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Conference discusses the role of nature-based solutions in healing the planet
The Global EverGreening Alliance in partnership with the Government of Zambia, AFR100, and AUDA-NEPAD has convened a global conference bringing together global thought leaders and action-takers to deliberate and come up with actionable strategies to tap into the potential of nature to address challenges.
[Kenya] Livestock sector players review investment opportunities, challenges in unique forum
With the demand for livestock products projected to grow by up to 50% by 2030, there’s a clear opportunity for strategic investments to drive growth and innovation in the sector.
Rwandan female researchers selected for food systems policy fellowship
The AWARD Policy Fellowship is cultivating a growing pool of African women in the policy field to catalyze the design and implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies across Africa.
Indian agritech startup Fasal raises $12 million funding to grow its precision farming solution
Fasal's solution has already proven to improve crop yield and reduce operational costs at an affordable price to the individual farmer.
Israeli precision irrigation management startup Treetoscope closes $7m seed round to fuel growth
Treetoscope has closed $7m seed round.
STHL East Africa bets on demand for power tools to grow revenues
German power tools manufacturer, STIHL East Africa, has reported a significant increase in revenue in its first year of operation since upgrading its marketing office to a fully-fledged sales subsidiary.
Indigo Ag accelerates sustainability programs for farmers with $250m fundraise
Indigo Ag has raised $250m to drive innovation and sustainability.
50 African women to benefit from fellowship on agri food policies
The two-year career development program aims to grow a pool of confident and capable mid-career African women to lead policy changes to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods, particularly women.
Ugandan Agritech startup Emata raises $2.4m seed funding
Ugandan agritech startup Emata has raised $2.4 million in seed funding.
SatSure partners with Rabo Partnerships to revolutionize cash flow-based lending for smallholder farmers
SatSure announced partnership with Rabo.
Freiburg-based constellr secures new funding to springboard US expansion
constellr has secured further investment to extend its seed round to a total of €17m.
Kenyan households bet on food MSEs for affordable meals
An estimated 60 per cent of rural and urban Kenyan households access their daily meals from micro/small enterprises (MSEs) at local markets.
Belgian agritech startup Aphea.bio raises €70m to accelerate growth
Aphea.Bio, a Belgium-based agricultural technology company, announced the closing of its Series C funding round.
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk acquires KwikBasket, expands into fresh produce market
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk, is expanding into the African fresh produce market.
Aigen unveils world's first AI-driven, solar-powered, agricultural robotics platform
Agritech startup Aigen, unveiled an autonomous, scalable robotics platform.
SK networks invests $2m in AI farming Dutch startup Source.ag
SK networks announced it will invest $2m Series A funding round of $27 million for Source.ag.
[Column] Nixon Gecheo: Agtech, a pivotal force driving climate change action in agriculture
The agricultural sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
Pluton Biosciences raises $16.5m Series A funding to fight climate change
Pluton Biosciences announced the close of a $16.5 million Series A funding round.
Ugandan women entrepreneurs grow businesses with group saving accounts
For women and youth involved in fish trade at lakes Albert and Victoria in Uganda, having little to no savings is a thing of the past.
Absa acquires minority stake in South African agritech startup Khula!
Absa Bank has acquired a minority stake in South African agritech startup, Khula!
UK biotech startup Resurrect Bio completes seed investment round to develop disease resistant crops
Resurrect Bio, a biotechnology startup which is on a mission to revolutionize the agricultural industry by giving crops the genetic tools to defend themselves against disease, has completed its seed investment round, totaling at £1.61 million.
Start-Up Nation Central collaborates with Microsoft to promote Israeli agri-food tech startups
Start-Up Nation Central has collaborated with Microsoft to promote Israeli agri-food tech startups in the international marketplace.
STIHL EA to invest Sh100 million to boost local manufacturing
Power tools manufacturer STIHL East Africa has announced it will invest Sh100 million in local accessories manufacturing every year as it seeks to localise its product development in the region.
Mobile app points Ugandan stakeholders to reliable fisheries data
Trained data collectors consult with fishers to update the easy-to-use app with data such as fish catch quantity, type of fishing nets and boats used, and how much money the fishers expect to earn.
The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council appoints Elgon Kenya MD for advisory role
The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, CWEIC, has selected agro input company Elgon Kenya as its strategic partner and appointed its Managing Director Dr. Bimal Kantaria to its global advisory council.
GRASP fellowship invests in African women researchers
The Kenyan women, and others selected for the GRASP Fellowship, are set to participate in a series of interventions, including leadership and mentoring training, designed to enable them to become more effective policy practitioners
Factor[e] Ventures launches a new venture studio to transform the African startup ecosystem
Delta40 focuses on technology-driven energy, agriculture, and mobility ventures led by diverse, experienced founders.
AI crop analysis platform Inarix raises €3.1m seed funding to help farmers determine quality and value of their crops
Inarix, the AI-powered crop analysis platform, announced a €3.1 million seed round from Ankaa ventures, Label Investment, Newfund, Alliance for impact and Resiliance.
Elgon Kenya partners with Ministry of Agriculture to reward young farmers
Agro input company Elgon Kenya has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education to reward pupils and their teachers for participating in food production in a wider scheme that seeks to motivate school going children into farming.
[Interview] David Galadima, Founder, Graemoh Foods, Nigeria
Passionate about sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and food security in Africa, David Galadima is the Founder of fast growing agriculture and processing company, Graemoh Foods, operating out of the northern state of Kaduna, Nigeria.
Agritech startup IngredientWerks announces successful completion of seed round funding
IngredientWerks, an ag-tech ingredient company developing high value plant-based proteins for the alternative protein markets, announced it has secured its seed round of funding.
22 Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech finalists push to the finish
The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation, kicked off the final phase of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech.
Irish agritech startup Proveye secures €1m seed funding to accelerate growth
Irish agritech startup Proveye, a pioneer in remote sensing image analysis for agriculture, announced the closing of €1 million seed funding round to advance the company’s growth strategy.
Food Foundry accelerator announces fifth cohort of early-stage foodservice startups
Food Foundry, an accelerator program built by Relish Works and Gordon Food Service for early-stage startups disrupting the food and foodservice industry, announced the five startups that will join the fifth cohort starting in January 2023.
Agritech startup EarthOptics secures $27.6m Series B funding to advance data-driven agriculture through actionable soil insights
EarthOptics, a pioneer in soil measurement and insights, announced a $27.6 million round of funding led by Conti Ventures.
Terramera creates enrichAg to commercialize transformative soil analysis platform with $6m from At One Ventures
Terramera announced the formation of its new majority-owned subsidiary, enrichAg, which will focus on commercializing its soil enrichment platform. The seed round is led with a $6 million investment from AOV.
John Deere announces 2023 startup collaborators
Deere & Company has released the names of eight companies chosen for its 2023 Startup Collaborator program.
Nigerian agritech startup Releaf secures $3.3m pre-Series A funding, unveils new technologies to drive profitability for consumer goods manufacturers
Releaf, a Nigerian agritech startup, has raised $3.3 million in an oversubscribed pre-Series A funding round.
Kenya to host sixth edition of continental agriculture expo
Kenya will host the 6th edition of Africa Agri Expo in February 2023 , endorsed by Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development aimed at bringing the entire agricultural value chain under one roof.
Mad Capital closes $4m seed round to finance the regenerative agriculture revolution
Mad Capital, an impact-focused lender that offers equitable, flexible funding for organic and transitioning farmers, announced it has raised a $4 million Seed round, led by Trailhead Capital.
AWARD selects 50 African women for fellowship on improving policy in the agri-food systems
Inspired by the flagship AWARD Fellowship Model, the Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship, aims to grow a pool of confident and capable African women to lead policy changes to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods.
Agroforestry startup Propagate raises $10m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Propagate, a commercial agroforestry platform, has closed a $10 million Series A led by Belgium-based The Nest.
Kenya to host international poultry expo next year
Demand for poultry products is on the rise in Kenya driven by an emerging middle-class created in existing and new urban settlements as a result of devolution.
Kenyan agritech startup Stable Foods raises $600k funding to grow its climate smart smallholder platform
Stable Foods, a Kenyan agritech startup offering a host of solutions to small-scale farmers, has raised $600k funding round, to build out its climate smart smallholder food production platform.
ACRE Africa targets Kenyan farmers with climate smart insurance
Insurance can help cushion smallholder farmers from crop and financial losses that occur as a result of climate change, yet many are reluctant to invest in such schemes. But why?
Cooperative Ventures announces first investment in agritech startup Sabanto to improve sustainability
Cooperative Ventures, a venture capital fund formed by North America's agricultural cooperatives, announced its first investment in Sabanto, a hardware and software company.
Africa to take a common stand at COP 27
Aware of the lack of coordination between policymakers, scientists and negotiators to provide such evidence, the heads of states under the African Union decided in 2009 following COP15 that Africa should have one voice and negotiate as a block
Ghana women livestock owners boost animal health with vaccine project
The project has recruited two female vaccinators to vaccinate animals. These vaccinators are supported by 105 women ‘lead farmers’ or AHSPs, who aid in mobilizing other women and deliver vaccines to group members.
Project points East African women livestock holders to cost effective vaccines
To address these barriers faced by women in East Africa, and generate new evidence on how they can better benefit and participate in these systems, SheVax+ – a regional livestock vaccine initiative – was launched in 2019.
Ugandan agritech startup Inputi receives investment to boost inputs distribution
Ugandan agritech startup Inputi announced it received an investment funding to boost inputs distribution across the country.
Agri startup Yard Stick secures $225 million in USDA Grants for climate-smart agriculture
Yard Stick is commercializing a soil spectroscopy technology originally developed by Dr. Cristine Morgan, now the Chief Scientific Officer at The Soil Health Institute.
FNHIC launches to invest $2.5b in startups improving hunger and health outcomes through food
S2G Ventures, Food Systems for the Future and other partners launched the Food, Nutrition and Health Investor Coalition (FNHIC), a call to action to drive $2.5 billion in private investment.
Ghanaian agritech startup Farmerline raises $1.5m from Dutch investor Oikocredit
Ghanaian agritech startup Farmerline announced the second close of a Pre-Series A investment raise with an additional $1.5 million investment from Dutch social impact investor Oikocredit.
Kenyan agricultural insurtech startup Pula appoints Michael Joseph as Board Chair
Former Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph has been appointed as Board Chair of a Kenyan agricultural insurtech startup Pula.
India's fruits and vegetables platform Sahyadri Farms raises €40m growth capital to support smallholder farmers
India's integrated platform for fruits and vegetables Sahyadri Farms has raised €40 million growth capital from a group of impact-focused investors; Incofin, Korys, FMO and Proparco.
Industrial automation and agritech startup Agtonomy closes seed III funding round
Agtonomy, a cutting-edge software and service agritech startup, announced the successful closing of another round of funding for a total investment of $13.5 million.
Puna Bio startup raises $3.7m seed funding to restore soil health with desert microbes
Puna Bio announced $3.7 million in seed funding that will be used to commercially launch its first soybean seed treatment in Argentina that is cost competitive to existing biological solutions, expand field trials for wheat and corn.
[Startup Interview] Alfiya Kayumova, CEO and co-founder, Green Growth, USA
Green Growth is a US-based agritech startup that runs a software and hardware-based solution consisting of a set of sensors, combined in a single infrastructure.
Canadian startup Vive Crop Protection closes $26m funding round to accelerate its precision chemistry platform
Vive Crop Protection announced the close of $26 million Series C investment round, led by Emmertech with participation from the Cibus funds, and existing investors Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
BASF Venture Capital and Dutch-based Aqua-Spark invest in Sea6 Energy as part of Series B financing round
BASF Venture Capital, the corporate venture company of BASF SE, Germany, and Aqua-Spark, a Dutch investment fund focusing on the global aquaculture industry, are investing in Sea6 Energy as part of a Series B round.
Kenyan agritech startup IProcure secures $10.2m Series B funding to accelerate growth
iProcure, Africa’s tech and data-driven agricultural inputs supply company, announced the close of a $10.2 million Series B funding round that raised debt and equity from a diverse group of international investors.
South African agritech disruptor AgriKool drives down food costs for consumers, increases profits for farmers
AgriKool, a South African e-trading platform, is connecting agricultural producers to buyers to facilitate the sale of products between retailers and farmers.
German manufacturer The Stihl Group enters Kenyan market
The subsidiary dubbed Stihl East Africa will be its Eastern Africa hub servicing countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi among others.
Agritech startup Lumo raises $2.1m to tackle the global water insecurity crisis
Lumo, a new agritech company focused on water sustainability, announced it has raised $2.1 million in pre-seed funding and plans to allocate funds toward commercialization of its irrigation technology.
Uganda entrepreneurs bet on fish project to boost incomes
To help communities reduce their post-harvest losses and access a more reliable supply of processed fish products.
London-based healthtech startup Wondr Medical raises £12m seed round to accelerate global collaboration across the medical community
Digital health startup Wondr Medical, announced it has raised £12 million seed round to accelerate global collaboration across the medical community.
Swiss startup Numarics secures leading position in European fintech with $2.2m funding
Swiss fintech startup Numarics is on its way to becoming the standard for state-of-the-art financial management and accounting for creators and small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe.
The Main Stage partners with RedCrow to build white label fundraising platform
The Main Stage, a software technology company that enables startup founders and entrepreneurs to engage with prospects and investors in an efficient and engaging experience, announced a licensing agreement with RedCrow.
Insurtech startup Spot raises $33m funding to ramp up partnerships, offer affordable coverage for customers
Spot, the tech startup offering on-demand injury insurance, announced it has raised $33 million in funding, including $25 million in equity and $8 million in debt.
Dutch-based LUMO Labs invests in edtech startup Metacampus to empower digital professionals
LUMO Fund II Coöperatieve U.A. and a group of international angel investors are investing €1.5 million in Metacampus, a Barcelona-based training platform built for the virtual economy, to empower digital professionals.
Sustainability data and tech startup ESG Book closes $35m Series B to advance its next-gen technology capabilities
ESG Book, a global player in sustainability data and technology, announced it has closed $35 million in Series B funding to advance its next-generation technology capabilities.
Amsterdam-based employment startup TestGorilla secures $70m Series A to help companies eliminate hiring bias
Amsterdam-based employment startup TestGorilla announced it has secured $70 million Series A to help companies eliminate hiring bias. The round was co-led by Balderton and Atomico.
Medical speech processing startup Cordio Medical raises $18m to accelerate growth
Cordio Medical, a medical speech processing platform, announced its latest successful strategic investment round of $18 million from Ceros Financial Services and Peregrine Ventures.
Real-time compensation platform Pave raises $100m Series C funding, acquires Option Impact
Pave, the real time compensation platform that helps companies plan, communicate and benchmark against the market, announced it has raised $100 million in Series C funding and acquired Advanced-HR from Morgan Stanley.
Indonesian startup Mapan secures $15m Series A funding to enhance financial access and inclusion
Mapan, an Indonesia-based leading startup focused on eliminating barriers to financial access for the masses in the country, announced it has closed a successful Series A round of $15 million.
London-based Screenloop raises $7m for its hiring intelligence platform
Screenloop, the hiring intelligence platform that helps teams hit their recruitment targets faster whilst delivering an enhanced candidate experience, has raised a $7 million seed round.
Rocket VR Health chosen for Newchip's seed-stage global accelerator program
Rocket VR Health was accepted into Newchip's renowned global accelerator program designed to provide all the skills and tools seed-stage founders need to rapidly fund, build and scale their companies.
Breakthrough AI integration platform AI Squared raises $6m seed financing to accelerate growth
AI Squared, the low-code AI integration platform, announced it has raised $6 million Seed financing by global venture capital firm NEA with participation from Ridgeline Partners.
Illumina invests in £30m venture fund to advance breakthroughs in human health
Illumina, a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, announced its participation in Time Boost Capital I LP, a £30 million genomics venture fund dedicated to providing match funding to startups graduating from Illumina Accelerator Cambridge.
Givebutter announces $7m seed funding to empower the changemaker generation
Givebutter, a product-led company that developed the first free operating system for nonprofit fundraising, announced it has completed a seed funding round totaling $7 million.
UK-based BotsAndUs secures $13m seed financing for its warehouse data intelligence platform with autonomous robots
BotsAndUs, a cutting-edge intelligence and robotics company has secured $13 million in seed funding to expand its logistics-disrupting solution globally.
Constructiontech startup ProPlanner raises $2.7m to transform construction scheduling
ProPlanner (formerly Ipsum), a web-based and collaborative construction technology platform, announced it has raised $2.7 million in funding led by global software investor Insight Partners.
Africa-focused VC firm TLcom Capital appoints Eloho Omame as Partner
TLcom, the Africa-focused venture capital firm, has appointed Eloho Omame as a Partner, bolstering its capabilities as it ramps up deployment of TIDE Africa Fund II, its new $150 million pan-African tech fund.
Deeptech startup NEU Battery Materials raises S$800,000 seed funding to produce clean and sustainable lithium batteries
Deeptech startup, NEU Battery Materials has raised a total of S$800,000 in seed funding from Momentum Venture Capital and Se-cure Waste Management.
British Virgin Islands-based SithSwap raises $2.65m to build next-gen AMM on StarkNet
SithSwap, the next-generation automated market maker (AMM) on StarkNet, has successfully raised $2.65 million at a $25 million valuation in a seed funding round led by Lemniscap.
Nigerian Lab testing startup HealthTracka raises $1.5m funding for expansion to Kenya and Ghana
Nigerian at-home lab testing startup HealthTracka has raised $1.5 million in funding to expand its operations into Kenya and Ghana. The pre-seed funding which was led by Ingressive Capital.
Proparco completes pre-series-A investment in Moringa to fuel its expansion across Africa
Proparco announced the completion of a pre-series-A investment in Moringa to its expansion across Africa. The funding from Proparco will also facilitate the broadening of the range of courses offered by Moringa.
EuraTechnologies raises €24m to back deep tech startups, open 10 incubators in Eastern Europe
EuraTechnologies announced the raising of €24 million to back deep tech startups and open 10 incubators in Eastern Europe.
Renewable energy startup Posh raises $3.8m seed round to automate EV battery recycling
Y Combinator alum, Posh, announced it has raised $3.8 million in seed funding. The Bay Area startup automates electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling to build sustainable energy storage solutions.
Cleveland-based tech startup Unify Jobs raises $4.5m to enable diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring
Unify Jobs, an equitable hiring technology company, has raised a $4.5 million seed round led by North Coast Ventures with participation from Jumpstart and several other well-established investors.
Gratuity management startup Kickfin closes $6m Series A to fuel growth across the hospitality industry
Kickfin, the gratuity management software for hospitality, announced it has secured its Series A funding to further accelerate the company's rapid growth.
London, Malta-based fintech CityFALCON raises $2m funding to scale growth
London and Malta based fintech CityFALCON closed an equity fundraising campaign on Seedrs of $2 million to scale up the business and bring even more insightful products to market faster.
Nibble Health startup raises $8.5m to humanize healthcare payments
Nibble Health, a B2B healthcare payments company, announced a $8.5 million seed round co-led by Wing Venture Capital and Tiger Global Management, with participation from A* Capital and Expa.
Healthtech startup Spry secures new investment to strengthen its patient management platform
Spry, an end-to-end patient and practice management SaaS platform for physical therapists, announced it has successfully completed a new round of funding to accelerate its mission to build the future of practice management for physical rehabilitation.
Bardeen.ai startup raises $15.3m Series A to bring workflow automation to the masses
Bardeen.ai, the provider of "automation for all" tools, announced an oversubscribed $15.3 million Series A funding round led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from existing investors.
Healthtech startup Idoven raises $19.8m funding to redefine detection and precision medicine of cardiovascular diseases
Idoven, a pioneering health tech company advancing early detection and precision medicine of cardiovascular disease, announced it has raised $19.8 million in funding.
Foodtech venture firm Supply Change closes equity investment from Bank of America
Supply Change Capital, a women and Latina powered venture firm investing in early-stage food technology businesses, announced an equity investment from Bank of America.
Nigerian fintech firm VeendHQ secures $330k pre-seed investment to expand operations, scale growth
Nigerian fintech firm VeendHQ announced it has secured $330k pre-seed fund, backed by Magic Fund, The Oak Capital, Future Africa, Berrywood Capital and other angel investors, to expand its operations and scale growth.
Proparco joins forces with Digital Africa to provide financing solutions for African tech startups
As part of its 2022-2025 roadmap, Digital Africa, in partnership with Proparco, will support 200 African startups at different stages of their growth with a wide range of offers at their disposal.
Ugandan fintech platform Tugende closes pre-Series B investment round to accelerate growth
Tugende, the East African fintech platform providing asset financing and digital services to small businesses, announced it has raised a pre-Series B investment round led by current shareholder Partech Africa.
Kenyan insurtech startup mTek secures $3m funding for expansion across the country
On the heels of a recent $1.50 million (KSh 170 million) investment, Kenyan insurtech startup mTek has secured an additional $3 million (KSh 340 million) investment, through both debt and equity from African-focused fintech platform, Finclusion Group.
Insurtech startup INSTANDA raises $45m to fund its next phase of growth
INSTANDA, the no-code core insurance platform provider has announced the closing of its $45 million fundraising led by Toscafund, one of Europe’s leading Growth Equity investment firms for financial services companies.
London-based AI startup Peptone closes $40m Series A funding to build a state-of-the-art research facility in Bellinzona
Peptone, the molecular computational physics company focused on protein drug discovery, announced the successful completion of a $40 million Series A financing round.
Live-streaming platform Elevate K-12 raises $40m Series C to address the growing national teacher shortage
Elevate K-12, provider of high-quality live-streaming instruction for US K-12 classrooms, has closed a $40 million Series C round of funding led by venture capital firm General Catalyst.
Israeli AI-powered sales solution Amy raises $6m seed round to boost business professionals' selling power
Amy, the pioneering AI-driven sales intelligence solution that automates pre-meeting prospect research and enables meaningful business connections, announced it has raised a $6m seed round.
Indian no-code mobile startup Plobal raises $8.5m to expand presence in North America
Plobal Apps, a no-code mobile app platform for e-commerce stores, raised $8.5 million, led by Elevation Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners.
Alien Invasive Fruit Flies project comes to the rescue of Southern Africa mango farmers
In a bid to tame the voracious flies, the Alien Invasive Fruit Flies project in Southern Africa has come up with five technologies as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) package.
Amsterdam-based biotech startup CimCure raises € 5m seed round to advance its cancer vaccine
CimCure, a biotech spin-off of Amsterdam UMC, focusing on the development of a novel vaccine-based cancer immunotherapy through its Immune-Boost (iBoost) technology, announced it has raised little over € 5 million in a financing Seed Round.
MFS Africa raises $100m funding to accelerate its expansion plans across Africa and Asia
MFS Africa, Africa’s digital payments network, announced it has secured an additional $100 million in equity and debt funding led by Admaius Capital Partners, taking the total amount raised in the series to $200 million.
Greentech startup Green Badger receives $1.125m seed funding to manage sustainable construction
Green Badger, the SaaS developer for managing sustainable construction, announced it has received seed funding of $1.125 million in a financing round led by venture capital firm Shadow Ventures.
Community-centered lifestyle startup Saysh closes $8m Series A round to scale growth
Saysh, the community-centered lifestyle brand co-founded by Olympian Allyson Felix and her brother and business partner Wes Felix, announced a Series A round closed at $8 million.
Y Combinator-backed Proper Finance raises $4.3m to create an integrated reconciliation software for fintechs
Proper Finance, the integrated reconciliation and ledger data platform that enables financial technology companies to maintain complete financial accuracy, closed a $4.3 million seed round
Inovia Capital closes $325m early-stage fund to strengthen the Canadian tech ecosystem
Inovia Capital announced it raised $325 million for its fifth early-stage fund, the latest step in its journey to help build global, sustainable companies that strengthen the Canadian tech ecosystem.
Financial wellness startup Benny closes $1m pre-seed round to help employees build wealth with their benefits
Benny, the platform helping consumers build wealth with their benefits, announced its graduation from Techstars Boulder and the closing of a $1 million pre-seed funding round, led by Matchstick Ventures.
DeFi for construction finance startup Rigor raises $3.5m to end housing's affordability crisis
Rigor, an innovative decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol for construction lending and payments, has secured $3.5m in institutional seed financing from an honor roll of venture funders.
Tallinn-based NFTPort raises $26m Series A round to become the leading NFT infrastructure
Estonia's NFTPort announced the closing of a $26 million Series A funding round co-led by Taavet+Sten, the investment vehicle of Taavet Hinrikus and Sten Tamkivi, and Atomico.
Chinese biotech startup Meta Pharmaceuticals raises $15m to accelerate its pipeline development
META Pharmaceuticals, China's first immunometabolism-based small-molecule drug discovery company, announced two consecutive Seed and Pre-A funding rounds totaling $15 million.
Digital wedding planning startup Fêtefully raises $1.3m funding to scale growth
Fêtefully, the revolutionary digital wedding planning platform, closed a seed round of funding worth $1.3 million to allow the company to continue business growth and scale in the marketplace.
Chinese ARHUD solution provider Raythink completes Series A+ financing to accelerate mass production of in-vehicle AR displays
Raythink, the ARHUD solution provider for the automotive and transportation industry, announced it has raised around $15 million in a Series A+ funding round led by Chengwei Capital.
Berlin Business Office launches Skytrain to support U.S. LPs investing into venture capital funds in Berlin
Berlin Business Office announced the launch of Skytrain, a network to support U.S. LPs (Limited Partners) investing into venture capital funds in Berlin.
AfricArena partners with FMO to accelerate tech startups in Ghana, Morocco and Tanzania
AfricArena, the African series of tech events, announced a partnership with FMO Ventures Program, the Rise Open Innovation Challenge, which focuses on accelerating the growth of startups looking to improve the state of Africa.
Early stage VC firm Kairos Ventures closes third fund at $58m
Kairos Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm investing in physical and life sciences, announced the close of its third fund (Fund III), with capital commitments of $58 million.
CoachHub startup raises $200m Series C funding to democratize coaching worldwide
CoachHub, the global digital coaching platform, closed a $200 million Series C funding round, led by Sofina and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The round will be used to further scale CoachHub's product innovation and operations.
ScienceMagic.Studios raises $10m pre-seed to demystify Web3 for brands and talent
ScienceMagic.Studios announced it has secured $10.3 million in pre-seed investment from investors including Liberty City Ventures, Digital Currency Group, Coinbase Ventures, Noam Gottesman and Alan Howard.
BCG Digital Ventures launches new innovation centers in India and Morocco
BCG Digital Ventures (BCGDV), the corporate innovation and business-building arm of Boston Consulting Group (BCG), is opening innovation centers in New Delhi, Mumbai and Casablanca, Morocco.
Tunisian edtech startup GOMYCODE raises $8m Series A funding to expand across Africa
Tunisian edtech startup GOMYCODE, raised $8.85 million in series A funding, one of the highest African funding this quarter to expand across Africa.
Kenyan fintech startup Power Financial Wellness partners with Penda Health to extend healthcare services to users
Kenyan fintech Power Financial Wellness has signed a partnership agreement with private healthcare solutions provider, Penda Health, to see both companies mutually benefit from their tech services.
Green tech startup Ecolibrium launches in the UK with $5m pre-Series A funding round
Advisory and climate tech-led sustainability solution Ecolibrium, has opened a new London HQ after raising $5m in a pre-Series A funding round, to support growing demand from commercial and industrial UK real estate owners.
German agritech startup CROP.ZONE secures $11m equity funding to expand to new international markets
Aachen-based integrated weed management startup CROP.ZONE announced it has secured $11m equity funding from existing shareholders and new financial investors.
Swedish gaming startup Lurkit raises $2.7m to empower gaming influencer marketing globally
Swedish gaming influencer marketing platform Lurkit has raised $2.7 million in a seed round from industry investors as the company is launching Quests, a new software suite that enables paid sponsorships between live streamers and gaming companies at scale.
CerraCap Ventures invests in soil microbiome focused agritech startup Solena
CerraCap Ventures, a Global Venture Capital fund headquartered in Southern California, announced an investment in Solena AG, a soil microbiome startup helping farmers improve agricultural yields and optimize agrarian input costs.
Decarbon8 investment opportunity open for agritech innovation and decarbonization startups
The Decarbon8 Fund, an impact investment vehicle established by the E8 climate tech investing community and platform, announced a new Request for Proposal (RFP) for companies advancing regenerative agriculture solutions.
B2B e-Commerce and fintech startup Bazaar raises $70m to revamp the retail industry in Pakistan
Bazaar, Pakistan’s B2B e-Commerce and fintech platform has raised $70 million in a Series B financing led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Tiger Global Management.
Utrecht-based same day and next day delivery startup Trunkrs raises €15 million in growth capital
Trunkrs, specialist in same day & next day delivery for the e-Commerce sector, has successfully raised €15 million in a series B investment round. The financing round was led by Korys, the Belgian investment company of the Colruyt family.
[Column] Alexandra Fraser: Angel investors plugging the early-stage funding gap in sub-Saharan Africa
One of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurial startups in sub-Saharan Africa is funding – particularly early-stage financial support – even though the landscape across the region has evolved over the past few years with more funders and capital deployed in this space.
Business identity startup Middesk raises $57m Series B round to accelerate growth
Middesk, the business identity platform automating business verification and underwriting decisions, announced it has raised $57 million in a Series B round, co-led by New York-based private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners.
Taiwanese social CRM startup GoSky AI completes undisclosed seed funding round
Taipei-based social CRM startup GoSky AI announced the completion of an undisclosed seed funding round led by 500 Global venture capital firm.
Canadian digital footprint monitoring startup Flare raises CAD$9.5m Series A to democratize cybersecurity
Flare, the leader in digital footprint monitoring, announced a CAD$9.5 million Series A Round led by Inovia Capital with participation from White Star Capital and Luge Capital.
GreenHouse Capital announces 13 African startups selected for the Microsoft scale-up accelerator
GreenHouse Capital has announced the 13 African startups that have been selected for Microsoft scale-up accelerator program. The programme is targeted at startups a the pre-series A stage looking to expand into new markets.
Vietnam's blockchain gaming startup Ancient8 raises $6m to build infrastructure software for GameFi
Ancient8, a GameFi infrastructure developer and Vietnam's largest blockchain gaming guild and community, announced the completion of a $6 million private round of financing led by Makers Fund and C² Ventures.
Dutch fintech Backbase secures €120m funding to accelerate growth
Dutch financial technology company Backbase, the creator of the category-leading Engagement Banking platform, raised €120 million in growth equity funding from Motive Partners.
Amsterdam-based Instant Commerce secures €2m pre-seed funding to boost its headless storefront builder
Amsterdam-based Instant Commerce announced it has secured €2 million pre-seed funding to boost its headless storefront builder.
Tech startup LibLab raises $42m Series A to autogenerate software development kits for API services
LibLab, a developer tools company that offers a SDK-as-a-Service platform for engineering teams, announced it has raised $42 million in Series A funding to enable the expansion of its core software development kit (SDK) code generator services.
Seed-to-Sale software startup Canix raises $10m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Canix, a market-leading cannabis ERP seed-to-sale platform, announced it has raised $10 million in funding from venture capitalists.
Singapore crypto payments startup Request Finance raises $5.5m seed round to accelerate growth
Request Finance, the Web3 enterprise crypto payments startup, has closed a $5.5 million seed round with institutional backers including Animoca Brands, Europe's leading early-stage venture capital investor Balderton Capital, and XAnge.
French startup CleverConnect merges with Talentry to lead talent acquisition in Europe
CleverConnect, a cloud-based recruiting solutions company, announced the merger with Talentry, a Munich-based provider of talent relationship management solutions, to counteract the current unprecedented shortage of skilled workers.
Fabric tech startup Nextiles raises $5m oversubscribed seed round to fuel growth in smart athletics
Nextiles, a smart fabric technology for athletes, announced its $5 million seed round led by Drive by DraftKings, with participation from the NBA.
Nigerian fintech startup Indicina raises $3m seed funding to expand into other African markets
Nigerian fintech startup Indicina announced it has raised $3 million in seed funding round to foster its commitment to the credit value chain.
Ethena raises $30m Series B for modern and effective compliance training
Ethena, a modern compliance training platform, announced it raised a $30 million Series B, led by Lachy Groom, with participation from existing investors including Felicis, Neo, Homebrew, and others.
Early stage venture capitalist ROBUST primed to bridge innovation gap across borders
Venture capital firm ROBUST has launched on the global stage, with an immediate focus on driving investment into disruptive and innovative companies with high growth potential.
Seae Ventures launches $107m Fund to invest in solutions addressing equity gaps in healthtech and fintech
Seae Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital firm dedicated to advancing equity by investing in women and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs, has launched its inaugural fund of $107m.
Oslo-based Findable secures €2m seed round for its first-to-market building documentation automation platform
Findable, the Oslo-based startup that automates building documentation using Artificial Intelligence (AI), raised a €2 million seed round led by KOMPAS, with participation by Construct Venture.
Constant Ventures launches $100m venture capital fund to invest in tech startups across West Africa
Constant Ventures, a part of the Constant Group, is raising a $100 million venture capital fund to invest across a range of technology startups with a focus on financial inclusion, education and healthcare.
Investing platform Pluto raises $4m seed round to make systematic investing accessible
Pluto, a free investing platform that makes it easy for stock market traders to enhance their efforts with systematic investing, has closed a $4 million dollar seed round led by at.inc/ Nadav Eylath.
Stellate raises $30m funding to build the global data graph
Stellate, formerly known as GraphCDN, is bringing its expertise in GraphQL APIs to the masses with the help of a $25 million Series A from Tiger Global and a $5 million seed round led by boldstart ventures.
BRV China-backed eVTOL startup Zerog closes $1.48m seed round to accelerate growth
Zerog, a Chinese electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer, completed a $1.48 million seed round with BlueRun Ventures China (BRV China) as the sole investor.
Kenyan E-health startup Maisha Meds hits 1000 active facilities, expands to Nigeria
Kenyan digital pharmacy network Maisha Meds announced it has reached1,000 active facilities, making it one of the largest digital pharmacy networks in sub-Saharan Africa.
UK-based tech startup Florence raises $35m series B funding to revolutionise social care
Florence, the UK-based tech innovator for social care, announced it has raised $35 million through a Series B funding round. Florence will use the investment for product expansion to support care in the UK.
Oregon-based Dutch Bros raises $2.3m to help end ALS
Dutch Bros, a drive-through coffee chain headquartered in Grants Pass, Oregon, announced that together with its customers, raised a record breaking $2.3 million during its 16th annual Drink One for Dane day.
Temasek launches investment platform GenZero to accelerate decarbonisation globally
Temasek announced the launch of GenZero, a wholly-owned investment platform company dedicated to accelerating decarbonisation globally.
Santa Barbara Venture Partners launches $11m Fund to help companies accelerate customer acquisition
Venture capital firm Santa Barbara Venture Partners (SBVP) announced the final close of its $11 million inaugural Fund I focused primarily on investing in tech and tech-enabled firms.
Nigerian edtech startup Afrilearn attracts UNICEF Innovation Fund
Nigerian edtech startup Afrilearn has emerged as the only Nigerian startup to join the latest cohort of the UNICEF Venture Fund.
Ugandan fintech startup Eversend rebrands, announces new features
Eversend, a Ugandan fintech startup providing cross-border money transfers for Africans and Africans in the diaspora has rebranded, to reinforce its commitment to users with an all-inclusive payment platform and a modified look to support this transition.
Nelson Maina: Betting on agriculture for economic transformation in Kenya
The gathering of experts drawn across the divide came amidst rising concerns over escalating costs in both production and consumer goods, an environment that doesn’t favour food security.
Constrafor raises $100m+ to increase the construction industry's productivity, dispel cash flow problems
Constrafor, a SaaS construction procurement platform with embedded financing, announced its $100 million+ Seed fundraise in debt and equity to build out new functionality.
RH Capital announces three new investments to improve women's heath
RH Capital, the women's health venture capital fund, announced three new investments to improve health outcomes for women in the US.
Text messaging startup Prokeep raises $9m to modernize distributor communications and commerce
Prokeep, the communications and commerce platform built exclusively for distributors, announced the closing of $9 million seed round.
SaaS recruitment startup HourWork raises additional $2.5m funding to accelerate growth
HourWork, a SaaS recruitment and retention platform for quick-serve restaurant (QSR) franchise owners, announced the closing of $2.5 million in additional Series A funding led by MassMutual's MM Catalyst Fund (MMCF).
Binance Labs closes $500m investment fund to boost blockchain, Web3 and value-building technologies
Binance Labs, the venture capital and incubation arm of Binance, announced the closing of $500 million investment fund to invest in projects that can extend the use cases of cryptocurrencies.
Indonesian social commerce startup Super completes $70m oversubscribed Series C round
Super, an Indonesian social commerce platform serving tier-2 and tier-3 cities and Indonesian rural areas, announced it completed a $70 million oversubscribed Series C round led by NEA with additional investment from Insignia Ventures Partners.
Vancouver cleantech startup VoltSafe introduces electrical technology to reduce the effects of inflation
Vancouver cleantech startup VoltSafe has introduced a new electrical technology to reduce inflation effects in marine, automotive and housing industries.
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay brings Web3 P2P payment gateway to eligible Shopify merchants
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay, announced its official integration into omnichannel commerce platform Shopify, allowing for the very first integration of a wallet-to-wallet (P2P) payment solution for eligible Shopify merchants.
Upcycling startup Novoloop extends Series A round to $21m to develop industrial capabilities
Advanced upcycling startup Novoloop nnounced it has expanded its Series A to $21 million through an oversubscribed extension led by Mistletoe Singapore and Hanwha Solutions.
Data analytics startup Gigasheet closes $7m Series A to democratize big data analysis
Gigasheet, a startup that brings data science and big data analytics capabilities to anyone who can use a spreadsheet, announced it has closed $7 million in a Series A funding round.
UAE fintech startup Pemo launches all-in-one spend management platform for MENA SMEs
Pemo, the UAE-based fintech startup empowering businesses across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP),has announced that it has launched its all-in-one spend management platform.
Indian data insights startup Synaptic raises $20m Series B funding to accelerate growth
Synaptic, an alternative data insights startup, announced the successful closure of $20 million in Series B funding round led by Valor Equity Partne
Nutrition startup Culina Health raises $4.75m funding to democratize access to clinical nutrition
Culina Health, Co-founded by Registered Dietitian Vanessa Rissetto and Steven Kuyan, announced it has secured $4.75 million in seed funding.
Birmingham-based startup Astound raises $1m seed round to improve university access to corporate-sponsored research funding
Astound, a Birmingham-based startup, secured $1 million in seed funding to develop the first marketplace to allow research institutions and universities to easily find corporate sponsors.
Bonfire Ventures raises $230m for two new funds to help B2B software startups beat the odds
Bonfire Ventures, the firm helping seed-stage B2B software companies beat the odds, announced the close of its third core seed fund at $168 million, and its second opportunity fund, at $63 million.
Crop tech startup moa raises $44m Series B financing to progress new generation of safe and sustainable crop protection products
moa Technology, the crop protection discovery company that is revolutionizing the future of weed control in agriculture, announced it has secured $44 million in Series B financing.
Irish agritech startup CropSafe raises $3m seed funding to support farmers globally, opens U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles
Irish agritech startup CropSafe, a platform revolutionizing the future of farming, announced it raised over $3 million in seed funding and have opened U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.
Nelson Maina: Taming fertilizer prices to boost food security in Kenya
Kenya’s cost of living has hit unprecedented highs with prices of basic commodities being out of reach for many citizens.
Israeli agritech startup Seed-X partners with Advanta Seeds to improve seed lot quality
Seed-X, an innovative AI-driven Agritech company, and Advanta Seeds, a UPL group company, are joining forces to apply new technology in seed processing.
Kenyan farmer finds fortunes in herbs farming
The herbs and spices farming has captured international markets while creating a new age farming renaissance in an area that has traditionally been synonymous with farming of traditional low yielding crops.
Solana-based DeFi startup Delta One raises $9.1m to build 'set-and-forget' yield farming protocol
Delta One, a Solana-based DeFi protocol, announced it raised $9.1 million seed round led by Alameda Research and Ship Capital, with participation from Solana Ventures.
What Africa requires to attain sustainable and effective food systems
A variety of factors constrain those who are reliant on farming for their livelihoods – particularly smallholders, including women and youth – from stepping up or stepping in to agriculture.
French insect farming startup Ÿnsect acquires Nebraska-based Jord Producers to open first mealworm farm in the US
Jord Producers, based in Nebraska, has been incorporated into Ÿnsect’s production portfolio, signifying the global leader’s entry into North American mealworm production.
Soil water sensors, detectors to the rescue of Mozambique farmers
More than 3 million smallholder farmers contribute 95% of Mozambique’s agricultural production.
Achieving inclusive cocoa and palm oil commercialization in West Africa
Abugre also noted that questions remain with regards to the future of cocoa production given global price trends, climate change, farmers stepping into the sector, and income distribution effects at the local level.
Gender and social dynamics in smallholder groundnuts commercialisation in Southern Africa
Following these insights, expert commentator Kezia Batisai, Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg, highlighted key shifts required to support agricultural transformation in the region.
Agribusiness e-Commerce startup Agrizon receives investment to expand operations in Latin America
Agrizon, a specialized cross-border e-Commerce company that connects and delivers worldwide brands of ag inputs to farmers and businesses, has received investment from Latin Leap Venture Capital Studio to expand operations in Latin America.
Solar-powered robotics startup Aigen raises $4m seed round to accelerate growth
Aigen, a company developing a scalable, solar-powered robotics platform for agriculture and soil regeneration, raised a $4 million seed round led by NEA with participation from AgFunder, Global Founders Capital, and ReGen Ventures.
Israeli agritech startup Greeneye Technology raises $22 million funding to grow its offerings
Greeneye has developed proprietary AI-enabled precision spraying technology that enables farmers to seamlessly transition from this hugely inefficient practice to precise application of herbicides and other chemicals.
African scientists make a case for home grown research on continent’s food systems
A storytelling event organized by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), saw four accomplished African researchers working on agriculture and food security share their personal journeys in agricultural research, and discuss how they are working to transform farming on the continent.
The University of Nairobi and Elgon Kenya to develop agriculture technology and innovation centre
The agriculture sector in Kenya has received a major boost following a partnership between two leading institutions to set up a technology and innovation centre, the first of its kind in East Africa.
Kenyan smallholder farmers insulated from weather vagaries by picture-based insurance
A climate-smart crop insurance scheme introduced in Kenya has come to their rescue by combining satellite data and smartphone imagery to provide farmers with much needed protection.
Biotech startup Tiamat Sciences raises $3m to manufacture plant-based biomolecules
Biotechnology startup Tiamat Sciences announced its $3 million seed financing round led by Silicon Valley venture capital firm True Ventures with participation from Social Impact Capital and Cantos.
Agritech startup FarmSense receives $2.2m SBIR funding for development of biosecurity measures against native and invasive pests
FarmSense, the agritech startup and creator of Smart Flight Sensors, announced it has been awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds in the amount of more than $2.2 million.
Kigali-based agriculture startup AflaSight, partners launch innovative projects to improve maize quality in Rwanda
The World Food Programme, IFC, Kigali-based agriculture startup AflaSight, and research firm Vanguard Economics launched innovative projects to help farmers and grain traders reduce the prevalence of aflatoxins in crops and grains in Rwanda.
GROWMARK and CHS launch Cooperative Ventures to drive technology advancements for agritech startups
GROWMARK and CHS announced the formation of Cooperative Ventures, a new capital fund that will focus on creating advancements in breakthrough technologies for the agriculture industry.
GrowMark and CHS unveil a new capital fund targeted at agtech startups
Agricultural cooperative firm GrowMark and global agribusiness company CHS have announced the formation of Cooperative Ventures, a new capital fund that will focus on creating advancements in breakthrough technologies for the agriculture industry.
Kenyan entrepreneurs reap returns from rearing insects for feeds
Aware of this fact, the Insect Feed for Poultry, Fish and Pig Production (INSFEED) project has been exploring the use of insects, such as black soldier flies (BSF) and crickets, within animal feeds.
Indian full-stack agritech startup DeHaat raises $115m Series D round
DeHaat, the technology-based platform offering end-to-end agricultural services to farmers in India, announced it has raised $115 million in Series D funding, led by Belgium based investment firm Sofina and Lightrock India.
North Carolina's SAS and Pappas Capital partner to propel agritech startups with analytics
Two North Carolina companies, analytics leader SAS and venture investment firm Pappas Capital, are joining forces to help advance the state as a global leader in agricultural technology.
Start-Up Nation Central signs MoU with TiE to boost technological innovation of Israeli and Indian startups
Israeli not-for-profit Start-Up Nation Central signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TiE to achieve full implementation of sustainable Israeli and Indian technologies in the foodtech sector.
Canadian precision-farming startup Semios raises $100m in capital to expand agtech platform globally
Semios, a precision-farming platform and one of the world's largest independent agtech solutions providers, announced it has raised $100 million in funding led by Morningside Group, a Boston-based private equity and venture capital firm.
Industrial automation startup Agtonomy launches out of stealth to address farm labor crisis with $4m seed round
Agtonomy, a hybrid autonomy and tele-assist service platform, launched out of stealth and announced a $4 million seed round from Grit Ventures, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Village Global.
Nigerian agritech startup Releaf secures $4.2m funding to drive industrialisation of food processing in Africa
Nigeria's agritech startup Releaf, which develops proprietary hardware and software solutions to industrialize food processing, raised $2.7 million in seed funding and grants.
Foodtech startup GrubMarket acquires Bartolotta, further expands in Eastern US and Canada
Food technology startup GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Bartolotta, a full-service provider of fresh fruits and vegetables to customers in New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern Canada.
Agricorp raises $17.5 million to become the largest spices export startup in Africa
Agricorp International, Nigerian based spices producing, processing, and exporting company has raised $17.5 million in Series A funding to increase its processing capacity up to 7000 metric tonnes.
Jiddu acquires CerraCap Ventures portfolio company Nirveda Cognition
CerraCap Ventures, a Global Venture Capital fund, announced acquisition of its portfolio company Nirveda Cognition by Jiddu Inc for an all-stock deal. The transaction is one of a slew of recent exits from CerraCap's investment fund.
John Deere acquires agritech startup Bear Flag Robotics to accelerate autonomous technology on the farm
Deere & Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire agritech startup Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million. Founded in 2017, the Silicon Valley-based startup develops autonomous driving technology compatible with existing machines.
UN announces 50 best small business winners providing “Good Food for All”
Fifty small- and medium-sized enterprises around the world have been announced as the Best Small Businesses of the “Good Food for All” competition, held in conjunction with the UN Food Systems Summit.
Oxford Foundry partners with FMDQ Private Markets to accelerate Nigeria’s startup ecosystem
Oxford Foundry and FMDQ Private Markets have launched a global partnership to accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem.
Agritech startup Adaviv raises $2.3m seed round to scale its AI-driven plant intelligence platform for indoor farming
Adaviv, a cultivation technology company surfacing actionable insights for Controlled Environment Agriculture, announced the raise of $2.3 million in an oversubscribed Series Seed financing led by Delta Emerald Ventures.
Agritech startup GrowFlux selected to join Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator program
The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator, a technology incubator and platform funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation, has selected GrowFlux and four other startups to participate in the program's ninth cohort.
Forum advocates for collaboration to strengthen African food systems
Speaking during the Alliance for a Green Revoluton in Africa (AGRA) organized Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Summit, speakers reiterated that food security cannot be achieved without a gvernment facilitated enabling environemnt for agribusiness to thrive.
Ghanaian agribusiness startup Green Gold Farms raises $1.6 million to tackle food import challenge
Green Gold Farms is tackling the problems of poverty, lack of economic opportunity, and malnutrition and related illnesses in Northern Ghana through large-scale agricultural production.
AI startup LLENA (AI) partners with Southern University to support (USDA/NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
LLENA (AI) Health Solutions, announced a partnership with Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to support their "Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life" initiative to address diet-related health disparities.
Farmtech startup Iron Ox hires first CFO, Head of Marketing as company prepares for growth
Iron Ox, a farming innovation company with deep expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence, hired its first Chief Financial Officer and its first Head of Marketing as the company accelerates growth and expands its commercial footprint.
Nigeria agritech startup Thrive Agric targets 50,000 farmers with new project
A natural partner for the Trade Hub, Thrive Agric has already helped over 140,000 farmers in Nigeria increase their capacities to meet supply, quality, and food safety standards required by domestic and export markets.
The UN Food Systems Best Small Business competition: Startups time to shine
Small businesses around the world that help provide healthy food that is good for the environment, good for their communities and create jobs for people locally are being invited to share ideas and suggestions for how their countries and economies can maximize their positive impact.
The nexus between gender-responsive research and agricultural productivity in Africa
Smallholder farmers across Africa are looking to science to boost farm productivity and to tackle emerging threats, partiuclarly with regards to climate change and pandemics as demonstrated by COVID-19, the report further noted.
AlphaCode announces four startups taking part in the second phase of its incubate programme in South Africa
AlphaCode has announced the four fintech startups that will be part of the second phase of the AlphaCode Incubate programme.
UN launches hunt for startups and enterprises changing the face of food systems
The UN Food Systems Summit has announced a competition to identify the best small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the world who are transforming food systems for a better tomorrow.
Rice sector players set for conference on boosting research and inclusivity
Rice sector players in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are set to lead discussions on accelerating progress in rice research & development, inclusive markets & value chains.
FarmTogether, Backstage Capital join forces to generate grater access to diverse farmland investments
FarmTogether, the technology-enabled investment platform democratizing access to farmland, announced a partnership with Backstage Capital, an investment firm focused on startups founded by people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ community.
Dutch impact investment firm Goodwell Investments launches €50 million fund to support African SMEs
Goodwell V will build a new portfolio of companies across various sectors in Africa: at least a third will be invested in financial inclusion, a quarter in agriculture, and the remainder in mobility and other impact sectors such as education and healthcare.
UN targets startups transforming food systems in new competition
The UN Food Systems Summit has announced a competition to identify the best small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the world who are transforming food systems for a better tomorrow.
Milken Institute and Motsepe Foundation launch $2 million AgriTech competition for African entrepreneurs
The Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech is a $2 million global competition for innovative solutions to increase economic value to farmers, from seed to sale.
Insurtech startup OKO raises $1.2m to bring innovative insurance to smallholder farmers across Africa
OKO, an insurtech startup that provides inclusive agricultural insurance to secure farmers’ income across Africa, closed a seed investment round of $1.2 million, led by Newfund and ResiliAnce.
SWARM Engineering startup raises $2.7m in seed funding led by S2G Ventures and Serra Ventures
SWARM Engineering, the next generation of cognitive software for the food supply chain, announced it closed funding for a $2.7 million seed round.
Grow-NY startup business competition kicks off year 3
The application window for the 2021 Grow-NY million-dollar top prize business competition is now open for submissions. Grow-NY, a unique initiative which connects innovators and investors in the food, beverage and agriculture.
Zimbabwe agritech startup Farmhut secures investment to scale operations
Zimbabwe agritech startup Farmhut has received $US100 000 investment from the Hult Prize Foundation. This follows through the Hult Prize accelerator program of the 2020 cohort.
Texas-based Precision Livestock Technologies completes $600K seed round on Harvest Returns agriculture crowdfunding platform
Harvest Returns announced that Dallas, Texas-based Precision Livestock Technologies has successfully completed a seed round raise totaling $600,000 on the Harvest Returns agriculture crowdfunding platform.
Investing in mentorship to inspire women in agribusiness
Jolenta Joseph, a Tanzania entrepreneur has built her business tackling malnutrition, an endemic problem in Tanzania, thanks in part to the support she has received since winning the 2020 SUN Pitch Competition.
BioPhero startup raises $17m Series A for sustainable pest control
BioPhero, the insect pheromone company, announced it has raised $17 million in Series A funding led by DCVC Bio with participation from new investor FMC Ventures, as well as existing investors Syngenta Group Ventures and Novo Holdings.
Western Kenya farmers cash in on traditional vegetables
Western Kenya have found new fortunes by investing in the cultivation, consumption, preservation and sale of traditional vegetables and seeds.
Union Bank of Nigeria to support startups through UnionX Innovation Challenge
Union Bank, one of Nigeria’s foremost financial institutions, has unveiled the 2021 UnionX Innovation Challenge, as part of efforts to support young startups and boost innovation in the startup ecosystem.
Lux Research names top food and agriculture startups of 2020
In recent years, the majority of growth in the food and beverage industry has gone to companies outside the top 20 players, with smaller and more agile brands capitalizing on the demand for personalized products.
From grass to cash: Harnessing the power of climate smart forage grasses in Western Kenya
Kenyan researchers have been working with farmers in Western Kenya to test new varieties of fodder grasses known to have higher protein, low fiber and are fast maturing.
Kenyan young agripreneurs reel under impacts of COVID-19
Kenyan agribusiness enterprises run by young people experienced a 48 per cent failure rate last year at the height of the novel corona virus a new study has shown.
Kenyan organics recycling startup Sanergy receives funding to scale operations regionally
With AXA IM Alts’s support, Sanergy would be well-positioned to scale its operations in Kenya and across the region.
One Planet Fellowship: Investing in the next generation of African scientists
African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) has announced that the call for third cohort of the One Planet Fellowship is now open as it seeks to invest in the next generation of African scientists.
John Deere adds new companies to its 2021 Startup Collaborator program
John Deere & Company announced the companies that will be part of the 2021 cohort of the Startup Collaborator program.
Agritech startup Bear Flag Robotics raises $7.9m seed extension round
Bear Flag Robotics announced a $7.9 million seed extension funding round led by True Ventures. The Silicon Valley-based agritech company is developing autonomous technology for farm tractors, which enables growers to increase productivity.
CropIn raises $20 million funding to deepen machine learning application in agriculture
CropIn, a global artificial intelligence and data-led agri-tech organization empowering stakeholders to reimagine agriculture with data, has raised $20 million in a Series C funding.
South Africa agritech startup Aerobotics raises funds for global expansion
FMO and Cathay AfricInvest Innovation have invested in Aerobotics, a South African AgriTech startup developing intelligent tools to the feed the world.
AgTech startup SeeTree raises $30 million funding to expand into new crops
SeeTree, an AI-powered, end-to-end service that provides growers with intelligence on trees and tree clusters, has raised $30 million in a Series B funding round led by the International Finance Corporation
Flagship summit to support growth of digital agriculture start-ups in Africa
African entrepreneurs in digital agriculture will have new opportunities to secure support and investment as the African Green Revolution Forum takes on the AgriHack Talent project.
Peer-to-peer solar leasing startup Sun Exchange announces African expansion in Zimbabwe
South African peer-to-peer solar leasing startup Sun Exchange marked its official expansion into sub-Saharan Africa with the first of three crowdsales for a multiphase, 1.9 megawatt (MW) solar-plus-storage project for Nhimbe Fresh.
Kenyan agritech startup Farmers Pride raises $220k funding from Gray Matters Capital’s coLABS
US-based impact investor Gray Matters Capital announced its funding in Kenya's agritech startup Farmers Pride, a one stop e-commerce platform that connects village level farmers to quality inputs, services and information.
Plug and Play partners with Evergy to foster new relationships, innovation in Topeka
Global innovation platform Plug and Play announced that Evergy will be a founding partner for its Topeka location, which is centered around animal health and agriculture technology
Nufarm, German agritech startup CROP.ZONE partner for alternative weed control across European markets
Australian crop protection and specialty seed company Nufarm and the German agritech startup CROP.ZONE have partnered to launch Nufarm's and CROP.ZONE's hybrid herbicide solutions across major European markets.
Rabobank unveils 45 food & agriculture startups selected for FoodBytes! Pitch 2020
Rabobank unveiled the 45 startups selected to participate in FoodBytes! Pitch 2020, its global food and ag startup discovery program that helps entrepreneurs scale their impact through mentorship and connections to corporate leaders and investors.
[Zambia] Good Nature Agro secures $2.1 million funding to scale production in legume value chains
Good Nature Agro, a Zambian company working from end-to-end within the specialised legume value chains, has closed Series A equity funding totaling $2.1 million.
S2G Ventures, CDPQ announce funding for startups in sustainable food business
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and S2G Ventures (S2G) have announced creation of a co-investment partnership that will target ventures that aim to make the food and agriculture industry more sustainable.
Cannabis cultivation software startup Trym closes $3.1m seed round to accelerate growth
Trym, a pioneering cannabis cultivation software company announced the completion of its $3.1 million seed funding round of financing to accelerate growth.
Airsmat raises $100,000 investment to deepen AI application in agriculture
AirSmat, a Nigeria-based Pan-African Software company, has received a boost of $100,000 from Zetogon as pre-seeding investment to help the organization on the journey to deliver world-class service in Africa.
Phytolon secures $4.1 million funding for natural food colour tech
Israel-based Phytolon, a portfolio company of The Trendlines Group Ltd has announced that it secured $4.1 million in funding for its fermentation-based technology for the production of plant-based food colours.
German urban farming startup Infarm raises $170m to grow urban vertical farming network in the world
Infarm, German urban farming network announced $170 million investment raised in the first close of a Series C funding round expected to reach $200 million.
Cellular agriculture startup Wildtype launches salmon in sushi restaurants
Cellular agriculture startup Wildtype has unveiled its latest cell-based salmon. This version is "sushi-grade" and crafted with the sushi industry's favorite raw salmon applications in mind.
Infarm announces $170 million financing to grow innovative urban farming model
Berlin urban farming network Infarm has announced $170 million investment raised in the first close of a Series C funding round expected to reach $200 million.
GreenTec invests in Cameroon digital farm startup Freshbag
GreenTec has announced its investment in Freshbag, an innovative digital Cameroon platform that connects farmers and vendors to ensure a fair and reliable food supply network.
West Africa's Miro Forestry raises $48 funding close led by CDC to combat climate crisis
CDC Group, the UK’s publicly owned impact investor announced a further $12 million commitment to Miro Forestry, a sustainable forestry and timber business with plantations in Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Tanzania startup tackles hidden hunger with bio fortified foods
An upsurge in cases of malnutrition among children in rural Tanzania, combined with the issue of poor markets for farmers, inspired Jolenta Joseph to venture into the nutrition business in 2017.
Irish agtech startup MagGrow raises €6m Series A round
Irish startup MagGrow, the agtech innovator that specialises in delivering crop protection products where they matter most while protecting the environment, has completed a €6m Series A round.
Kenyan women and youth agritech startups invited to apply for $100k FoodTech Africa accelerator
Kenyan youth and women-led agribusinesses have been awarded an opportunity to access $100,000 as investment for their companies through the FoodTech Africa accelerator.
US startup Atomo Coffee raises $9m to bring molecular coffee to the market
Seattle based startup Atomo Coffee announced it has closed an additional $9 million in Seed funding to bring its molecular coffee to market.
[Startup Interview] Tracy Mapfumo, CEO, Eny's Treats, Zimbabwe
Eny's Treats, a startup based in Zimbabwe, manufactures seed-based gluten free snacks that are topped up with natural and unrefined sweeteners for the upmarket urban health-conscious consumers. The startup’s CEO Tracy Mapfumo elaborates.
African startups win big at the 2020 SUN Pitch competition
The founder of Baby Grubz Nigeria, Oluwaseun Sangoleye, led Africa in winning this year’s 2020 SUN Pitch Competition.
Kenyan agritech startup Lentera, MCFI ink deal to provide satellite based crop analysis for Mauritian farmers
The Mauritius Chemical and Fertilizer Industry (MCFI), and Lentera Africa have signed a partnership that will see Lentera provide satellite-based crop health analysis and crop modelling services for Mauritian customers of MCFI.
Africa and Asia startups set to showcase innovations in nutrition pitch competition
Twelve African entrepreneurs are among 21 finalists in this year’s SUN Pitch Competition where entrepreneurs will pitch their innovative business ideas to address malnutrition.
Evonik invests in Chinese tech startup to support intelligent, healthier pig farming
Evonik’s venture capital arm has invested in SmartAHC, a Chinese technology startup that enables more intelligent and healthier pig farming.
Dutch startup PlantLab raises €20 million to grow its vertical farming technology
Dutch scale-up PlantLab has raised a first external investment of € 20 million from De Hoge Dennen Capital.
Healthy Maisha startup tackles nutrition gap in Tanzania
Neema Lugangira’s enterprise Healthy Maisha, meaning Healthy Life, operates in Tanzania’s commercial city of Dar es Salaam and seeks to bridge the nutrition gap, and iron deficiency in particular.
IFC helps boost clean tech startups in Egypt, enables farmers switch to solar
IFC is joining forces with the National Bank of Egypt and MSMEDA to strengthen the clean technology entrepreneurship sector and boost Egyptian farmers’ access to finance for solar irrigation.
Nigeria's FCMB, Passion Incubator partner to launch FCMB Agritech Epic Pitch 2020
Nigeria's First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has partnered with Passion Incubator, a Lagos-based early-stage incubator and accelerator that has invested in some Agritech startups, to launch the virtual edition of the FCMB Agritech Epic Pitch 2020.
Dutch agritech startup Connecterra lands €7.8m to accelerate industry digitization
Amsterdam based startup Connecterra, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) leader for the dairy sector has secured €7.8 million in a Series B funding round. The round adds new AgTech and industry insiders as investors in the Company.
Greenlight Biosciences secures $102 million financing to expand agriculture and life sciences applications research
GreenLight Biosciences has raised an oversubscribed $102 million round of funding from new and existing investors to rapidly expand production of its RNA products for agricultural and life sciences applications.
Naspers Foundry invests R100 million in South African agri-tech startup, Aerobotics
Naspers announced a R100 million investment in agritech business Aerobotics, through its early-stage business funding initiative Naspers Foundry. Aerobotics is a subscription-based artificial intelligence (AI) company that provides intelligent tools for the agricultural industry to manage its crops.
[Startup Interview] Dumisanie Mambiya, CEO, FADC, Malawi
Malawi-based Food & Agribusiness Development Company, FADC, is an agriculture startup that is working with horticulture and groundnut farmers to boost their earnings through offering an array of services.
[Startup Interview] Timi Oke, Founder, AgroEknor International, Nigeria
Timi Oke is the founder of AgroEknor International Limited in Nigeria that trades and exports processed agricultural products `agricultural products to clients in 9 different countries globally.
Six agritech startups selected for Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator programme
The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator has selected six new participating startups focused on agriculture technology solutions to join the programme.
[Startup Interview] Yassir Ali, CEO, Hasania Foods, Nigeria
Hasania Foods Ltd, a startup in Nigeria is assisting farmers by adding value to a variety of agriculture products and introducing new ways of packaging foods. Yassir Ali the founder and CEO of the startup explains the model, the challenges and the plans to expand to West Africa.
Reinvestment Fund announces $3 million financing for agriculture startups
Reinvestment Fund is inviting applications for financial and technical assistance through the 2020 round of the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Targeted Small Grants Program.
Nigeria agriculture startup Tomato Jos secures €3.9 million financing to bolster growth
Tomato Jos, an agro-processing company focused on the local production of high-quality tomato paste for the African market, has completed a €3.9 million Series A round.
Interviews.
[Interview] Caroline Mutuku, General Manager, Glovo, Kenya
Caroline Mutuku is Kenya's General Manager of multi-category app Glovo. Caroline joined Glovo in December 2022 from Swvl Kenya where she also served as the General Manager from December 2021. In this interview...read more here
[Interview] Renate Swanepoel, COO, INC. Networking
Renate Swanepoel is an entrepreneur, global networker and inspirational speaker that has helped thousands of people around the world to find their purpose. She has gained significant networking and communication...read more here
[Interview] Anne-Marie Chidzero, Chief Investment Officer, FSD Africa
Anne-Marie Chidzero is the Chief Investment Officer at the Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa) Investments. In this interview, she talks about the risks and opportunities in backing Africa’s early-stage startups...read more here
[Interview] James Kilpatrick, Chair, Gravitilab, UK
Gravitilab is a "Space as a Service" business providing research, testing and qualification facilities to space agencies, government, academia and commercial enterprises. The company’s Chair and Chief Finance Officer...read more here
[Interview] Ramanjeet Singh, CEO, Woosper, USA
Woosper is a US-based digital advertising and marketing agency focused on creating experiences that help clients discover their place in the digital world. The CEO Ramanjeet Singh...read more here