This Week in AgTech Highlights
- This Week in AgTech Funding Highlights: Oishii, Capagro, EarthOptics, and more.
- Industry Updates: BW Fusion, genXtraits, Orbia Netafim, and FreezeM.
- AgTech Innovations: PTx Trimble, Corteva, Growy, and Verdi lead new developments.
- Global Highlights: Gates Foundation, ISA, Deloitte, Deere, Bayer, ofi, and Lavie Bio.
- Upcoming Events: World Agri-Tech Middle East, Indoor Ag Con, and more.
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This Week’s Funding
Oishii Extends Series B to $150M
- What: Vertical farming startup Oishii raised $150M in Series B funding, extending its earlier $134M.
- Purpose: To fuel international expansion in Tokyo and scale production of its premium Omakase Berry.
Capagro Fund II Exceeds €115M
- What: Capagro, a European AgTech and FoodTech fund, raised over €115M to invest in startups.
- Purpose: To support innovative, sustainable agriculture and food production solutions.
EarthOptics Raises $24M
- What: Soil intelligence platform EarthOptics secured $24M from investors like Conti Ventures and Bayer.
- Purpose: To advance soil health technology, expand globally, and enhance agronomic insights.
Plantible Foods Secures $30M
- What: Plant-based protein startup Plantible Foods raised $30M in Series B funding.
- Purpose: To scale production of Rubi Protein, offering allergen-friendly and sustainable alternatives.
TRACT Bags $11.2M
- What: TRACT, a SaaS platform for agricultural supply chains, raised $11.2M.
- Purpose: To streamline sustainability data management and harmonize metrics.
BiocSol Raises €5.2M for Biopesticides
- What: Sustainable crop protection startup BiocSol raised €5.2M.
- Purpose: To develop microbial biopesticides and combat crop pathogens.
Cascadia Seaweed Secures CAD$4M
- What: Cascadia Seaweed raised CAD$4M to expand its seaweed-based agricultural solutions.
- Purpose: To build a seaweed biorefinery and promote regenerative agriculture.
Strategic Partnerships
BW Fusion, Biodyne, and Agronomy 365 Merge
- What: The three organizations merged under the BW Fusion brand to create an integrated agricultural platform.
- Purpose: To deliver sustainable biological solutions and improve soil health.
Almanac Acquires Gro Intelligence
- What: Almanac acquired Gro Intelligence’s intellectual property and assets.
- Purpose: To bolster AI-driven insights in agricultural insurance, lending, and trading.
genXtraits Partners with Pairwise
- What: The partnership leverages Fulcrum™ for advanced gene editing.
- Purpose: To develop crops with drought tolerance, stress resistance, and enhanced nutrition.
Orbia Netafim & Bayer Collaboration
- What: Expanded collaboration includes HortiView and GrowSphere™ platforms.
- Purpose: To optimize irrigation, fertigation, and crop protection.
FreezeM and Agroloop Hungary Collaboration
- What: Introduced a decoupled insect farming model.
- Purpose: To streamline insect-based protein production using Black Soldier Fly technology.
AgTech Innovations
PTx Trimble Launches WM-FieldForm
- What: Introduced a water management system for landforming.
- Purpose: To improve irrigation efficiency and increase yields by up to 30%.
Corteva’s Hybrid Wheat Technology
- What: Launched non-GMO hybrid wheat for higher yields and drought resistance.
- Purpose: To enhance global wheat production sustainability.
Growy Opens Vertical Farm in Singapore
- What: Opened an 8,000m² vertical farm supplying fresh greens.
- Purpose: To support Singapore’s food resilience strategy.
Verdi Launches Affordable Soil Moisture Kit
- What: Introduced a low-cost soil moisture monitoring kit.
- Purpose: To empower farmers with real-time data for precision irrigation.
Global Highlights
- Gates Foundation and UAE Partnership: Bill Gates reviewed a $200M agricultural innovation initiative during a visit to the UAE.
- ISA Report: The International Society of Automation emphasized control system technologies for precision agriculture.
- Deloitte Report: Deloitte projects a 40% rise in food demand by 2070, urging sustainability and innovation in food systems.
- Deere & Company: Reported a 47% drop in Q4 net income due to lower shipment volumes.
- Bayer’s Project Enhanced S3: Bayer launched a program to help companies quantify sustainability benefits from regenerative agriculture.
- ofi Sustainability Report: Highlighted progress toward regenerative farming practices and AI-powered beehive projects.
- Lavie Bio’s LAV321: Developed a bio-fungicide with 70% efficacy against crop diseases.
Upcoming Events
- World Agri-Tech Middle East 2024 | Dubai
- Indoor Ag Con | March 11–12, 2025 | Las Vegas, USA
- World Agri-Tech San Francisco 2025
Discover other upcoming events in the AgTech industry.
