Rabobank Food & Agri Innovation Fund

Enko Chem, Inc. is a company focused on discovering and developing innovative small-molecule products aimed at protecting crops from pests and diseases. Established in 2017 and based in Woburn, Massachusetts, the company utilizes a proprietary technology platform to create safe and cost-effective solutions that contribute to sustainable food production. Through its research and development efforts, Enko Chem seeks to address the challenges faced by farmers while promoting environmentally responsible agricultural practices.

Full Harvest Technologies, Inc. operates a business-to-business platform that connects large farms with food companies, facilitating the sale of surplus and imperfect produce. Established in 2016 and based in San Francisco, the company addresses the significant issue of food waste in the United States, where approximately 20 billion pounds of produce are discarded annually due to strict retailer standards regarding appearance. By creating a marketplace for this unutilized yet perfectly edible produce, Full Harvest aims to provide farmers with an additional revenue stream while helping food businesses reduce costs. The platform utilizes proprietary technology and an innovative supply chain model to enhance sustainability in the food system, ultimately benefiting both producers and consumers by minimizing waste and promoting the availability of affordable, healthy food options.

30MHz B.V. is a company that specializes in designing and developing a data platform specifically for the horticulture and agriculture industries. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with additional locations in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, 30MHz manufactures various sensor equipment that provides detailed, crop-level data. Their products measure key metrics such as light intensity, soil moisture, and vapor-pressure deficit, among others. The platform allows for real-time remote monitoring of crops via any device, offering features like custom alerts, heat maps, and interactive graphs. This comprehensive system enables users to gain insights into climatic conditions and optimize their agricultural practices, ultimately improving productivity and reducing costs.

BeeHero is a company that specializes in beehive technology aimed at enhancing crop yields through effective pollination. Utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, along with low-cost sensors, BeeHero collects data from within the hives to optimize their performance during critical pollination periods. This innovative approach not only helps farmers maximize pollination efficiency but also aids in protecting beehives from colony collapse, thereby supporting agricultural productivity on a global scale.

Ecto develops technology at the intersection of data and biology to enable a more efficient and sustainable aquaculture industry. We collaborate with farmers to streamline production and health management by leveraging advanced molecular tools and digital technologies. To date, our solutions have enabled farmers to create 51,510,714 additional healthy servings of protein. Ecto has offices in Boston, Atlanta, and Stavanger (Norway) and serves customers all over the world. The company was founded at Harvard Innovation Labs in 2013 by Dmitry Kozachenok, MBA and James Webb, Ph.D. The company has received competitive research grants from the US National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture, and Innovation Norway.

Aromyx Corporation is a biotechnology company that has developed a platform for the digital capture of taste and scent, enabling quantitative representations of sensory data. The company's core product, the EssenceChip, utilizes a disposable bioassay to replicate human olfactory and taste receptors, providing a digital readout of biochemical signals from various substances. This technology is particularly useful for predicting the scent of new chemicals and is employed across multiple industries, including consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, tobacco, and flavor and fragrance. Aromyx also offers a suite of software tools, such as Allegory and AromaGraph, which facilitate the analysis, modification, and archiving of sensory data. Founded in 2006 and based in Mountain View, California, Aromyx aims to enhance product development, quality assurance, and branding through its innovative approach to sensory analysis.

Vence Corp specializes in developing and manufacturing connected wearable devices for livestock, aimed at reducing fencing and labor expenses on farms. The company's technology includes sensors that monitor the wellbeing of animals and software that enables virtual fencing and autonomous animal control. By utilizing artificial intelligence, Vence optimizes rotational and strip grazing, enhancing livestock yield and improving grass utilization. Farmers can manage and control their livestock remotely through a smartphone application, which also provides insights into animal behavior, health, and fertility. Founded in 2016, Vence is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an additional office in Key Largo, Florida.

Telesense, Inc. is an Agtech company that specializes in real-time environmental monitoring solutions for the food and grain industries. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Telesense develops a range of advanced sensors and analytics tools designed to provide grain managers with actionable insights into stored grain conditions. Its products include CellularSpear for remote monitoring of temperature, moisture, and location data; SensorBall for storage monitoring; and BuffaloBox, which retrofits existing temperature cables to wireless systems. The TeleSense App allows users to receive alerts, generate reports, and access data conveniently from any device. By leveraging cloud-based technology and machine learning algorithms, Telesense aims to enhance the monitoring of perishable commodities, reduce human error, and improve operational efficiency across various sectors, including agriculture, restaurants, and commercial food storage. The company is committed to digitizing the post-harvest grain supply chain, ultimately helping clients minimize grain spoilage and improve profitability.

La Coop fédérée is an agri-food federation of cooperatives that represent agricultural producers and consumers. It represents more than 60,000 members grouped into close to 70 cooperatives in multiple Canadian provinces. La Coop fédérée employs more than 13,000 employees and has a revenue of $6.3 billion. Its activities are divided into three divisions: Olymel S.E.C (under the Olymel, Flamingo and Lafleur banners, the Agri-business division (under the La Coop, Élite, Agrocentre, Agrico and Agromart banners), and the BMR Group (under the BMR, Unimat and Potvin & Bouchard banners). La Coop fédérée was founded on 1922 and is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec in Canada.

InnovoPro is committed to bringing unique plant-based protein ingredients to the global food market in order to create nutritious, tasty, safe, and sustainable food products. With an excellent nutritional profile, free from properties and wide usability in the food industry, InnovoPro’s chickpea protein is the best choice for the growing plant-based protein market. InnovoPro was founded on 2013 by Dr. Ascher Shmulewitz an experienced inventor and investor, and has made considerable progress in developing chickpea proteins and other chickpea ingredients. InnovoPro has been recognized as an innovator of disruptive technology in the food industry.

Saga Robotics AS, founded in 2016 and based in Oslo, Norway, specializes in the manufacturing of modern farming equipment, focusing on the development of autonomous robots for the agricultural sector. The company has created an agricultural platform known as Thorvald, a versatile modular robot that can be adapted for various agricultural tasks. By offering solutions that perform operations more efficiently and at a lower cost than traditional methods, Saga Robotics aims to be a leading provider of agricultural robotics. The company's short-term objective is to deliver robots that provide clear benefits to farmers, while its long-term vision involves establishing comprehensive autonomous systems capable of handling all agricultural operations, thereby promoting sustainable and profitable food production.

Enko Chem, Inc. is a company focused on discovering and developing innovative small-molecule products aimed at protecting crops from pests and diseases. Established in 2017 and based in Woburn, Massachusetts, the company utilizes a proprietary technology platform to create safe and cost-effective solutions that contribute to sustainable food production. Through its research and development efforts, Enko Chem seeks to address the challenges faced by farmers while promoting environmentally responsible agricultural practices.

Bird Control Group, based in Delft, the Netherlands, specializes in innovative solutions for managing bird populations, particularly in airport environments. The company focuses on reducing the presence of pest birds in a manner that enhances profitability for businesses while addressing health and safety concerns. By prioritizing sustainable practices, Bird Control Group seeks to prevent conflicts between birds and human activities, moving beyond traditional methods that may be harmful to animals and the environment. Their approach emphasizes creating long-term solutions that integrate commercial activities with the natural ecosystem, ultimately ensuring a safer working environment and effective damage prevention.

BeeHero is a company that specializes in beehive technology aimed at enhancing crop yields through effective pollination. Utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, along with low-cost sensors, BeeHero collects data from within the hives to optimize their performance during critical pollination periods. This innovative approach not only helps farmers maximize pollination efficiency but also aids in protecting beehives from colony collapse, thereby supporting agricultural productivity on a global scale.

BioLumic is a New Zealand-based company that specializes in innovative lighting solutions for horticultural producers, utilizing smart light array technology. Founded in 2012, BioLumic focuses on enhancing the quality and growth of transplant crop seedlings, as well as improving the growth and quality of indoor leafy vegetables and salad herbs. The company employs a photogenics platform that uses light signals to activate plant growth and unlock the genetic potential of various crops, including soybean, cannabis, and other vegetables and fruits. BioLumic's systems leverage ultraviolet radiation to regulate plant responses, resulting in increased crop yields, improved vigor, enhanced disease and pest resistance, and better crop composition, all without the need for chemicals or amendments.

RootWave develops and distributes machinery that kills weeds in the agricultural lands. It offers hand weeders for growers, gardeners, and groundskeepers to spot weed and treat invasive species; and solutions for automating weeding in agriculture using visual recognition and to target weeds in arable crops. The company sells its products through distributors in France, Australasia, Ireland, and South Korea. RootWave was founded in 2012 and is based in Kineton, United Kingdom.

Bird Control Group, based in Delft, the Netherlands, specializes in innovative solutions for managing bird populations, particularly in airport environments. The company focuses on reducing the presence of pest birds in a manner that enhances profitability for businesses while addressing health and safety concerns. By prioritizing sustainable practices, Bird Control Group seeks to prevent conflicts between birds and human activities, moving beyond traditional methods that may be harmful to animals and the environment. Their approach emphasizes creating long-term solutions that integrate commercial activities with the natural ecosystem, ultimately ensuring a safer working environment and effective damage prevention.

30MHz B.V. is a company that specializes in designing and developing a data platform specifically for the horticulture and agriculture industries. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with additional locations in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, 30MHz manufactures various sensor equipment that provides detailed, crop-level data. Their products measure key metrics such as light intensity, soil moisture, and vapor-pressure deficit, among others. The platform allows for real-time remote monitoring of crops via any device, offering features like custom alerts, heat maps, and interactive graphs. This comprehensive system enables users to gain insights into climatic conditions and optimize their agricultural practices, ultimately improving productivity and reducing costs.

Telesense, Inc. is an Agtech company that specializes in real-time environmental monitoring solutions for the food and grain industries. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Telesense develops a range of advanced sensors and analytics tools designed to provide grain managers with actionable insights into stored grain conditions. Its products include CellularSpear for remote monitoring of temperature, moisture, and location data; SensorBall for storage monitoring; and BuffaloBox, which retrofits existing temperature cables to wireless systems. The TeleSense App allows users to receive alerts, generate reports, and access data conveniently from any device. By leveraging cloud-based technology and machine learning algorithms, Telesense aims to enhance the monitoring of perishable commodities, reduce human error, and improve operational efficiency across various sectors, including agriculture, restaurants, and commercial food storage. The company is committed to digitizing the post-harvest grain supply chain, ultimately helping clients minimize grain spoilage and improve profitability.

BioLumic is a New Zealand-based company that specializes in innovative lighting solutions for horticultural producers, utilizing smart light array technology. Founded in 2012, BioLumic focuses on enhancing the quality and growth of transplant crop seedlings, as well as improving the growth and quality of indoor leafy vegetables and salad herbs. The company employs a photogenics platform that uses light signals to activate plant growth and unlock the genetic potential of various crops, including soybean, cannabis, and other vegetables and fruits. BioLumic's systems leverage ultraviolet radiation to regulate plant responses, resulting in increased crop yields, improved vigor, enhanced disease and pest resistance, and better crop composition, all without the need for chemicals or amendments.

Vence Corp specializes in developing and manufacturing connected wearable devices for livestock, aimed at reducing fencing and labor expenses on farms. The company's technology includes sensors that monitor the wellbeing of animals and software that enables virtual fencing and autonomous animal control. By utilizing artificial intelligence, Vence optimizes rotational and strip grazing, enhancing livestock yield and improving grass utilization. Farmers can manage and control their livestock remotely through a smartphone application, which also provides insights into animal behavior, health, and fertility. Founded in 2016, Vence is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an additional office in Key Largo, Florida.