AgZen, a MIT spin-off, has announced a $10 million Series B funding round for its RealCoverage® spraying system, which has seen rapid adoption among farmers. In just one year, usage of this system has increased 15-fold, reaching nearly one million acres in the United States. With commitments for over 2 million acres by 2026, AgZen is partnering with Syngenta to transform the efficiency of crop protection applications, delivering significant savings and better visibility on the impact of applied products.
Source: Agropages, published under the title "AgZen secures $10 million Series B to fuel rapid growth afte..." - 16 March 2026
Read more
The Dutch cooperative Horticoop invests in the American start-up 25:2, which specializes in AI-assisted plant breeding. This technology aims to accelerate the development of new varieties, particularly to enhance drought resistance and the nutritional value of crops. The investment is set to support 25:2's expansion in Europe, including the opening of an office in the Netherlands.
Source: Agropages, published under the title "Horticoop invests in 25:2, specialist in AI-driven plant bre..." - 16 March 2026
Read more
The agritech sector continues to see significant investments, according to AgFunderNews, which tracks the major operations of recent weeks. The aquaculture fund Aqua-Spark Africa has completed a first closing of $48 million to support projects in Africa. Agricultural biotech Tropic raised $105 million to develop disease-resistant bananas against TR4. In food distribution, Anchr secured $5.8 million to deploy AI-integrated tools. Finally, Seprify has secured $15.7 million to develop alternatives to titanium dioxide, while Cytotrait and Swedfund are among other notable investments.
Jennifer Marston, Source: Agfundernews, published under the title "AgriFood Signals: First close for Aqua-Spark Africa fund, An..." - 13 March 2026
Read more
American biotech company Living Models has announced a $7 million funding round to develop artificial intelligence models applied to plant genomics. With its BOTANIC platform, the company uses transformer-type models to analyze DNA sequences as a language. The goal is to accelerate the development of new plant varieties, a process that can currently take over a decade. The funds raised will enhance the startup's research capabilities and explore new AI applications in plant breeding.
SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "Living Models Exits Stealth with $7M Seed Round to Map the L..." - 12 March 2026
Read more
Cytotrait, a spin-off from the University of Manchester, has secured $4.03 million in funding to develop its MOSS technology, which enables targeted genetic modifications in chloroplasts and mitochondria. This innovative approach aims to enhance the yield and resilience of key crops while addressing food security and sustainability challenges. New research will focus on crops such as wheat, corn, potatoes, and rapeseed, offering practical benefits for commercial agriculture.
SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "Cytotrait Secures $4M to Advance MOSS Crop Technology" - 10 March 2026
Read more
After a challenging 2025 marked by capital scarcity and strict investor discipline, agrifoodtech enters 2026 amid uncertainty. The sector faces a significant funding gap between Series B and C – the 'valley of death' – hindering startup growth. In this context, AI, agricultural robotics, and biotech could attract the majority of new investments, as funds now seek technologies ready for scaling.
Elaine Watson, Source: Agfundernews, published under the title "Agrifoodtech : l’IA pourrait transformer les retours sur inv..." - 10 March 2026
Read more
The American startup Rainbow Crops has received $7 million from the Gates Foundation to develop heat and drought-resistant varieties of corn, sorghum, and rice. Its Trait Foundryâ„¢ platform combines AI and genomic editing to accelerate the identification of genes suited for extreme climates.
SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "Rainbow Crops Secures $7M Gates Foundation Grant for Climate..." - 9 March 2026
Read more
French startup Elicit Plant has raised $48 million in a Series B funding round led by Carbyne Equity Partners. This funding aims to support its expansion into the U.S. market, particularly in the corn belt, and to develop phytosterol-based solutions that can reduce crop water consumption by up to 20%.
SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "Elicit Plant Secures $48M Series B to Accelerate U.S. Expans..." - 9 March 2026
Read more
The University of California, Davis receives a $25 million donation from Dan G. Best II to enhance its agricultural research capabilities. The funding will notably create three chairs in key areas such as agricultural data analysis and robotics, and support scholarships and projects related to the future Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation dedicated to AI and environmental engineering.
SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "UC Davis Receives $25 Million Bequest for Agricultural Innov..." - 9 March 2026
Read more
The American startup AgriPass has completed a $7.5 million funding round to accelerate the commercial deployment of RHIC, its human-inspired robotic weeding platform. The technology combines computer vision and contextual AI to target weeds at the root while minimizing soil disruption and herbicide use. The funds will be used to prepare for industrial production and expand commercial operations in Europe and the United States.
Source: Agropages, published under the title "AgriPass raises $7.5M seed round to scale human-inspired AI ..." - 9 March 2026
Read more