Israeli precision irrigation startup Saturas Ltd. has completed an investment round of US$4 million. Investors in the round are Hubei Forbon Technology Co. Ltd.; Ramat Magshimim, a collective farm in Israel; and Miguel Torres Winery SA. Also participating were existing investors Gefen Capital, Trendlines, the Israel Farmers’ Union, and Shlomo Nechama. Saturas is developing an […]
Biological alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides continue attracting the interest of investors, with the latest announcement being the €4M Series A funding round raised by Micropep Technologies, led by Paris-based Sofinnova Partners. Other participants in the round include IRDInov and Toulouse Tech Transfer. Micropep will use the investment to strengthen its technology platform, further its R&D programs to […]
Fresh on the heels of the release of its new CRISPR enzyme, gene-editing company Inscripta has announced the close of a $55.5 million Series C funding round. The round was led by Mérieux Développement and Paladin Capital Group, and included all existing Inscripta investors – Venrock, Foresite, MLS Capital, and NanoDimension. Inscripta will use the funding to […]
Led by Singapore’s state-owned investment company Temasek, animal dairy producer Perfect Day has raised US$24.7 million in funding and received its first patent for the use of animal-free dairy proteins in food applications. The amount sets a new high for the foodtech sector, with Hong Kong-based Horizons Ventures, Continental Grain, Iconiq Capital, Lion Ventures, and Verus International […]
Syngenta has added to its toolbox of farm management solutions with the acquisition of FarmShots, Inc., a North Carolina-based innovator of high-resolution satellite imagery that detects plant health by analyzing absorbed light from field images. Syngenta plans to fully integrate FarmShots’ technology into its AgriEdge Excelsior whole-farm management system in the U.S., followed by a global […]
Biological crop nutrition products company Agrinos has announced the completion of a $15 million private placement of new shares with the support of long-term investors Manor Investment, Havfonn AS, and EuroChem Group AG. The net proceeds from the equity investment will be used to support the company’s growth strategy, as well as research and development for […]
TechAccel LLC has announced an investment in St. Louis-based biotechnology startup Plastomics Inc. to fund a scientific research initiative to accelerate the development of Plastomics’ technology. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. Founded in 2016, Plastomics uses chloroplast genetic engineering as a quick, efficient, and more predictable way to introduce multiple genetic traits into important crops. Chloroplasts are […]
AquaBounty Technologies announced it has issued an underwritten public offering with the goal of raising $12 million. Founded in Maynard, Massachusetts, about 20 years ago, and with a second location in Fortune, Prince Edward Island, AquaBounty is a biotechnology company that aims to raise sustainability in the aquaculture industry, and more specifically, in farming systems for […]
Expanding into the tech arena, Cargill announced that it is partnering with water and hygiene tech company Ecolab and venture-capital network and facilitator Techstars to launch the Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator in Minneapolis in 2018. Recognizing the vital role that technology will play in the creation of a safer, more sustainable food supply chain, […]
Kurt Kelty, the former director of battery technology for Tesla, has joined vertical farming startup Plenty Inc. as the senior vice president of operations and market development. After being with Tesla since 2006, it was announced at the beginning of August that Kelty was leaving the company just as Tesla released its first issue of Model […]
