Boulder, Colorado-based Mad Capital has advanced its mission to scale regenerative agriculture in the U.S. and support farmers stewarding the land. In a resounding vote of confidence for sustainable farming, Mad Capital has closed its Perennial Fund II at an oversubscribed $78.4 million, more than tripling its reported early $25 million target and representing a sevenfold increase over Fund I. This capital infusion catapults the firm’s assets under management to $100 million, signaling a maturing appetite among impact investors for regenerative agriculture as well as ventures that blend profitability with environmental sustainability.
The fund delivers flexible, senior secured loans for working capital, real estate, infrastructure and equipment, empowering U.S. farmers to adopt regenerative organic methods that strengthen soil health, sequester carbon and buoy long-term yields while navigating the uncertainty of certification transitions.
Brandon Welch, Mad Capital’s co-founder, commented on LinkedIn, “$78mm is being directed to regenerate our food system. Holy cow.” He further told GAI News: “U.S. farmers are going through a tough period with low crop prices and high interest rates. Many are thinking of alternative approaches to their operation, so naturally, they are exploring new markets and soil health to improve their bottom line. Transitioning acres to organic row crop production or regenerative ranching has potent upside, but it takes financial resources and time to cross the chasm. That’s where Mad Capital can step in to provide loans that help operators bridge the J-curve until they increase their margins.”
The journey to this close kicked off in 2020 when Welch and co-founder Philip Taylor, Ph.D., set out on a 10,000-mile odyssey across more than a dozen U.S. states, immersing themselves in the challenges faced by farmers and ranchers eyeing a shift to regenerative practices. What began as a spark, assembling a cadre of “missionary investors” for Fund I, has evolved into a full blaze. Now Mad Capital has won over an entire investor network that is prepared to ride that farmer financing momentum and gain scale.
“We’re working towards our goal of financing 5,000,000 acres of farmland. It may take a bit longer than we think, or we might get lucky along the way and get there early. Daily progress will get us there,” stated Welch.
Launched in 2023, Fund II quickly upsized twice, drawing commitments from over 100 backers, including high-profile names like Builders Vision, The Rockefeller Foundation, The Schmidt Family Foundation, Social Finance, Innovaciones Alumbra, the New Mexico Finance Authority, Bedari Collective and the McConnell Foundation. In addition to injecting capital, this diverse coalition is betting on Mad Capital’s proven model of tailored transition finance for farmers.
Fellow Mad Capital Co-Founder Phil Taylor stated, “This is a bold reimagination of financing in nature’s image, empowering farmers to create farm ecosystems that are good for the Earth and good for humanity.”
Investors are drawn to the fund’s holistic edge: beyond loans, Mad Capital offers technical assistance, market access and community support, offsetting risk in a market segment often overlooked by traditional lenders stalled on conventional ag. In Missouri, Wildwood Farm has used Mad Capital financing to create local jobs and decentralize food systems; Minnesota’s Andrew Barsness expanded his organic footprint by 482 acres, embracing holistic regeneration; and Russell Kremer is crafting scalable blueprints for regenerative pork production in Missouri.
Large-scale industrial farming ranks among the top contributors to global warming, land erosion and shrinking wildlife diversity. Farmers practicing regenerative organic methods collaborate with ecosystems to reverse the damage, fostering durable agricultural landscapes and more nutritious supply chains.
Mad Capital’s second private credit vehicle is prepared to equip these growers with flexible financing options that span a wide range of requirements, from bridging the initial shift to regenerative models, to funding soil restoration efforts, expanding market reach, and branching into new business ventures.
Mad Capital has teamed up with producers nationwide to deliver tailored, mission-driven lending approaches. With Fund II, the company plans to broaden its assistance to self-reliant growers and livestock operators embracing organic and regenerative techniques, granting them critical funding that can otherwise be difficult to access. To date, they’ve collaborated with 17 farmers and ranchers overseeing more than 126,260 acres, thus far channeling over $25 million in loans through Fund II.
Sara Balawajder, Director of Investments at Builders Vision, shared in a Medium post, “Mad Capital is playing an integral role in the transition to regenerative organic agriculture. Through their innovative and holistic approach, they are providing capital to farmers who have been overlooked and underserved by traditional capital markets, while their broader platform also offers technical assistance, market access, and a sense of community. We’re excited about Perennial Fund II and its potential to de-risk this space and open up capital market access more widely to farmers looking to transition their practices.”
With Fund II, Mad Capital edges closer to its 2032 vision: financing 5 million acres of farmland to create a resilient, regenerative food system. As investor interest surges, this fund close is a blueprint for how capital can help nourish the earth.
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