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.
S2G’s $1bn fund, Ruby Bio’s “world first,” Brightseed’s agentic AI bet, fertilizer in focus at Senate hearing, UV-C ‘bots gain ground, defining regen ag, egg protein IP dispute turns nasty
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 flurry of additives from palm oil or petrochemicals. Plus:
Finally… soaring fertilizer prices are pushing farmers to a “breaking point” but the Iran conflict is only part of the story, witnesses told lawmakers at a hearing of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry committee this week. Have a fantastic week! Louisa, Jenn, and Elaine And a big thanks to this week's sponsor: Ruby Bio aims to launch “world first” fermentation-derived clean label emulsifiers in 2027 “To our knowledge, we are the only fermentation derived emulsifier portfolio platform in the world,” says CTO Pavan Kambam. Elaine Watson US Senate fertilizer hearing: Farmers ‘can’t take much more’ as prices surge Farmers are “being squeezed by prices they cannot control on inputs they cannot do without," said experts called to testify. Elaine Watson Castoro Cellars deploys Saga Robotics’ UV-C bots across 600 organic acres “This is the beginning of a much larger shift for growers across California and beyond," says Castoro cofounder Niels Udsen. Elaine Watson Brightseed layers agentic AI onto Forager bioactives discovery platform with Hummingbird launch - AgFunder portfolio co! "We're bringing the AI out from behind the curtain,” says the CEO. Elaine Watson Resurrect Bio expands Series A to $10.3m to scale tech helping plants to defend themselves - AgFunder portfolio co! Following a joint development agreement with Corteva, Resurrect Bio is seeking to engage more seed companies and breeders as partners. Elaine Watson The Future Food & Agriculture Leadership Program, developed by INSEAD in partnership with Agrohub, is offering a limited number of partial scholarships for startup leaders. Eligible founders and senior executives can receive 30% off the course fee to join this advanced leadership development track. Designed for leaders already operating at scale, the program focuses on: The path to CEO: The strategic mindset required for top-level succession and enterprise leadership. Strategic scaling: Navigating global market dynamics, digital transformation and sustainable growth. Peer networking: Connecting and exchanging ideas with a high-level international cohort. Applications are open until July 31. To learn more, contact program manager Bogdan Popovich at bp@agrohub.org Global frameworks for regenerative agriculture still need local context, says SAI SAI created its Regenerating Together program to make global regenerative agriculture standards adaptable at the local level. Jennifer Marston Heura Foods hits positive EBITDA in Q1: ‘a turning point for the European plant-based sector’ “While the category declined overall in Spain in 2025, we are gaining momentum in the market," says cofounder Bernat Añaños. Elaine Watson EVERY urges court to sanction Onego Bio as alt protein IP fight turns nasty EVERY accuses Onego Bio of abusive litigation tactics; Onego says the evidence contradicts sworn statements by EVERY executives. Elaine Watson Enifer enters petfood market as commercial mycoprotein plant nears launch "Our goal is to establish PEKILO as a widely used ingredient across pet food categories, and ultimately in human nutrition," says Simo Ellilä. Elaine Watson Plus: Cultivated fat co Cultimate Foods files for bankruptcy. Jennifer Marston Guest article: Open-source education is key to helping agriculture overcome its data phobia Data phobia is why most farmers still make decisions based on gut instinct and traditional wisdom, not measurable evidence. By guest contributor Rob Ward TerraBlaster aims for late 2026 launch with real-time NPK soil mapping at tractor speed Right now, TerraBlaster's tech works at 5mph, a speed CEO Jorge Heraud reckons he can double to 10mph “pretty soon.” Elaine Watson "Farmers just want to know when it will pay off, what's the maintenance like, and how it will make or save me money," says CEO Jaisimha Rao. Elaine Watson The carbon removal project developer has begun payments following Verra’s issuance of 3m credits from the grasslands project in Mexico. Jennifer Marston
From seeds to market with the DeHaat app - Featuring DeHaat! The Borgen Project
Non-UPF labels: Useful new tool or cause for confusion? Governments Treat AI and Chips as National Security. Why Not Food Production? Journal of International Affairs Reminder to everyone in agtech– the main problem you are solving is still grower economics How agility and AI could rewire agriculture trading McKinsey Clockspeed, capital, and conviction: considerations for R&D and M&A in agribusiness Upstream Ag Insights ‘The worst time for wheat’: US farmers face losses to extreme heat and drought The Guardian Court of International Trade finds global tariff unlawful Agri-Pulse
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 Senior certification specialist Klim (Berlin, Germany) Faeth Therapeutics (remote/US) Atinary Technologies (Épalinges, Switzerland) Resurrect Bio (London, UK) Human resource business partner Eratani (Jakarta, Indonesia) Varaha (Kurnool, 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. This week: Mancozeb has been the backbone of fungicide resistance management for 60 years, but now it's becoming another crop-protection controversy. Matt Crisp and the team at Ichor Ag explain how a new class of chemistry they've developed could solve both problems at once. Plus: 'Practical autonomy': Leaps By Bayer invests in Sabanto...
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: Despite steady growth over the last year, there's still a whole lotta work to do educating farmers and investors on biological inputs, according to Dr. Pam Marrone at the recent Salinas Biological Summit in California. Elsewhere, agrifood corporates have no lack of ambition around regenerative agriculture. Now they need the...
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: Elaine caught up with ZBiotics founder Zack Abbott on the latest in GM probiotics and Jenn spoke to Stenon as the firm secured $20.5m to measure plant-available nitrogen directly in the field. Elsewhere, farmers, startups, and others weighed in on the good, bad, and "hollow" aspects of the newly signed executive order to...