May 22, 2015

By Sarah Day Levesque

Michael Raymont

CEO, Verdex Capital

Agtech may be considered the only solution to a potential global crisis in food delivery, according to Michael Raymont, CEO of Verdex Capital, a new brand launched by Canada’s AVAC Ltd., that focuses on agtech investments.

In a recent interview with Global AgInvesting News, Raymont explained that the pressure on finite arable land and water resources caused by increasing global population and changes in dietary preferences, as well as long-term food price increases, are driving a global food crisis. The only solution, he suggests, is “higher yields and less waste, and this is really what agtech is all about.”

He goes on to describe several areas of agtech that he sees as the biggest investment opportunities both in terms of solutions and returns, including biological control agents, seed technology – particularly gene editing, health, nutritious food and feed, informatics and big data, mobile farming systems, and animal disease diagnostics and treatment and feed efficiency use.

Listen to the entire interview and find out why Raymont is so excited about these areas and hear his thoughts on the following topics:

·      How the agricultural investment opportunity in Canadian differs from other regions

·      What impact the recent increased focus on agtech will have on investment in the space

·      Examples of success stories in the agtech sector

·      The potential for increased public offerings of agtech businesses

·      His advice for agtech entrepreneurs

·      How he came to focus on agtech in his own career

With a team experienced in both agriculture and venture capital, Verdex Capital invests in innovative agtech businesses that demonstrate the ability to address large commercial market needs with proprietary data. It has partnered with Finistere Ventures, a leading U.S. agtech investor, to help manage Finistere FVII Fund in Canada.

Listen to an excerpt of the interview here.

Listen to the entire interview here.