydrosat, whose satellite analytics help farms reduce water use by up to 30% and boost yields by 50%.
- Del Monte Foods filed for Chapter 11 to facilitate a sale of its assets with $912.5 million in DIP financing to support continued operations.
- Little Leaf Farms announced plans for a third campus in Tennessee, with construction set for summer 2025 and operations by fall 2026 — reinforcing its leadership in the CEA sector.
Upcoming AgTech Events & Conferences
Stay ahead of the curve with these global industry gatherings:
- Commercial UAV Expo | September 2–4, 2025 | Las Vegas, USA
- Taiwan Smart Agriweek | September 3–5, 2025 | Taiwan
- Global Vertical Farming Show | September 10–11, 2025 | Dubai, UAE
- SPACE | September 16–18, 2025 | France
- AgraME | October 6–7, 2025 | Dubai
- Vertical Farming World Congress | October 7–9, 2025 | Amsterdam
iGrow Network Spotlight
A warm welcome to new members of the iGrow Network — now part of a growing ecosystem of innovators and industry leaders in agriculture. Companies featured in this edition include:
Established Plan Members:
SpectraGrow, LettUs Grow, Harvest Returns, Women in CEA, Harnois Greenhouses, Verde Compacto
Scale-Up Plan Members:
Sollum Technologies, Babylon Micro-Farms, Ounce of Hope Aquaponics, Grow-Tec, Microclimates
