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.
Replacing glyphosate, agtech winners, LinkedIn for farmers, Brazil Potash, blended finance, DJI faces $1.5bn in lost US business, robo kitchens, regen ag in practice
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: With glyphosate in the spotlight at the Supreme Court, Pam Marrone gives us the lowdown on a new generation of bioherbicides she reckons could give RoundUp a run for its money and Dan Blaustein-Rejto explains why the way beyond glyphosate "is not to wish it away; it is to outperform it." Elsewhere, Farmland rental startup Tillable is no more. But CamoAg, the ag sales intelligence platform that emerged from it, is already profitable, says founder Corbett Kull. “It became clear the opportunity wasn’t the marketplace, but the intelligence layer.” Plus:
And finally... with the continued squeeze on global supply of key commodities due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, food security is rapidly moving up the agenda, says Brazil Potash exec Mayo Schmidt, who is raising capital to build a potash mining operation in Brazil. Have a fantastic week! Louisa, Jenn, and Elaine And a big thanks to this week's sponsor: CamoAg builds data layer for ag sales teams, reaches profitability "We last raised money in 2022, and we do not think we will need to raise money again," says Corbett Kull. Elaine Watson The Holy Grail, she says, is a long-lasting, broad-spectrum bioherbicide with pre- and post-emergent activity vs resistant weeds. Elaine Watson Guest article: The future of glyphosate may rest with innovators, not lawyers "The way beyond glyphosate is not to wish it away. It is to outperform it." By guest contributor Dan Blaustein-Rejto Brazil Potash bets on local supply as Iran war roils fertilizer markets Brazil accounts for 22% of global demand for potash but is reliant on imports for a whopping 98% of its needs. Elaine Watson What makes a winning bet in agtech? PitchBook crunches the numbers Key failures in the sector have been less about technology than financing mismatches and broken unit economics, claims Pitchbook. Elaine Watson 5 key investor lessons on blended capital for agrifood A new report from FAO Investment Centre lays out the "dos and dont's" of working with blended finance for sustainable development. Jennifer Marston DJI: FCC action could wipe out $1.5bn in US drone sales in 2026 The FCC's ruling has "staggering" consequences, claims DJI. Elaine Watson Fermeate raises $2m to deliver “step change” in precision fermentation economics with optogenetics Fermeate uses optogenetics—precise control of gene expression with light—to turbocharge productivity in bioreactors, with minimal capex. Elaine Watson Financial aptitude and ecological outcomes have to work hand in hand, says cofounder Brandon Welch. Jennifer Marston Good Farmer Award winner Rachel Kulchin discusses her regenerative journey from a backyard garden plot to Blue Heron Farm. Jennifer Marston AgriFood Signals: US farm bill passes, Halter goes off-grid, Earlybird closes deeptech fund Plus: Food giants sued over "addictive" ultra-processed foods. Jennifer Marston Appetronix acquires salad assembly robotics co Cibotica "We figured we could do things exponentially better and faster if we combined resources," says Appetronix founder Nipun Sharma. Elaine Watson A Brussels moat: Can European regulation work for founders? Could Europe’s instinct for regulatory overreach, perversely, create opportunity for tech startups? Michael Dean Get Good with AI > human-led masterclasses and 6-week cohorts “Like a huge career accelerator.” Ben, Cien and Henry - our friends at Good with AI - are inviting the AgFunder community to join their free masterclasses on Claude, Copilot, Gemini, AI for startups, finance, and charities. Or go deeper with their full training course: AgFunderNews readers get £50 off Cohort 12 (May 5) and Cohort 13 (May 13) with code AGFUNDER. 👉 Learn more about upcoming Good with AI masterclasses and cohorts. What’s next for carbon markets? Maturity signals or ‘medieval indulgences’ On the heels of Microsoft's decision to pause carbon removal purchases, the industry weighs in on the sector's future. Jennifer Marston "We've expanded EPG capacity to the point where we're going to go out and look for commercial partners," says Peter Rahal. Elaine Watson Funding dip for alt protein fermentation signals shift from promise to proof Some say biomanufacturing only makes economic sense for high-value ingredients. Enabling tech could change the game, says the GFI. Elaine Watson
Climate change is already showing up in the cost of living Bloomberg A synthetic biology pioneer has left us: Remembering J. Craig Venter SynBioBeta The Enshittification of Big Food The Future Market substack The supply chain shock crop protection can't outrun Matt Crisp, LinkedIn Biologicals regulations: The widening global rift Agribusiness Global The Future Market substack Nestlé sells Blue Bottle Coffee to Centurium Capital Food Dive Council adopts regulation on new genomic techniques Science Business
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 Atinary Technologies (Epalinges, Switzerland) Senior technical product manager Klim (Berlin, Germany) Phagos (Suresnes, France) Resurrect Bio (London, UK) Leader candidate, production development department IntegriCulture (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) Varaha (Hyderabad, India) ♥️ 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. In a space where drawn-out IP battles can derail fundraising and spook potential partners, the legal spat between Onego Bio and The EVERY Co is attracting intense interest. This week, EVERY won the first round, but Onego Bio says the fight is only just beginning. Elsewhere, investment is starting to follow deeptech startups into...
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. In a space where drawn-out IP battles can derail fundraising and spook potential partners, the legal spat between Onego Bio and The EVERY Co is attracting intense interest. This week, EVERY won the first round, but Onego Bio says the fight is only just beginning. Elsewhere, investment is starting to follow deeptech startups into...
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: With glyphosate in the spotlight at the Supreme Court, Pam Marrone unpacks a new generation of bioherbicides she reckons could give RoundUp a run for its money and Dan Blaustein-Rejto explains why the way beyond glyphosate "is not to wish it away; it is to outperform it." Elsewhere, Farmland rental startup Tillable is no...