February 24, 2021

By Lynda Kiernan, Global AgInvesting Media

The last time GAI shared news from Anuvia, it was when TPG ART led a $23 million funding round for the company in November 2016.

Now, TPG ART returns with Pontifax Global Food and Agriculture Technology Fund (Pontifax AgTech) to co-lead a sizable $103 million Series C for Anuvia Plant Nutrients – the developer of a novel and highly effective nutrient delivery technology. Also participating in the round were Generate and Piva Capital. 

Florida-based Anuvia Plant Nutrients develops and manufactures highly efficient, multi-nutrient, slow-release fertilizer products using a unique technology that optimizes nutrient availability and efficiency for plants, improves soil health, preserves natural resources, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Using organic materials as a base and employing a patented system with a natural binding mechanism, Anuvia creates homogenous products without the use of artificial polymers or coatings. This method allows the company to create products that increase crop yields and improve soil health while also addressing social, environmental, and economic sustainability issues.

This ability not only identifies with consumers’ demand for greater sustainability throughout their food supply chains, but also helps farmers be more competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

“With the world’s population expected to hit 10 billion by 2050, we need technology-enabled, large-scale agriculture to meet this growing demand,” said Dr. Geoff Duyk, founder and managing partner, Circularis and Anuvia board member. “Anuvia’s technology will help farms continue to feed the world, while also advancing the circular economy, increasing sustainability, and enhancing resource efficiency.”

Anuvia’s SymTRX™ product is already in active use on U.S. farms, with expectations that use will expand to cover 20 million acres by 2025. And in September 2020 the company signed a commercial agreement with The Mosaic Company to exclusively license its SymTRX10S product in the U.S. under the brand Susterra™ by Mosaic.

The effectiveness of Anuvia’s technology has been documented by Environmental Resources Management (ERM), a top global environmental consulting firm, that has verified that Anuvia’s bio-based SymTRX technology reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the production of corn, rice, and cotton by as much as 32 percent, compared to conventional fertilizers. 

“By achieving meaningful and immediate reductions in greenhouse gases in crop production, Anuvia is helping to bring Scope 3 sustainability targets into focus,” said Amy Yoder, CEO, Anuvia. “The immediate ROI for farmers is driving fast adoption of our technology, accelerating the benefits to the entire food value chain.”

With the capital gained through this round, Anuvia plans to continue to increase its production capacity and expand the commercialization of its technology to keep pace with an agricultural industry that continues to transition toward more sustainable and profitable production methods and practices.

“As consumers and mainstream retailers increase demand for sustainability across the supply chain, Anuvia’s technology is helping farms compete in the changing landscape,” said Ben Belldegrun, co-founder and managing partner, Pontifax AgTech. “We are pleased to continue our investment relationship with Anuvia and look forward to being part of its evolution and growth.”

– Lynda Kiernan is editor with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, and HighQuest Group’s Oilseed & Grain News. She is also a contributor to the GAI Gazette. She can be reached at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.com.