As part of AgFunder’s role in funding startups in food and agriculture, we have become a leading intelligence source for the sector.
As well as providing daily news coverage through AgFunderNews, we publish periodic research on trends shaping the future of food and agriculture. Our widely-cited research includes investment reports on venture capital funding to foodtech and agtech startups, emerging market agrifoodtech and climate trends, country deep-dives, and resource guides for startups.
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Global agrifoodtech showed some signs of recovery in 2024, reaching $16 billion in funding, just a 4% drop from 2023. Increased investment in developed markets such as the US and the Netherlands, and developing nations like India, hint at better days to come. But no one’s out of the woods yet.
It was another record-breaking year for European Agri-FoodTech as investment reached $3.4bn in 2019, a 70% jump on 2018. That growth was consistent across upstream and downstream innovation investment as investors became more comfortable with the industry overall.
Europe also increased it’s slice of the global agri-foodtech pie accounting for 17% of the global total, up from under 10% in 2018. Key categories featured in this special collaboration with F&A Next include Novel Farming Systems, eGrocery, robotics on the farm and in the supply chain, and Innovative Food, including alternative protein.
Farm Tech startup investment has grown 370% since 2013, reaching $4.7bn in 2019 across 695 deals. That consistent growth bucks global venture capital investment trends across sectors where funding dropped year-over-year in 2019. It also bucks the trend for investment in agri-foodtech — innovation across the food supply chain — where investment levels have been more volatile over the years.
Foodtech and agtech startups raised $19.8bn in venture funding across 1858 deals. Following on from a record-breaking 2018, that’s a 4.8% decline year-over-year in dollar terms and 15% by number of deals. But there were some clear bright spots with a 1.3% increase in funding to startups operating upstream — on the farm and in the supply chain — as they raised $7.6bn, posting the highest levels of record during any H2 on record.
In this report released by Idea2Scale and AgFunder, 50 Food & AgTech investors across the globe were surveyed on the categories and geographies they’re most excited about, as well as the key challenges of investing in the space internationally and at home.
Money Where Our Mouths Are (MWOMA) is the first-ever investigation into the funding disparities between female and male founders in the Agri-FoodTech industry. This report raises important questions, highlights the gaps through data and testimonials, and establishes a framework for next steps.
In this inaugural European food tech and agtech startup report in collaboration with F&A Next, we detail the $1.6bn of funding across 421 deals. While this was on par with the total in 2017, there was 23% growth in the number of deals and the majority of activity took place at the earliest stages.
With our partner Start-Up Nation Central, we released the first-ever Israel AgriFood Tech Investing Report, with a review of the last five years of investment in tech startups innovating for the food & agriculture industries. The report details nearly $800m of investment across 278 deals. Israel has produced some of the industry’s most mature and innovative startups, particularly upstream closer to the farmer, although its food technology industry is growing rapidly.
AgriFood Tech startups, those innovating all the way from farm-to-fork, raised $16.9 billion in 2018, a 43% year-over-year increase, in-line with the overall VC market globally. In contrast to all VC industries there was an 11% increase in deal activity, particularly at the seed stage where levels have contracted in other industries. While the US still dominates the sector, China, India and Brazil contributed some of the year’s largest deals.
India AgriFood Startups raised $1.66 billion between 2013 and 2017 with investment from a mix of major global venture capital investors, multinational tech corporations, impact investors and dedicated agrifood funds. The demands of a growing middle class and a broken supply chain drove much of the innovation and investment during the period, while upstream, farm tech startups, picked up steam in the latter years.
The Netherlands is a modern world agri-food vision, 185th the size of Australia but producing 810 times more export earnings per hectare and nearly three times more agri-food export earnings. This report delves into ways Australia’s agrifood sector can learn from the Dutch.
AgriFood Tech startups, innovating from farm-to-fork, raised $10.1 billion in 2017, a 29% year-over-year increase. Mirroring the global VC markets, there was a considerable decline in deal flow (-17%) mostly due to a large contraction in seed stage funding. Agrifood tech is maturing, but a loss of activity at the seed stage doesn’t bode well for years to come.
AgriFood Tech startups, innovating from farm-to-fork, raised $4.4 billion in H1-2017, a 6% year-over-year increase. Mirroring the global VC markets, a few ‘mega deals’ drove the funding increase, as well as some maturation in the sector. But the number of deals declined 27% to 369 during the same period.
Agribusinesses are unsure how to approach agriculture technology investment and are at risk of being left behind if they don’t make it a core part of their strategy, revealed research conducted by BCG Consulting and AgFunder.
The report, which presents findings from a survey of C-Suite agribusiness executives and agritech venture capitalists, joins a group of commentators in the sector that are pointing to a new paradigm for the industry, where technological innovation stands to disrupt the food and agriculture industry’s status quo leaving some agribusinesses unsure about their future.
Agtech funding figures dipped to $3.2 billion in 2016 from $4.6 billion in 2015. This reflected the broader pullback in global venture markets, though deal activity in agtech was the strongest to date with 580 deals closed.
Agtech funding reached $1.75 billion during the first half of 2016 with 307 deals. The top-line investment level represents a 20% year-over-year decline from H1-2015, while the numbers of deals increased 7% from H1-2015. This pullback in agtech largely mirrored the broader venture capital market, which declined over two consecutive halves.
Agtech funding figures surpassed expectations to reach $4.6 billion in 2015. This was nearly double the $2.36 billion total invested in 2014 as agtech’s place as a key area of focus for many in the venture capital community was confirmed.
Midway through 2015, agtech investment hit $2.06 billion, just shy of the $2.36 billion invested in all of 2014. Momentum continues with roughly $1 billion invested per quarter in 2015.
The Agtech Investing Report 2014 captures 264 deals worth $2.36 billion. Read it for an in-depth look at the industry, sectors, and all deal data for 2014.
A look at how the agtech sector developed, with a deep dive into agtech venture activity.