Agtech startup iFarm bags $4M to help vertical farms grow more tasty stuff

Vertical farming technology provider iFarm has bagged a $4 million seed round, led by Gagarin Capital, an earlier investor in the startup. Other investors in the round include Matrix Capital, Impulse VC, IMI.VC and several business angels. The Finnish startup is focused on providing software that enables others to carry out vertical farming — targeting […]

Minneapolis-based VC shop Bread & Butter focuses on its own backyard

While many investors say sheltering in place has broadened their appetite for funding companies located outside major hubs, one firm is doubling down on backing startups in America’s heartland. Launched in 2016 by Brett Bohl, The Syndicate Fund rebranded to Bread & Butter Ventures earlier this month (a reference to one of Minnesota’s many nicknames). […]

European VC firm Pale Blue Dot plans to fund 40 ‘planet-positive’ startups

Pale Blue Dot, a newly outed European venture capital firm focused on climate tech, announced this week the first closing of its debut fund at €53 million. Targeting pre-seed and seed stage startups, the firm says it will consider software and technology investments with a strong positive climate impact. Current areas of focus include food/agriculture, […]

Advice For Higher-Yielding Agriculture Startups

Sunflower trial With interest and investment in food and agriculture startups reaching record levels, new entrepreneurs are entering this important sector, bringing fresh ideas and perspectives on how best to feed the world. While numerous opportunities exist to make a difference in this space, I’ve noticed some common pitfalls for new entrants. Read More

How RFID Delivers Big Data On Cows And Milk Production

 We know that big data has been used in retail, healthcare and finance, but you might be surprised to find out that it also helps farmers with dairy production. This practice, called precision dairy farming, involves the use of technology such as …

Hackathon Challenges Developers To Make A Difference In Ag

IMG_4991 Drought one year. Flooding the next. If we’ve learned anything in the agriculture industry in recent years, it’s that climate change and extreme weather patterns are the new reality — and all of us have to plan accordingly to help ensure the safety of our food supply. Developers included. Read More

The California Drought And Standards Of IoT

Plant struggling for life in drought land The Internet of Things (IoT) has a remote control problem — devices are operating independently with no knowledge of each other’s existence. Even systems that are supposed to work together don’t do so easily. We need a digital age of enlightenment and openness to unleash the full potential of the IoT. This means standardizing cross-device and multi-platform communication,… Read More

The Other Ag Sector Problem That Big Data Can Solve

Filling a high clearance sprayer with chemical and water with proper safety equipment The average city-poke thinks about farm labor as the last of a dying breed of worker — replaced by $700,000 combines and all sorts of fancy technology that enables a farmer to do more than granddad imagined, and with little dust or manure involved. Things have changed. What has not changed is the need for farm worker management and safety. Read More

The State Of Agtech

farming Since the beginning of modern agriculture, farmers and entrepreneurs alike have been sharpening their focus and looking at ways to apply technology to compensate for the mercurial behavior of Mother Nature and the vagaries of food prices and government policies. Now, in the second millennium, we are challenged in new ways to increase productivity while minimizing inputs, managing costs and… Read More

Spurring Investments And Innovation In Agriculture

The federal government is often criticized by Silicon Valley for being outdated and slow to react to cutting-edge technologies. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture is striving to shed old-school labels, making swift strides in the past year to accelerate some of the innovative technologies combating the country’s water and ag-related resource issues. Read More