The AgFunder GROW Impact Accelerator has unveiled the eight startups chosen to participate in its fifth cohort, which kicked off yesterday, May 14, 2024. This year saw Singapore-based agrifoodtech ecosystem builder GROW attract the highest-quality applicant pool in the accelerator’s history, with applications received from 74 countries and half the cohort led by women.
This time around, the program’s focus is on closing the gap between the planet’s finite resources and 2030’s sustainable development goals, as well as finding agrifoodtech innovation at a time when funding rounds are few and far between for many.
To that end, this year’s cohort companies include everything from food safety and functional ingredients to precision agriculture and carbon management.
Chosen founders will receive a $100,000 cash investment from AgFunder along with introductions to its global network of co-investors, and mentorship and support from Singapore-based GROW over a six-month period.
The hybrid program allows founders to grow from their home markets while also including in-person visits to connect them to both Singapore’s agrifoodtech ecosystem and other entrepreneurs.
The 2024 AgFunder GROW Impact Accelerator cohort:
BioDefense (Singapore) makes an edible coating called BioShield that increases the shelf life of meat, fish and seafood. The extended life provides meat and seafood supply chains and consumers more time to buy and sell these products, reducing overall food waste.
Bluemethane (UK) is developing a product to capture methane from water and repurpose it as bioenergy. The startup is beginning with wastewater treatment and eventually plans to scale to reservoirs, rice cultivation and natural bodies of water.
eFeed (India) offers precision animal management technology that uses AI models to build recommendations around feeding in order to maintain yields while reducing methane emissions. The company says it has trained its AI models on over 100,000 animal data points to date.
Fashol (Singapore) addresses the fragmented agrifood supply chain with an agribusiness platform that connects farmers to buyers, customers and capital. The company aims to simplify the agrifood system, stabilize food prices and reduce food waste.
Plantik (France) is developing technologies for engineering plants to make them more climate resilient in a shorter amount of time than is typical. Its pipeline tool is scalable to different plant species.
SAYeTECH (USA) designs and manufactures smart agricultural machinery including multi-crop threshers and grain cleaners powered by IoT. The company aims to reduce post-harvest losses for farmers and boost efficiency through the ag supply chain.
Sylvarum (USA) is a deep-tech startup specializing in plant electrostimulation technology to boost crop metabolism and improve yields. Its first product is an electrostimulation system applicable to tomato plants growing in greenhouses.
Vivagran (Spain) is a biotech company making and commercializing a novel cereal species called Tritordeum. The plant is a cross between durum wheat and a wild relative of barley, and can be used as a high-value ingredient in baking, malting and feed.
The AgFunder GROW Impact Accelerator launched in 2019 with the aim of supporting the growth of emerging technologies in the agrifood space while strengthening their efforts towards sustainability. The six-month program will culminate in a demo day in Singapore on November 21 during Singapore International Agri-Food Week.
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