April 24, 2024

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

VitalFluid, a leader in the production of Plasma Activated Water (PAW) applications, announced it has raised €5 million in Seed funding from Future Food Fund, Graduate Entrepreneur, Horticoop, and Innovation Industries to accelerate its market introduction strategy. 

“We have been following VitalFluid for seven years and decided now is the right time to invest,” added Jeroen Kimmels, managing partner, Future Food Fund. “VitalFluid has proven to be the first company able to transfer PAW from an experimental environment to large-scale commercial applications. It fits perfectly in our portfolio of food and agri companies with an ambition to have a significant impact on climate change.”

Spun off from Eindhoven University, VitalFluids leverages its strong foundation in plasma technology research to unlock the potential of PAW for sustainable agriculture by providing alternatives for traditional fertilizers. 

Just like the evidence of rising atmospheric CO2 levels first reported in the 1950s, there is now increasing evidence that synthetic nitrogen is correlated to the degradation of farm soils. And as food demand increases, so does the use of synthetic nitrogen, degrading more soils and intensifying the threat to our global food system – creating a negative feedback loop. 

Crops utilize only about half of the synthetic nitrogen applied to fields, and a portion is emitted as nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide and other nitrogen gasses. This has resulted in nitrogen becoming the top source of crop-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Likewise, as a means of securing global food security, chemical pesticides have become endemic to agricultural production, but at the same time, pose a threat to human and ecological health. And as awareness continues to grow, so does the understanding that the need for sustainable alternatives is an urgent one – and the answer just might be in the air.

During a thunderstorm, VitalFluids explained that lightning causes the natural transformation of water into Plasma Activated Water (PAW). By harnessing the process, the company is able to produce what it calls ‘lightning in a box’, resulting in a natural and sustainable alternative to the pesticides currently being used.

“We firmly believe in VitalFluid’s pivotal role in expediting the imperative shift towards secure and eco-friendly vegetable cultivation,” said Auke van den Hout, managing partner, Graduate Entrepreneur Fund. “We are excited to support the team as they continue on this promising journey.”

A broad range of scientific and commercial cultivation trials conducted with greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals, and in orchards has demonstrated the safety, effectiveness, and scalability of VitalFluid’s technology and its ability to safeguard vegetable cultivation without harmful effects. 

The platform developed by the company can be seamlessly integrated into existing greenhouse and orchard infrastructure, enabling farmers to produce VitalFluid PAW on-site. VitalFluid stated that there are multiple plasma systems currently running 24/7 in greenhouses around the world, supporting leading growers including Azura, the largest fresh tomato grower; Spain’s BioSabor, Europe’s largest organic tomato grower; and PortaNova, the biggest leafy greens grower in the U.S., among several other vegetable growers in the Netherlands. 

“On behalf of some 300 horticultural businesses, Horticoop invests actively in companies that are making a positive contribution to the future of the horticultural industry, and VitalFluid’s innovation dovetails seamlessly with that aim,” said Wilco Schoonderbeek, investments director, Horticoop.

“Thanks to the innovative technology of VitalFluid, growers will have access to more environmentally-friendly fertilizers and crop protection products, so we are delighted to add this company to our portfolio.”

With this funding committed by Future Food Fund, Graduate Entrepreneur Fund, Horticoop and Innovation Industries, in combination with incumbent investors VDL Group and BOM, VitalFluid intends to shift into its next phase of growth by expanding its greenhouse PAW program, optimizing its plasma systems for plant health applications, and accelerating its commercial activity. 

“VitalFluid’s plasma solution is unique in its applicability across a large variety of crops and its robust and predictable performance,” said Vincent Kamphorst, investment director, Innovation Industries. “We are thrilled to support VitalFluid in the upcoming commercial phase and to tackle the ever-increasing challenge of supplying the growing world population with sufficient, sustainably-sourced food.”

Erik Hertel, CEO of VitalFluid, added, “We are proud to team up with these strong investors that recognize the potential of plasma technology in agriculture. Their long-term vision, extensive knowledge in both deep tech and agriculture and strong network perfectly fit our ambition to make PAW a game changer in food production.”

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and Agtech Intel News. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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