Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we'll dive into the latest strides in AgTech, featuring new accelerator platforms, robotics funding, AI-powered agronomy tools, and strategic partnerships in plant science and controlled environment agriculture. Let's get started!
Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines:
AgTech Updates: New accelerator, AI tools & major funding rounds
Welcome to another episode of AgTech Digest, your go-to source for the latest in agricultural technology. In today's episode, we're diving into the latest developments shaping the future of agriculture. We'll explore new accelerator platforms and AI-powered agronomy tools, examine significant funding rounds in robotics and supply chain analytics, and look at strategic partnerships in plant science and crop resilience. We'll also cover developments in controlled environment agriculture, farmland investments, and sustainable polymer solutions. There's a lot to cover, so let's get started.
Anna:
In agritech news, Yield Lab Institute has introduced H.A.R.V.E.S.T. AgTech, a program to accelerate startups with funding, research, and partnerships. Building on the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator, which supported 77 startups raising nearly $290 million, the platform adds new partners such as UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative. Its Ecosystem Partner Network will link 12 U.S. regions and expand abroad, including Argentina and the UK.
Anna:
ving forward, Terra Robotics, the Greek startup, secured 1.8 million euros led by Uni.Fund to commercialize its laser-based weeding system. By combining robotics, AI, and lasers, the technology aims to reduce herbicide use and manual labor. The funding will support scaling production, pilot projects, and partnerships with farmers. Additionally, Aydi raised $7.5 million in seed funding from COTU Ventures, Daltex, Nuwa Capital, and others to launch its digital agronomy assistant, Orth. Orth uses satellite monitoring, predictive analytics, and conversational AI to help farmers cut costs and improve yields, claiming efficiency gains of more than 20%. The platform will debut at Fruit Attraction in Madrid from September 30th to October 2nd, 2025.
Anna:
Furthermore, SwarmFarm Robotics, the Queensland-based company, raised 30 million Australian dollars in Series B, led by Edaphon with $7 million from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. SwarmFarm's autonomous SwarmBots can reduce herbicide use by up to 95% and cut fuel emissions by 35%. The new capital will fund North American expansion and further development of its open ecosystem of farming attachments. Moreover, Helios AI closed a $4.7 million seed round led by Collide Capital to support its growth and the rollout of Helios Horizon. The platform covers 75 plus commodities, offering forecasts on prices, climate, and supply risks, with instant reports available on demand. Starting at $299 per month, it is designed to make advanced analytics accessible to small and mid-sized businesses. The investment highlights investor confidence in the company's approach to democratizing food supply chain insights.
Anna:
In plant science and agribusiness, Cibus reported strong results from U.S. field trials of its second-generation herbicide tolerance HT2 Canola. The crop, developed using its Rapid Trait Development System, is designed to improve weed control while reducing herbicide use. Results build on earlier greenhouse tests and highlight Cibus' focus on sustainable crop innovation. In other corporate news, Corteva announced plans to separate into two companies by late 2026. New Corteva will focus on crop protection and biologicals, projecting $7.8 billion in 2025 sales. SpinCo will concentrate on seed innovation, with expected 2025 sales of $9.9 billion. The spin-off is intended to be tax-free for shareholders and is subject to regulatory approvals, with details to be shared in an October 1st investor call.
Anna:
Meanwhile, NRGene, in partnership with Philoseeds, began commercial sales of tomato seeds with high resistance to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus ToBRFV. Trials in Switzerland and Canada showed consistent performance and high fruit quality. The resistance trait has been licensed to seed companies in Europe, South Africa, and the U.S., aiming to address widespread production losses in greenhouses. On the investment front, WisdomTree completed its $275 million acquisition of Ceres Partners, with an additional $225 million earnout possible by 2030. The deal marks WisdomTree's entry into private markets, offering investors diversified exposure to farmland. Ceres' platform is expected to expand opportunities in areas such as solar leasing, AI infrastructure, and water rights.
Anna:
Similarly, SVG Ventures, alongside Kagome Co., invested $50 million through the Sunrise Agri Fund in EF Polymer. The Okinawa-founded company develops biodegradable, plant-based polymers that help farmers conserve water and withstand drought. EF Polymer, active in Japan and India, plans to scale its sustainable solutions internationally to address climate-driven challenges. Shifting focus to research initiatives, Silal and Limagrain Vegetable Seeds have partnered to establish the Center of Excellence for Abiotic Resilience and Crop Genomics ARC-GEN at the Silal Innovation Oasis in Al Ain. The center will focus on developing crops that can withstand heat, drought, and salinity, while advancing research in crop genomics. Two research units will drive the work: Plant Physiology, studying stress responses and seed adaptability, and Gene Editing, applying techniques to enhance crop traits.
Anna:
In CEA developments, Greeneration, the Dubai-based vertical farm founded by Roman Ulyanov, has teamed up with Harvest IQ to strengthen local food security. The partnership combines Greeneration's premium crop supply with Harvest IQ's distribution expertise. The focus is on delivering specialty crops day-of-harvest to high-end restaurants and hotels, supporting both sustainability and the regional culinary supply chain. Elsewhere in automation, Burro is scaling up its Burro Grande robots at Petitti Family Farms in Ohio, growing the fleet from 10 to 25 units by the end of 2025. The robots currently tow heavy loads and will soon add autonomous spraying to ease labor pressures. With 4,000 production acres and millions of plants shipped annually, Petitti Farm highlights the robots' quick adoption by workers and significant productivity gains. The partnership is seen as a model for blending skilled labor with automation to address workforce shortages and improve profitability. Finally, Area 2 Farms secured $9 million in funding led by Slow Ventures and Seven Seven Six, with ANIMO Ventures also participating. The company runs soil-based indoor farms that shorten food supply chains and broaden crop diversity. Its pilot site in Arlington, Virginia, has delivered 20,000 plus harvests to over 1,000 customers, with new farms planned in Fairfax. Long-term, the goal is to establish farms within 10 miles of every U.S. household, supporting resilience and access to fresh food.
Anna:
In other news, Evfarmer commits 40 million U.S. dollars to support Sierra Leone's agricultural sector. Investment to focus on staple, cash, and specialty crops, alongside new technologies. Initiative expected to create jobs and strengthen rural economies. Plan includes development of a full agricultural ecosystem from production to sales. Verra has verified the AgreenaCarbon Project, supported by Agricarbon's soil data. The project is the first large-scale arable agriculture initiative to achieve verification. Verification has resulted in the release of 2.3 million carbon credits. Agricarbon contributed soil samples and analysis from across Europe.
Anna:
FoodChain ID and Agmatix form a strategic partnership to accelerate adoption of regenerative agriculture. Collaboration combines certification credibility with data-driven agronomic intelligence. FoodChain's clients gain access to Agmatix's RegenIQ AI-powered model. Agmatix clients can pursue FoodChain ID's Regenerative Agriculture Certification. KhetiBuddy has rebranded as Verdnt, reflecting its mission to deliver smarter, more sustainable insights for agri-businesses. The new identity emphasizes data-driven decision-making, sustainability, and global expansion. Verdnt integrates data from across the crop cycle from tractors and sensors to satellites and weather stations. The brand draws inspiration from the word verdant, symbolizing growth, sustainability, and resilience.
Anna:
Looking ahead to upcoming industry events, mark your calendars for AgraME from October 6th to 7th, 2025 in Dubai. Following that, Vertical Farming World Congress will take place from October 7th to 9th, 2025 in Amsterdam. Then we have Reuters Events: Transform Food and Agriculture USA 2025. Finally, don't miss Saudi Agriculture from October 20th to 23rd, 2025 in Riyadh, KSA.
Anna:
That wraps up today's episode of AgTech Digest. We explored the latest developments in agricultural technology. From new accelerator platforms and AI-powered agronomy tools to significant funding in robotics and supply chain analytics, it's clear that the agtech sector is making strides in sustainability and innovation. With significant funding rounds totaling over $400 million and impactful partnerships advancing crop resilience and controlled environment agriculture, the future of agriculture is shaping up to be smarter and more sustainable than ever before. Thanks for joining me, I'm Anna, signing off. Stay inspired and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible!
