AgFunderNews reports on the evolution of the global food and agriculture system. By going beyond the headlines, we analyze the people, companies and technologies aiming to improve human and planetary health. Publishing daily, our team of award-winning journalists delivers deeper insight on the growing foodtech, agtech and climate tech industries. A multimedia publication, AgFunderNews is a division of AgFunder, one of the world’s most active agrifoodtech venture capital firms.
Apeel's next chapter, GLP-1s and the "end of the calorie economy," infant formula 2.0, "illuminated fermentation," ag robotics' golden age, AI & food waste
Express interest in investing in Fund V. AgFunder is a top 100 VC, according to TIME and Statista. Is your business ready for AI analytics? Find out more here.
A high-profile startup making plant-based coatings to extend the shelf-life of fresh produce, Apeel was “an American success story until MAHA influencers sank it,” according to a recent headline in The Free Press. A brief look at the timeline suggests things are a little more complicated. However, three years spent battling social media posts describing its wares as “literal poison” took a heavy toll on Apeel, says cofounder James Rogers. Elsewhere, is insect ag dead? No, says Larry Kotch at FlyBox. But the model needs a rethink. Plus:
Have a fantastic week! Louisa, Jenn, and Elaine P.S. if you're a corporate or investor in the Bay Area on June 23, come to AgFunder's portfolio matchmaking event! No panels, no pitches to a room, no wasted time — just direct, substantive, 1:1 conversations with founders who are actively looking for what you can offer. More details and sign up here. And a big thanks to this week's sponsor: Apeel founder on MAHA, misinformation, layoffs, and a second act in post-harvest tech Facts that don’t fit pre-conceived narratives are discarded and conspiracy theories abound, says James Rogers. Elaine Watson FlyBox founder: Insect farming can work in Europe, but not as a VC-backed protein play FlyBox's Fortress tech is designed to tackle two of the biggest headaches that have dogged first-gen insect farms: climate control and capex. Elaine Watson Food brands prepare to follow GLP-1 users on and off the drugs “What we are seeing here is the end of the calorie economy." Rich Bellis Nestlé taps Helaina to explore bioactive proteins in infant nutrition Human lactoferrin—which is structurally different to the bovine version—is regarded as a premium option, claims Helaina. Elaine Watson Reservoir’s Danny Bernstein says we’re ‘entering the golden age of robotics’ in agriculture Tomorrow's ag robots will need to multitask, says Bernstein. Jennifer Marston India’s Tractor Junction shares upside with staff after 62% revenue jump -AgFunder portfolio co! The firm—which helps farmers research, buy, sell, finance, and insure tractors and other vehicles—aims to double revenues this year. Elaine Watson ‘Please reverse this decision!’ DJI users urge FCC to rethink foreign drone ban US farmers support US-made drones but want a managed transition, not a hard stop, DJI users tell the FCC in a flood of public comments. Elaine Watson Gerber-Rauth exits dairy commodities to double down on ‘future of dairy’ Unlike a traditional fund, says Christian Pichler, Gerber-Rauth does not face the same pressure to deploy capital or force exits. Elaine Watson AI is high on the list of focus areas for the next installment of the program, which begins in August. Jennifer Marston What investors should know before backing AI tools for food waste management: report “AI is very much in the zeitgeist right now. However, there is often a disconnect between what is working and what is hype,” says ReFED. Jennifer Marston Could light and sugar boost yields? Elaine Watson AgriFood Signals: $30m for meatpacking tech, Rabobank sells Foodbytes, job cuts at Aleph Farms Plus: Apoha emerges from stealth with $36 million. Jennifer Marston Explore the science behind what's next in food IFT FIRST brings together the entire food ecosystem from farm to fork, research lab to retail shelf. As the leading food science and innovation expo, IFT FIRST offers solutions across sustainability, food safety, ingredient innovation, supply chain optimization, and more. Find out more and register here. Amyris CEO on the post-bankruptcy re-boot: ‘We’re a drastically different company’ Two years after emerging from bankruptcy, Amyris is not yet profitable, but has slashed its burn rate, says CEO Kathy Fortmann. Elaine Watson Exclusive: Waste methane to fertilizer startup Windfall Bio auctions off assets Silicon Valley Disposition lists an auction featuring “extremely high-end R&D instruments, bioreactor systems, and lab equipment." Elaine Watson Can plant cell culture escape the biopharma cost trap? Rheaplant nets new funds “When we talk to potential clients in the botanicals space, some of them are distraught,” says Derek Scholin. “They say things like: ‘One year we didn't have a product.’” Elaine Watson
Methane-busting seaweed firm quits NZ - Featuring CH4 Global! Farmers Weekly
Is Big Food in trouble? Five existential threats Food Politics Farm bankruptcies climb to highest level in more than 6 years Ag Daily How Unilever is using AI to stay visible in a new era of food discovery Food Ingredients First Protein boom drives ‘gravity-defying’ rally in whey prices Financial Times
NEW! 2026 Global AgriFoodTech Investment Report 2025 Developing Markets AgriFoodTech Investment Report 2025 Global AgriFoodTech Investment Report 10 years in agrifoodtech: an 83-page e-zine Climate Capital: Financing Adaptation Pathways for Smallholder Farmers Tepbac (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) Field investigator, operations Varaha (Bhattiprolu, India) Eratani (Jakarta, Indonesia) Klim (Berlin, Germany) Future Fields (Edmonton, Canada) Intelligent Growth Solutions (Invergowrie, Scotland) 3Bee (Milan, Italy) Customer success manager, South Africa Aerobotics (Nelspruit/hybrid) ♥️ our newsletter? Forward to a friend or subscribe here |
AgFunderNews
AgFunderNews reports on the evolution of the global food and agriculture system. By going beyond the headlines, we analyze the people, companies and technologies aiming to improve human and planetary health. Publishing daily, our team of award-winning journalists delivers deeper insight on the growing foodtech, agtech and climate tech industries. A multimedia publication, AgFunderNews is a division of AgFunder, one of the world’s most active agrifoodtech venture capital firms.
Express interest in investing in Fund V. AgFunder is a top 100 VC, according to TIME and Statista. Is your business ready for AI analytics? Find out more here. Two years after emerging from bankruptcy, biomanufacturing specialist Amyris is not yet profitable, but is a “drastically different company," says CEO Kathy Fortmann. Elsewhere, California-based Windfall Bio—a startup with tech to convert waste methane from farms and landfill sites into organic fertilizer—has ceased operations and is...
Express interest in investing in Fund V. AgFunder is a top 100 VC, according to TIME and Statista. Is your business ready for AI analytics? Find out more here. This week: From MAHA’s glyphosate tug-of-war with Trump to patent cliffs to rising fertilizer costs, the cracks in the use of traditional crop inputs are starting to resemble fault lines, says Jenn. And mainstream investors are now paying attention, notably Y Combinator CEO Gary Tan. Elsewhere, could novel lipid-based tech unlock a new...
Express interest in investing in Fund V. AgFunder is a top 100 VC, according to TIME and Statista. Is your business ready for AI analytics? Find out more here. This week: S2G Investments raised a $1bn growth-stage fund and vertical farming company Oishii announced the first close of its $150m Series C round. Elsewhere, Ruby Bio is riding the MAHA wave with an industry first: a suite of clean-label emulsifiers derived from fermentation, with unit economics that can compete at scale with a...