Space exploration ‘crucial’ for future of agriculture
Designing food systems for astronauts can help promote sustainable agriculture on the earth, specialists believe
Indoor & vertical farming
Spanish vertical farmer Néboda repels ‘tough market’ with €1.84m raise
Tackling the sector’s “biggest challenge” of cost competitiveness was key to closing a funding round to consolidate its pre-industrial vertical farming model, the start-up says
Sector crises illustrate curse of ‘tech looking for the problem’
What explains the troubles facing Dutch plant health start-up Plense Technologies, which is winding down, and French robotics firm Naïo Technologies, which has entered receivership?
Dutch horticulture eyes tech to sustain its market grip
The Netherlands is a global leader in horticulture, ranking as the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural products after the US
New tech promises to bring new crops to once unsuitable arid regions
Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) claim to have discovered new cooling technology that can enhance crop yields and introduce new crops to arid regions like Saudi Arabia at affordable costs
Swedish start-up set to spice up indoor saffron farming
BlueRedGold’s plans to build the ‘world’s first scalable indoor saffron cultivation system’ have been boosted after picking up investment of €2.73 million
Freshwater alternative: Why seafood may be more suitable for saline aquaponics than crops
Saline aquaponics could help lift pressure on freshwater seafood and crop sources, but the system is constrained by plant salt tolerance levels, new data reveals.
Vertical farming: Planet Farms celebrates UK listing amid sector struggles
Italian Planet Farms has launched its vertically salads into British supermarket Waitrose, the first time its products are available in the UK. What are the reasons behind the company’s success?
Singapore’s nascent indoor farming sector stunted by downstream distribution challenges
The founder of a Singapore hydroponics start-up says local indoor farming industry has stalled as growers overlook the importance of having a key distribution partner.
South Korea eyes Middle East as key market for agtech exports
South Korea’s upcoming new smart farm complex in Saudi Arabia highlights the Middle East’s importance as a key export market for its agtech sector.
Vertical farmer Jones Food Company enters administration
UK vertical farming operator Jones Food Company has entered administration, marking the cessation of its operations.
Plenty’s plight highlights need for new funding models in vertical farming
As Plenty becomes the latest CEA company to experience struggles, experts warn of the perils of overreliance on VC funding
Square Roots Japan gives traditional farmers a stake in CEA future
Square Roots Japan is working with farmers to develop “golden recipes” for indoor farming in an attempt to preserve the country’s farming heritage with the benefits of technology.
Plant breeding for CEA: Can innovation be fast-tracked to boost yields and quality?
New plant-breeding techniques offer huge opportunities to scale controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and make new products profitable, but greater industry, academic and policymaker buy-in is needed for success.
Dutch horticultural suppliers join forces to tackle global labour shortage challenge
ISO Horti, which supplies robotics and automation to the horticultural sector and TTA, which supplies transplanting and sorting solutions, are merging under the name TTA-ISO as labour shortages in the industry push the need for increased automation to...
In the greenhouse: BrightFarms demonstrates long-term prospects for indoor ag
BrightFarms' aggressive manufacturing expansion is demonstrating that indoor agriculture can be done at scale, providing consumers fresh produce year-round
Renewable energy adoption a ‘critical challenge’ for indoor agriculture
With energy efficiency paramount, the integration of renewable technology is now a key concern for the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) sector, according to a new report by the advisory firm Agritecture. So why aren’t more growers using renewables?
‘We were lean, mean and scrappy’ – what do successful vertical farms look like today?
We can’t ignore the failures, but vertical farm operators are finding success by focussing on high-value crops that command a price premium within niche markets.
Country profile
UAE: Small country, big plans
Despite some doubts about its usefulness and the motivations behind it, the UAE is showing no sign of slowing down its grand plan to transform its food system.
Does TIME’s best invention list mark a shift in how the world views agtech?
Agtech companies are celebrating recognition in TIME magazine’s best inventions for 2024. Does it mark a turning point in wider perceptions of the industry?
Scientists are learning to help tomatoes beat the heat
By studying tomato varieties in exceptionally hot growing seasons, biologists at Brown University have identified the growth cycle phase when tomatoes are most vulnerable to extreme heat, as well as the mechanisms that make the plants more heat tolerant.
What does Bowery’s closure tell us about the future of vertical farming?
Bowery Farming may not be the last vertical farming company to fail before the sector begins a period of more stable scaling and growth.
Smart lighting key to future-proofing vertical farming, say scientists
Using dynamic environmental control or manipulating light according to the needs of specific crops could make them grow stronger and healthier in an indoor setting while minimising energy use, according to new research.
How AI can slash indoor farming energy use
Integrating artificial intelligence into today’s environmental control systems could reduce energy consumption for indoor agriculture by 25% – potentially helping to feed the world as its population rises, Cornell University engineers have found.
Has the environmental case for vertical farming just been stacked up?
Growing lettuce vertically could be as good for the environment as growing them in fields and could save 8,000 hectares of land in the UK, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Aberdeen.
Strawberry yields forever? The impact of high temperatures on strawberries
Strawberries are one of a wide range of crops impacted by the high temperatures of climate change.
US vertical farmer Plenty to expand in the Middle East
Plenty is forming a joint venture with Mawarid, a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, in a US$680 million deal to develop a network of indoor farms across Gulf Cooperation Council member countries over the next five years.
US vertical farmers unveil their most technologically advanced facilities yet
Soli Organic and Oishii have both revealed details of new vertical farming operations.
Iyris gets $16m to scale tech for ‘underserved’ growers in harsh conditions
Iyris (formerly RedSea), which helps growers in the most difficult farming environments around the world to increase crop yields, reduce input costs and risk, and extend growing seasons, has completed a $16 million Series A fundraise. Now, the hard work...
Global ag is ‘dishearteningly under-optimised’: Hexafarms gets €1.3m to digitise indoor farming
Hexafarms, a start-up which develops software for indoor commercial food production, has announced the successful close of a €1.3 million pre-Seed funding round led by leading European early-stage investors Speedinvest with participation from Mudcake and...
New approach to cultivar selection needed to maximise lettuce production in greenhouse vertical farming
Lettuce cultivars should be selected for their ability to thrive under varying light conditions in order to maximise production in vertical farming, say researchers in Thailand.
Forget food... is indoor farming better placed to disrupt the supplements sector?
AgTechNavigator spoke to Stephan Dolezalek, managing partner at investor Grosvenor Food & AgTech, for his views on the prospects for the indoor farming sector. One of them: the opportunity to grow premium products to address specific nutrient and health...
Let there be dark: Square Roots on why it’s farming without light
US indoor farmer Square Roots is growing plants in the dark using gene edited (CRISPR) technology. The move could make indoor farming significantly more viable and sustainable, especially in low and middle-income countries, by reducing energy needs and...
Meet the seven start-ups tasked with reshaping agri-food in Cambodia
Seven disruptive start-ups have been selected to drive agri-food innovation and economic growth in the country, offering innovative solutions to enhance the agrifood value chain, improve commercial exchanges, and introduce high-value crops.
VC investment
Agtech's ‘great reset’ continues, data reveals
PitchBook’s latest Q1 2024 Agtech Report indicates a market undergoing a correction, with the wheat being separated from the chaff. Some sectors are hotter than others, meanwhile.
UV light signalling: the next frontier in plant science?
New Zealand-based BioLumic uses ultraviolet (UV) light to boost the growth, yield, and quality of various crops, including corn, soybeans, lettuce and cannabis. It is now bringing its tech to ryegrass in an attempt to manage the country’s notorious...
science shorts
Agtech Aha! Moments: From testing the world's first unmanned forestry machine to cultured beef rice
Our round-up of the latest research from institutions and universities across the globe looks at the world’s first unmanned machine designed for autonomous forestry operations, while Korean scientists have successfully developed ‘cultured beef rice’,...
Agri Trend Tracker: From BioConsortia’s latest US$15mn to Bayer’s data analysis to verify carbon reductions
Our 360-degree look at the latest developments from across the globe takes in the news that gene-editing start-up BioConsortia has secured US$15 million, while a UK-based spinout is set to accelerate efforts to help palm tree farmers improve yields.
World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit Roundup
Agtech investment: Time to just forget the glory days of 2021?
Over the last 18 months there has been a notable shift in investor sentiment within the agtech sector, with the recent economic downturn casting a long shadow over the entrepreneurial landscape. Are we going to hell in a handcart? Is this an opportune...
Innovation insider
Japan wants to promote smart agriculture, fast
Agri-tech spend is lagging in the land of the rising sun. But amid the looming threats of depopulation and ageing, the government is looking to new styles of agriculture that can boost productivity, sustainability and strengthen national food security....
Water now a major risk for world’s supply chains, report warns
New analysis provides a unique insight into how some of the world’s largest brands are grappling with water issues.
Can growing planes really cure vertical farming’s growing pains?
While all vertical farms may seem to grow vertically at first glance, the fact is, they don’t. Most companies are growing on flat, stacked planes, which will lead to more failures in the space in the months and years to come, according to Nate Storey,...
The World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit: The world’s biggest and best agtech show
With over 2,500 delegates and 70+ start-ups attending World Agri-Tech from 40 countries, all eager to expand their network and forge new partnerships, this year’s event is shaping up to be a memorable event.
Oishii raises $134m in turbulent time for vertical farms to expand production, distribution & its portfolio
Vertical farm Oishii, known for its premium strawberries and more recently a high-end tomato, is building out a larger, more sustainable facility that will increase its production capacity by “multiple folds” with the help of a $134m Series B fundraise...
Meet the Iraqi start-ups hoping to futureproof a drought-hit sector
The Agriculture Innovation Hackathon was hosted in Mosul earlier this month, as an agriculture sector beset by desertification turns to the power of technology to overcome the challenges faced by farmers.
‘Putting vertical farming and profitability into the same sentence for the first time’: Jones Food Company unveils second facility
The UK-based vertical farmer has opened its second vertical farm, JFC2, near Lydney in Gloucestershire.
Innovation Insider: India
Market fragmentation hampers India agtech but public-private alignment brings hope
India's agtech sector is witnessing significant developments driven by government policies, changing investor landscapes and a growing focus on sustainability. However, market fragmentation is dampening its ability to scale up, with challenges...
AGTECH INVESTOR PROFILE
Are we at the dawn of African agri-tech innovation?
The continent’s agtech sector is rife with challenges but the potential rewards are huge, Sherief Kesseba, managing partner at Climate Resilient Africa Fund (CRAF), tells AgTechNavigator.
AgTech Investor Profile
Eatable Adventures on how technology can solve the ageing farmer timebomb
Agtech innovation is playing a critical role in addressing food security and environmental challenges. But it is also key to cracking the problem of an ageing farmer population threatening global agriculture, says Eatable Adventures founder and CEO José...
Food from urban agriculture has carbon footprint 6 times larger than conventional produce, study shows
Most urban farms are decidedly low-tech such crops grown in soil on open-air plots. But owing to infrastructure, supplies such as fertiliser and irrigation water, they have a higher carbon footprint than conventionally grown produce, claims new research.