The India-focused, $23 million, early-stage investment fund, Unitus Seed Fund, has led an investment round in one of its existing portfolio companies, VillFarm Agrisolutions Pvt Ltd.

 

Other participants in the US$180,000 early-stage round for the Bangalore-based natural agri-inputs company include Zurich-based Rianta Capital, Sify founder and angel investor, R Ramaraj, and a group of non-resident angel and impact investors represented by Sunil Edwards.

 

VillFarm, which is building a product line of natural agricultural inputs that will increase crop yields without causing harm to the soil, the environment, or the farmer, has entered into a strategic partnership with Carborundum Universal, a subsidiary of the Murugappa Group, to market PUSA Hydrogel, a polymer-based hydrogel that stores water and releases it into the soil over a period of time.

 

 “There is a large potential to disrupt the agricultural sector by providing superior quality inputs that result in improved yields as well as farming sustainability,” said Dave Richards, managing partner at Unitus Seed Fund. “We believe that VillFarm is well-poised to develop a market leadership position in this growing segment.”

 

VillFarm Agrisolutions, formerly known as Villgro Innovation Marketing, plans to use the fund gained from the round to expand the reach of its distribution across South India.