October 2022
Sustainable Agriculture and the Future Of Farming
Exploring Innovative Technologies That Make Agriculture Practices More Sustainable
Length: 15 minutes
This report features technology trends and cutting-edge companies that contribute to making the agriculture industry more sustainable. In addition, Valuer's original data aims to provide organizations with the necessary insights for gaining a competitive advantage in the market.
What can you find in this report:
- An overview of 10 agricultural sub-industries;
- Technology trends and developments in the agriculture industry;
- Innovative companies that develop cutting-edge and sustainable agriculture solutions.
How we made this publication:
- We utilized our Industry tool to explore different sub-sectors;
- We used the Technology tool to find trending technologies;
- Using the tool for finding companies, we selected several that showcased potential and disrupting innovation.
From Valuer:
Average funding of the Sustainable Agriculture companies:
$8,667,909
Most common company size of the Sustainable Agriculture companies:
1-10 employees
Average year of founding of the Sustainable Agriculture companies:
2016
From Valuer
Number of sustainable agriculture companies by year
Number of sustainable agriculture companies by year
In this report, you will find an overview of the proliferating technologies and trends across agriculture and farming underlined by sustainability and green practices. The report aims to showcase agricultural and farming undertakings that exhibit viability and potential to facilitate sustainable operation, offset carbon emissions and cultivate food production practices that favor the soil, crops, and animals.
A fraction of the report is dedicated to prevalent technologies indicating significant traction, scalability, and feasibility to impact a broader level. Each technology is complemented with a valuation in three key metrics based on Valuer’s database estimations.
Furthermore, the report features a selection of trends and innovative practices that introduce sustainability across all aspects of agronomy and farming, poised to improve food production standards. Part of the featured trends harness emerging technologies such as AI, drones, sensors, IoT, and precision practices to achieve optimal and responsible resource consumption while enhancing the yield rate and animal welfare.
Each trend highlights a company profile operating in the respective field that has introduced workflows, methodologies, services, or products aimed toward greenifying the agri-food industry.
Other related reads:
The Future of Food Production: 2022 & Beyond
Innovative Companies Tackling Global Hunger
Farm to Fork Solutions: Sustainability in Food Production
Technologies Disrupting the Industry
Animal Feed
Animal feed refers to edible nutrients consumed by livestock and poultry to maintain their health and increase the quality of their end-products. Sustainable feeds include food leftovers, cereals, algae-based feed, enzymes, additives, probiotics, and alternative proteins.
From Valuer:
Average year of inception of the Animal Feed companies:
2016
Average funding of the Animal Feed companies:
$5,125,133
Maximum funding of the Animal Feed companies:
$75,000,000
Company highlight
InnovaFeed
Innovafeed is a biotechnology company that uses proprietary technology to produce insect feed for animal and plant nutrition. Focusing on the insect Hermetia Illucens, the company rears and transforms it for animal and plant feed, offering alternatives to fishmeal and vegetable oils used in fish and animal feed. The company was founded in 2016 with a vision to contribute towards more sustainable food systems. Innovafood is headquartered in Paris, with several insect farms spread across the country, employing more than 230 people across all their facilities.
Year of inception:2013
Company stage:Growth
Fundings:437,937,461 USD
Aquaculture
Aquaculture or aquafarming refers to organized forms of farming aqueous animals and plants such as algae, crustaceans, and kelp, as well as closed-loop farming in natural and artificial water environments.
From Valuer:
Average year of inception of the Aquaculture companies:
2015
Average funding of the Aquaculture companies:
$4,278,743
Maximum funding of the Aquaculture companies:
$33,331,000
Company highlight
eFishery
eFishery is an aquaculture tech company focusing on development and innovations in the fish farming industry. The company’s offering encompasses an end-to-end platform for smart feeding, disease prevention, financing, market access, and distribution. The company’s product caters to fish and shrimp farmers, buyers, and consumers. Established in 2013 in Bandung (Jawa Barat), Indonesia, eFishery operates with a team of more than 900 employees.
Year of inception:2013
Company stage:Established
Fundings:110,200,000 USD
Forestry
Forestry refers to the science of preserving forests, woodlands, wildlife habitats, and forest biodiversity by using the corresponding water management systems and landscape community protection.
From Valuer:
Average year of inception of the Forestry companies:
2014
Average funding of the Forestry companies:
$13,160,489
Maximum funding of the Forestry companies:
$130,000,000
Company highlight
SeeTree
SeeTree develops an intelligence platform for trees. The company deploys weather data, UAVs, light aircraft, IoT sensors, drones, satellites, and scout teams to deliver per-tree intelligence such as health score, farming efficiency, and fruit count. The platform quantifies customers’ losses and provides actionable insights into inefficient irrigation, pests and disease, spraying and fertilization, and fruit production. The company was established in 2017 in Tel Aviv, Israel, and operates with 95 employees across offices in Hoedspruit and Western Cape, South Africa, and Visalia (CA), USA.
Year of inception:2013
Company stage:Established
Fundings:45,000,000 USD
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a type of indoor horticulture for cultivating plants without soil by using mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent. The nutrients used in hydroponics come from several sources such as fish excrement, duck manure, fertilizers, etc.
From Valuer:
Average year of the Hydroponics companies:
2015
Average funding of the Hydroponics companies:
$4,379,757
Maximum funding of the Hydroponics companies:
$54,400,000
Company highlight
Hydrovertic
Hydrovertic is a manufacturer of vertical farming hydroponic modules that enable growing of leafy vegetables such as herbs, vegetables, and flowers in industrial spaces. Their solution encompasses a cell-built vertical agriculture system where customers can grow in height without pesticides and with increased production capacity. Additionally, the modularity of the system appeals to hybrid setups, minimizing the initial investment and enabling gradual transformation. Hydrovertic was founded in 2020 with the mission to contribute towards a more sustainable horticulture industry. The company is headquartered in Rudme, Denmark, and employs a team of 6 people.
Year of inception:2020
Company stage:Unspecified
Fundings:N/A
Livestock Farming
Livestock farming refers to the process of raising domesticated animals on farms to produce commodities such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. Livestock farming also involves animal husbandry, a branch concerned with day-to-day care, breeding, and livestock raising.
From Valuer:
Average year of the Livestock Farming companies:
2016
Average funding of the Livestock Farming companies:
$6,935,918
Maximum funding of the Livestock Farming companies:
$63,899,653
Company highlight
ZELP
ZELP (Zero Emission Livestock Project), a British company based in London, is developing methane oxidation technology to improve beef and dairy sustainability and decrease greenhouse gas emissions, all while improving animal welfare. The company was founded in 2017 with the commitment to eliminate emissions in the single fastest way to stop climate change, while also taking care of the animals and the farm. The company employs more than 24 scientists, engineers, product designers, and veterinarians, helping them fulfill their mission.
Year of inception:2017
Company stage:Growth
Fundings:11,200,000 USD
Precision Agriculture
Precision agriculture utilizes advanced technologies, including satellite imaging, soil monitoring, and predictive analytics, to optimize yields by monitoring the impacts of various agricultural inputs on crop health.
From Valuer:
Average year of the Precision Agriculture companies:
2016
Average funding of the Precision Agriculture companies:
$7,419,655
Maximum funding of the Precision Agriculture companies:
$115,300,000
Company highlight
Dilepix
Dilepix has developed an automated software solution for remote crop and livestock monitoring. The solution combines Inria’s computer vision technology with Dilepix’s proprietary AI neural networks technology, resulting in algorithms capable of detecting threats such as pests, insects, malnutrition, and other unwanted conditions in real-time. Founded in 2018, the company is based in Rennes, France, and currently employs a team of 13 people. Dilepix has received global recognition for its technology, winning the prestigious I-Lab competition in 2018.
Year of inception:2018
Company stage:Seed
Fundings:1,000,000 USD
Precision Irrigation
Precision irrigation is a scheduled watering system that allows water and nutrients to be applied at small, measured doses in the soil to encourage optimal growing conditions and healthy root development.
From Valuer:
Average year of the Precision Irrigation companies:
2015
Average funding of the Precision Irrigation companies:
$11,546,810
Maximum funding of the Precision Irrigation companies:
$115,300,000
Company highlight
OneSoil
OneSoil has developed a precision agriculture platform that leverages AI, machine learning, and multispectral satellite imaging technologies. The app and platform capture images of farmland, define boundaries, and track plant vegetation levels to help farmers monitor their crops, increase crop yield, and reduce sowing and fertilizing costs. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, employs a team of 74 people, and holds an additional office in Warsaw, Poland.
Year of inception:2017
Company stage:Growth
Fundings:6,700,000 USD
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture refers to a rehabilitation farming approach that focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing plant diversity, and enhancing the water cycle. Ultimately, the approach aims to strengthen the vitality of the farm soil, increase its resilience to climate change, and minimize soil disturbance.
From Valuer:
Average year of the Regenerative Agriculture companies:
2016
Average funding of the Regenerative Agriculture companies:
$7,595,875
Maximum funding of the Regenerative Agriculture companies:
$68,000,000
Company highlight
CIBO Technologies
CIBO is a software company that accelerates regenerative agriculture with their carbon marketplace. The company utilizes a science-driven approach for powering carbon markets and evaluating land, delivering a platform that provides insights on land and lease values, productivity, soil stability, sustainability, yield forecasts, and more. The company was founded in 2015 by Flagship Pioneering with the idea to apply advanced science and technology in order to generate a deep understanding of land and agricultural systems at scale. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, the company employs more than 83 people.
Year of inception:2015
Company stage:Established
Fundings:67,400,000 USD
Sustainable Pest Management
Sustainable pest management promotes efficient utilization of natural resources, optimal use of pesticides, and sustainable bio-based pesticides and herbicides to reduce air and groundwater contamination and decrease the environmental risks associated with pest control.
From Valuer:
Average year of inception of the Sustainable Pest Management companies:
2017
Average funding of the Sustainable Pest Management companies:
$3,695,078
Maximum funding of the Sustainable Pest Management companies:
$50,114,966
Company highlight
BioPhero
BioPhero is a biotech company that provides low-cost, bio-based pheromones for pest management. Using a combination of innovative technologies, yeast fermentation, and chemical processing, the company’s pheromones are nearly identical to those produced by insects in nature. As such, they allow farmers to use pheromone-based mating control in row crops on a large scale and at a cost that competes with pesticides. BioPhero was founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the Technical University of Denmark with the mission to lead the global transition towards sustainable agriculture. The company is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and employs more than 27 people.
Year of inception:2016
Company stage:Growth
Fundings:17,500,000 USD
Vertical Farming
Vertical farming refers to growing crops indoors under artificial light and temperature conditions to yield higher production in smaller places. To optimize plant growth and water utilization, the approach leverages soilless farming techniques, including hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.
From Valuer:
Average year of inception of the Vertical Farming companies:
2017
Average funding of the Vertical Farming companies:
$3,695,078
Maximum funding of the Vertical Farming companies:
$50,114,966
Company highlight
ONO Exponential Farming
ONO Exponential Farming is an AgriTech company that develops the “seed-to-pack” platform. Based on an internationally patented concept for hydroponic cultivation that utilizes further math, algorithms, AI, and advanced robotics, it allows farmers to practically cultivate everything, everywhere. By offering a platform that features a highly automated and secure system for indoor vertical cultivation, the company aims to create fully-traceable farming opportunities globally. ONO Exponential Farming was founded in 2018 with the vision to revolutionize the farming industry. The company is headquartered in Verona, Italy, and employs more than 14 people.
Year of inception:2018
Company stage:Unspecified
Fundings:N/A