TerraBlaster raises $12.5m seed to map soil nutrients in real time
· Funding · North America
Ulu Ventures leads a $12.5 million seed round for the Mars-derived laser soil sensor that replaces lab cores with 0.15-acre prescription maps.
Latest AgTech & Precision Agriculture News
Daily coverage of agtech funding, robotics, sensors, precision agriculture startups, and sustainable farming technology. Expert analysis by Dirk Vandenhirtz drawing on decades of industry experience.
Covering: regenerative agriculture, carbon credits in agriculture, ESG compliance, climate-smart farming, IoT sensors, autonomous tractors, AI crop monitoring, and agrivoltaics.
Topics: AgTech Insights | Tech News | Deal Flow | Patent Portfolio | AgTech Consulting
Latest AgTech news articles
BASF invests €15m in Limburgerhof Climate Center for crop-protection research
· Sustainability · Germany
BASF is building a new €15 million Climate Center at its Agricultural Solutions headquarters to support global crop-protection registrations.
Solar Foods passes €100m total funding as Factory 02 enters final design
· Funding · Finland
The Finnish precision-fermentation company has topped €100 million in total funding while its second commercial-scale plant enters final design.
atNorth to heat Danish greenhouse complex with surplus data-centre warmth
· CEA / Vertical Farming · Denmark
atNorth and Selected Group will redirect surplus data-centre heat into a large-scale Danish greenhouse for year-round produce.
Ranchbot closes over US$15m Series B and sets up US holding company
· Precision Ag · Australia / United States
The livestock-water monitoring company raised a Series B above US$15 million and formed a US holding company to accelerate global growth.
Italian startup Aflabox closes €1.35m seed for 90-second aflatoxin scanner
· Precision Ag · Italy
Sassuolo-based Aflabox raised €1.35 million to scale its portable scanner that detects aflatoxin in grain within 90 seconds.
China launches essentially derived variety system covering its first ten crops
· Policy · China
China's agriculture ministry published an EDV implementation framework covering ten crops, building on 2025 Seed Law amendments.
Dutch herb grower says AI-guided Ullmanna hoe will pay for itself within years
· Robotics · Netherlands
A Dutch herb farm reports strong weeding results and roughly €65,000 in labour savings from an AI-powered intra-row hoe.
InsectBiotech raises €7.2m to build black soldier fly plant in Andalusia
· Funding · Spain
The Spanish insect-protein producer secured €7.2 million from Arcano Partners and international investors to scale up its Andalusian facility.
Silvec deploys RNA virus-vector therapy against citrus greening in Florida groves
· Biologicals · United States
Maryland-based Silvec uses a modified virus to trigger antimicrobial defences in citrus trees, with commercial availability planned for 2028.
Hamburg's AquaNab secures Nordic Foodtech VC backing for nanoantibody sea-lice therapy
· Biologicals · Germany
The German biotech raised undisclosed funding from Nordic Foodtech VC to advance alpaca-derived nanoantibodies delivered through fish feed against sea lice.
BioHarvest signs 20-tonne plant-cell fragrance supply deal worth $20–30m
· Biologicals · Canada / Israel
BioHarvest Sciences signed an exclusive manufacturing and supply agreement for cell-cultured fragrance material with a UAE-based customer, anticipating $20–30 million in revenue.
EFSA declares BASF's GM RF3 Brassica juncea canola safe for import
· Policy · European Union
EFSA's GMO Panel found BASF's RF3 canola-quality Brassica juncea as safe and nutritionally equivalent as conventional varieties, clearing it for import and processing in the EU.
Heineken UK pays farmers premiums to shift malting barley to regenerative systems
· Sustainability · United Kingdom
Heineken UK launched a regenerative malting barley programme with partners across England and Scotland, targeting nearly half of its 2027 barley supply.
AquaSpy rebrands as UnderGround Weather and launches AI soil-intelligence engine
· Precision Ag · United States
The company unveiled the UnderGround Weather Reporter, billed as the world's first AI soil-intelligence reporting engine, alongside its new name.
Novonesis moves to acquire remaining stake in Australian yeast specialist MicroBioGen
· Biologicals · Denmark / Australia
Copenhagen-based Novonesis agreed to buy out the remaining shares of Australian yeast biotech MicroBioGen to strengthen its yeast R&D capabilities.
Mitti Labs raises $9.5m Series A led by Aramco Ventures for climate-smart rice
· AgTech AI · India
The Indian agtech's GeoAI platform now supports alternate wetting and drying across 100,000 smallholder rice farmers as total funding reaches $12.5 million.
BioScout raises A$6.75m for AI early-warning system against airborne fungal spores
· AgTech AI · Australia
The Sydney startup will use the funding to expand into Europe and grow its sensor fleet fourfold by 2029.
Plantible raises $35m in debt and equity to quintuple RuBisCO protein output
· Funding · United States
The Texas company plans to raise annual RuBisCO protein capacity fivefold to over 1,000 metric tons after a new lemna strain lifted yields by over 40%.
AgXeed launches retrofit control units that make existing tractors autonomous
· Robotics · Netherlands
The Dutch company's new Vehicle and Tool Control Units let existing tractors and implements run autonomously via ISOBUS TIM and its TraXwise platform.
Ambrook lands $30m Series B for AI financial software serving US farms
· Funding · United States
Denver-based Ambrook raised a $30 million Series B led by Lachy Groom to expand its AI-native financial management platform for American farms and independent businesses.
Limagrain licenses Qi Biodesign genome-editing technologies worldwide for crop breeding
· Biologicals · France / China
Limagrain signed a worldwide licensing agreement with Beijing-based Qi Biodesign for CRISPR nuclease technology and future genome-editing tools for field and vegetable crop breeding.
KAUST team inserts large DNA sequences into plant genomes without creating breaks
· Biologicals · Saudi Arabia
Researchers at KAUST reported a genome-engineering method that inserts large DNA sequences at targeted plant genome sites without cutting the DNA, demonstrated in rice and tobacco.
UK opens £20m farm robotics competition under the Farming Innovation Programme
· Policy · United Kingdom
Defra and Innovate UK launched a £20 million competition for robotic and automated farming technologies, now extended to livestock, forestry and ornamental horticulture.
Belgian firm Hands On Tech brings Chinese CyanForce laser weeder to the Benelux
· Robotics · Belgium
Tubize-based Hands On Tech will assemble and sell the CyanForce laser weeder, which uses 150-watt CO2 lasers and AI detection, across the Benelux from late 2026 or early 2027.
Vertical farming pioneer 80 Acres Farms winds down after failing to raise capital
· CEA / Vertical Farming · United States
80 Acres Farms is shutting down its indoor vegetable operations after CEO Mike Zelkind said the company could not secure the capital needed to continue.
Quercus Biosolutions raises $5M for AI-designed crop-protection proteins
· Biologicals · United States
The US biologicals startup closed an oversubscribed $5 million seed round led by Serra Ventures to advance generative-AI-designed mini-proteins for crop protection.
Upstream Biotechnology closes seed round for on-demand crop defence
· Biologicals · United States
The North Carolina plant-biotechnology company raised an undisclosed seed financing led by LeVert Ventures to advance its SwitchBlade platform.
Wild Bioscience acquires F1 Seed to create integrated UK wheat-breeding business
· Biologicals · United Kingdom
The Oxford University spinout has bought independent wheat breeder F1 Seed, combining AI-led trait discovery with an established UK breeding pipeline. Terms were not disclosed.
Octopusbot raises more than $1M and expands its partnership with Elders
· AgTech AI · Australia
The Sydney-based crop-forecasting startup secured its first external round from Folklore Ventures and No Brand, and is building new decision-support products with Elders.
Phytokana closes $25M offering for Alberta pulse-protein facility
· Funding · Canada
Phytokana Ingredients completed a $25 million unit offering that provides the equity needed to move towards a final investment decision on its Strathmore plant.
Moa Technology raises £22.2M Series C for new herbicide modes of action
· Biologicals · United Kingdom
The Oxford University spinout closed a £22.2 million Series C co-led by Oxford Science Enterprises and Supernova Invest to advance its three most mature herbicide programmes.
BugBiome wins £500K to develop bioinsecticide for oilseed rape
· Biologicals · United Kingdom
The UK agri-biotech startup secured a £500,000 Innovate UK grant for a 24-month project targeting cabbage stem flea beetle.
FireHawk Bioherbicide raises $5.6M for US and Australian expansion
· Biologicals · United States / Australia
Contact BioSolutions completed a $5.6 million capital raise through the conversion of options, with more than 98% participation.
Q2 AgTech investment reaches $2.0B as M&A exits accelerate
· Funding · Global
CropLife's Q2 2026 review counted 158 startups raising roughly $2.0 billion - capital up 6% quarter-on-quarter despite a 3% fall in deal volume.
Rize raises $31M to scale low-emission rice farming in Southeast Asia
· Sustainability · Southeast Asia
The Singapore-based company closed a $31 million Series B of $20 million equity and $11 million debt, with BNP Paribas Asset Management Alts leading the equity.
Mandrake Bio raises ₹16 crore for AI-designed gene-editing enzymes
· AgTech AI · India
The Bengaluru-based startup closed a round co-led by Activate and Antler India to apply generative AI to programmable gene-editing enzymes.
Nanovel secures €2.5M EIC grant for autonomous citrus harvesting
· Robotics · Israel
The Israeli AgTech company received a €2.5 million non-dilutive EIC Accelerator grant and was selected as a candidate for up to €4.3 million in EIC equity.
Syngenta and Groundwork BioAg partner on biologicals and soil-carbon credits
· Sustainability · Global
The strategic partnership covers mycorrhiza-based crop products and agricultural soil-carbon programmes, initially in Latin America and Europe.
Optiflux raises €2.5M for AI-powered fruit-quality management
· AgTech AI · Belgium
The KU Leuven spinout raised €2.5 million from Agri Investment Fund, LAVA, LRM and the Gemma Frisius Fund.
Dogtooth Technologies secures more than £14M for robotic fruit harvesting
· Robotics · United Kingdom
The UK robotics company assembled a package of equity, Innovate UK grants and a venture-leasing facility to expand deployment of its harvesting robots.
Aardaia raises €5M to develop new crops from wild plants
· Biologicals · Netherlands
The Wageningen-based startup closed a €5 million seed round led by Point Nine to domesticate wild plant species - starting with the aardaker tuber.
Amazon invests in Brazil's GranBio to scale waste-to-jet-fuel technology
· Sustainability · Brazil
Amazon backed Brazilian biotech GranBio, which converts forestry residue and construction debris into sustainable aviation fuel, as part of its Climate Pledge.
The Protein Brewery raises $20.5M Series B extension despite FDA GRAS setback
· Biologicals · Netherlands
Dutch precision-fermentation protein maker The Protein Brewery closed a $20.5M Series B extension, saying a recent FDA GRAS setback for its Fermotein ingredient won't derail its US plans.
Resurrect Bio and Bejo target spinach downy mildew in new crop-immunity push
· Biologicals · United Kingdom
UK biotech Resurrect Bio signed a joint development deal with vegetable breeder Bejo, applying its AI-driven trait-discovery platform to spinach downy mildew.
Y Combinator's Summer 2026 batch backs 21 agriculture startups
· AgTech AI · Global
YC's latest cohort includes GrazeMate, whose autonomous drones herd cattle on command, and Molagri, developing precision biopesticides that spare pollinators.
Bayer consolidates its US glyphosate business into new entity Ruveon
· Policy · United States
Bayer is spinning its US glyphosate crop-protection business into a standalone unit operating as Ruveon, based in St. Louis.
White House executive order expands regenerative agriculture and precision-farming support
· Policy · United States
President Trump signed an executive order directing USDA to significantly boost funding for regenerative agriculture practices, research and its Regenerative Pilot Program.
Stenon raises €18M Series B to fight fertilizer price shocks with real-time soil data
· Precision Ag · Germany
Potsdam-based Stenon closed an €18M (~$20.5M) Series B led by impact investor Pymwymic to scale its portable soil-analysis sensor.
Sabanto and Verdant Robotics integrate for fully autonomous precision spraying
· Robotics · United States
Sabanto's autonomy retrofit system now communicates directly with Verdant Robotics' SharpShooter via CAN bus, letting cab-free tractors identify and spray individual plants and weeds.