June 13, 2023

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

Company-building platform and early stage investor in ag and food technologies Radicle Growth, has a history of forging partnerships and launching platforms that create challenges designed to identify and grow startups advancing technologies that drive the evolution of our food systems. 

In 2020 Radicle partnered with Syngenta to announce The Radicle Protein Challenge by Syngenta – an initiative with the goal of identifying two novel protein solutions in which the companies invested $1.25 million. 

Another partnership was announced with Nutrien in May 2022 called The Radicle Inclusion Challenge Presented by Nutrien with the mission to connect with the world’s most innovative food and agtech entrepreneurs who identify as female and/or BIPOC, or belong to a demographic that has historically been underrepresented in agriculture, or entrepreneurs committed to diversity and inclusion as they work to transform the food system. The two winners of this challenge were awarded $250,000 each and were provided access to company-building resources and exposure to industry executives who will serve as catalysts for bringing technologies to market.

A few months later, in August 2022, Radicle Growth announced yet another channel for accelerating the development of early-stage agtech companies – The Radicle Farm, a global farm-access platform to advance new on-farm technologies. 

This cohort-style program identified startups in the position of needing access to trial design, agronomic support, and farms in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Throughout the process, Radicle worked with entrepreneurs and farmers to ensure that the data generated from the trials meets the standards of farmers, institutional investors, and large corporations.

By partnering with farms for two growing seasons, this program had the ability to double the speed at which new technologies and business models could be validated and demonstrated in order to secure further funding and new customers.

That same year saw the launch of The Radicle Carbon & Soil Challenge by UPL – a platform created by Radicle and UPL, a global provider of sustainable agriculture products and solutions, that invested $1.25 million in two disruptive and innovative startups making advances in soil health, digital tools, supply chain tech, biological, plant nutrition, fintech, carbon markets, MRV, new business models, and livestock management. 

Now, Radicle joins with UPL once again to launch The Radicle Natural Plant Protection (NPP) Challenge by UPL. The aim of which is to invest $1.75 million in startups that are advancing natural and biological solutions that protect crops from biotic stresses such as bacteria, fungi, nematodes, insects, arachnids, and weeds.

The companies explained that NPP is a business unit of UPL, offering an extensive portfolio of natural solutions to growers to increase crop resilience, protection, and that improve nutrition and soil health. 

“Feeding our growing population is of utmost importance,” said Kirk Haney, managing partner, Radicle Growth. “We recognize that to transform our agriculture system and advance sustainable solutions in the food value chain, we need to find new technologies that are working on natural and biological control solutions. We are excited to work collaboratively with UPL to find and fund the best entrepreneurs worldwide who are solving these issues.”

A shrinking base of arable farmland, tight supply of traditional agricultural inputs over the past five years, a rapid emergence of regenerative ag practices leading to willingness by farmers to adopt new systems that can result in higher yields while being environmentally safe, and consumer sentiment calling for cleaner supply chains and less agrochemical usage, have increasingly brought the biologicals category onto the radar of conventional global giants and investors, resulting in more significant funding rounds.

Agricultural pests are the root cause of social, economic, and health damage that account for $70 billion in crop losses in the U.S. alone. However, not only are traditional pesticides broadly harmful to beneficial insects alike, but also present significant harm to our environment and human health, while targeted pests continue to become more resistant to our tools at-hand.

The companies explained that over the past decade, this has led to a growing demand for natural solutions as an alternative to synthetic chemistries as modes of protection crops while protecting the environment. 

“Amidst the multitude of challenges facing farmers and food systems, natural solutions are critical to advancing agriculture in a way that delivers prosperity for growers, consumers, and the environment,” said Mike Frank, CEO, UPL Corporation. 

“Guided by our OpenAg purpose, we’re thrilled to be working with Radicle Growth to seek out start-ups that are pioneering the next generation of game-changing solutions. We invite entrepreneurs who share our aspirations to apply and join our journey to Reimagine Sustainability.”

Interested startups can apply to the challenge here. The partners stated that investment decisions will be made during a “Pitch Day” in March 2024 at which time a panel of judges will hear from four-to-six finalists who would be chosen from the global pool of applicants.

In addition to funding, the winners will also be given access to advice from both UPL and Radicle senior executives to help accelerate their business and technical development. 

~ 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, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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