Key Takeaways
- NetZeroNitrogen (NZN) secured a €5.6 million seed round to support ASEAN expansion and commercial scale-up
- The round was co-led by World Fund and Azolla Ventures, bringing total funding to €7 million
- NZN’s biofertilizer product aims to reduce synthetic nitrogen fertilizer (SNF) dependency and greenhouse gas emissions
- Field trials show reductions in SNF usage and yield improvements with no need for new farm machinery
- Regulatory compliance and ease of application position NZN as a cost-effective, scalable solution
NetZeroNitrogen Secures Funding to Scale Biofertilizer Across Global Markets
NetZeroNitrogen (NZN), a Nottingham-based AgTech company, has raised a €5.6 million seed round to expand operations in ASEAN markets, pursue certification, and finalize commercial offtake and biomanufacturing agreements. The round was co-led by World Fund and Azolla Ventures, with continued backing from Zero Carbon Capital, Revent, Kibo Invest, and new participation from Ananke. NZN’s total funding now stands at €7 million.
The funding supports NZN’s mission to replace synthetic nitrogen fertilizers (SNFs) with a biofertilizer product that uses endophytic bacteria to improve soil health, reduce emissions, and increase crop productivity.
An Alternative to the Haber-Bosch Era
Founded in 2022 by Justin Hughes (CEO), Gary Devine (CSO), and Alan Burbidge (Head of Corporate Affairs), NZN is developing a microbial solution that colonizes plant tissues, enhancing nutrient delivery and yield. The company emphasizes that its solution is non-GMO, EU-regulation compliant, and does not require changes to farming equipment.
Speaking with EU Startups, CEO Justin Hughes highlighted the economic and environmental advantages: “Most alternatives come with a green premium but this is effectively a green discount – we’re greener and cheaper at the same time. The time is absolutely ripe for our product: the dependency on SNF is unsustainable.”
Hughes also noted: “If the Haber Bosch process was invented today it would be banned, like alcohol or tobacco… You’re placing the fuel (bacteria) next to the engine (plant cells). The scale of this opportunity is enormous.”
Climate and Soil Impact Drive Investor Interest in NetZeroNitrogen
The climate relevance of NZN’s technology was central to the investment thesis. As noted by Dr. Nadine Geiser, Principal at World Fund, in her EU Startups interview: “Widespread use of urea, ammonium and nitrate-based fertilisers is one of the world’s largest sources of GHG, and it is leaving soil microbiomes in a dire state… NZN offers the ideal solution.”
According to World Fund calculations, NZN’s product may reduce fertilizer production emissions by 88% compared to conventional SNFs. Given the fertiliser market’s projected annual growth rate of 2.1% (McKinsey), the solution has both commercial and environmental appeal.
