Cultivian Sandbox Ventures

Cultivian Sandbox Ventures is a Chicago-based venture capital firm established in 2008, specializing in investments in disruptive agriculture and food technology companies. The firm takes an active role in its portfolio, engaging as early investors and board members to shape company strategy, recruit key executives, and secure further capital. Cultivian Sandbox Ventures distinguishes itself by leveraging a robust network and strategic partnerships within the agriculture and food sectors, providing substantial value beyond mere financial support. Its investment team, which combines expertise from Cultivian Ventures and Sandbox Industries, is proficient in sourcing, evaluating, and managing equity investments. This hands-on approach not only aims to build stronger businesses but also seeks to transform entire industries.

Matt Bell

Managing Director

Steven L. Engelberg

MD

Taryn Goodman Gallery

Managing Director

Luis Garcia

Associate

Ben Hoogland

Associate

Ronald L. Meeusen

Managing Director

Ron Meeusen

Managing Director

Dan Phillips

Managing Director

Nick Rosa

Managing Director

Andrew Ziolkowski

Managing Director

Kevin Zussman

Vice President

43 past transactions

Leaf Agriculture

Seed Round in 2022
Leaf Agriculture is a company based in Florianopolis, Brazil, founded in 2017, that specializes in providing a data network for the agriculture industry. It offers an application programming interface (API) platform that connects various agricultural technologies, enabling access to data from equipment, sensors, and software platforms. This API facilitates developers in validating grower consent and accessing high-quality agricultural data, ultimately allowing them to scale their products effectively. By streamlining data access through a unified interface, Leaf Agriculture aims to contribute to a healthier food system, enhance farmers' profitability, and promote environmental sustainability.

Full Harvest

Series B in 2021
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.

Nuritas

Series B in 2021
Nuritas is revolutionising the discovery of novel, natural and scientifically proven active ingredients that can manage and improve human health. The company’s disruptive computational approach to discovery uses artificial intelligence and genomics to, for the first time ever, rapidly and efficiently predict and then provide access to the most health-benefiting components hidden within food, called bioactive peptides.

Culture Biosciences

Series B in 2021
Culture Biosciences, founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, specializes in developing automated bioreactors and tools for fermentation. The company provides a digital bio-manufacturing platform that allows biotech companies to optimize their manufacturing processes, enabling them to bring products to market more efficiently. By utilizing robotic sample handling and cloud-based data monitoring and analysis, Culture Biosciences helps scientists run, monitor, and analyze bioreactors more quickly than traditional methods. This innovative approach supports the biotechnology sector in enhancing productivity and streamlining workflows.

Yard Stick

Seed Round in 2021
Yard Stick PBC is an in-situ soil carbon & bulk density measurement technology.

Debut

Series A in 2021
Debut Biotechnology, Inc. provides biomanufacturing solutions for high value molecules. It offers biomanufacturing cartridges, fermentation, immobilization of cells and enzymes, and new enzymes for pharmaceutical production and modification. The company also creates novel immobilization for enzymes with high success rates; and provides high value immobilized enzymes for use in continuous manufacturing systems. It serves pharmaceutical and specialty chemical industries. Debut Biotechnology, Inc. was incorporated in 2019 and is based in San Diego, California.

Debut

Series A in 2021
Debut Biotechnology, Inc. provides biomanufacturing solutions for high value molecules. It offers biomanufacturing cartridges, fermentation, immobilization of cells and enzymes, and new enzymes for pharmaceutical production and modification. The company also creates novel immobilization for enzymes with high success rates; and provides high value immobilized enzymes for use in continuous manufacturing systems. It serves pharmaceutical and specialty chemical industries. Debut Biotechnology, Inc. was incorporated in 2019 and is based in San Diego, California.

Copper Cow Coffee

Series A in 2021
Copper Cow Coffee is a premium specialty coffee company based in Los Angeles, California, that specializes in Vietnamese coffee products. Founded in 2018, the company focuses on providing accessible, high-quality coffee through innovative packaging and modern design. Copper Cow Coffee sources its beans from sustainable, organic farms in Vietnam, ensuring that its offerings support environmentally-conscious practices. The brand is known for its specialty Vietnamese lattes, which are sweetened with condensed milk and contain no artificial flavors or preservatives. By selling its products online, Copper Cow Coffee aims to make authentic Vietnamese coffee experiences available to customers throughout the United States.

Leaf Agriculture

Seed Round in 2020
Leaf Agriculture is a company based in Florianopolis, Brazil, founded in 2017, that specializes in providing a data network for the agriculture industry. It offers an application programming interface (API) platform that connects various agricultural technologies, enabling access to data from equipment, sensors, and software platforms. This API facilitates developers in validating grower consent and accessing high-quality agricultural data, ultimately allowing them to scale their products effectively. By streamlining data access through a unified interface, Leaf Agriculture aims to contribute to a healthier food system, enhance farmers' profitability, and promote environmental sustainability.

Geltor

Series B in 2020
Geltor, Inc. produces bioactive animal free collagens and other proteins for beauty, nutrition, and other applications. It offers Collume, a bio-designed collagen technology for skincare cellular regeneration, protection, and derma-collagen synthesis; and HumaColl21, a collagen product that delivers collagen, elastin, laminin, and fibronectin boosting effect for skin care. The company also provides vegan collagen peptides and other novel proteins for functional food and nutraceutical formulas. Geltor, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is based in San Leandro, California.

Cooks Venture

Series A in 2020
Cooks Venture is a vertically integrated agricultural company to operate solely on regenerative agriculture. Their very special chickens come from an ancestry of breeding heirloom and heritage chickens that have better health and livelihood than conventional chickens. Their breeds develop juicier meat and crispier skin that is more flavorful and more tender than that of conventional chickens. In addition, they are air-chilling their chickens (as opposed to water-chilling), so their chickens have a better flavor and texture. Cooks Ventures touts itself as the only vertically integrated chicken producer in the US that has an independent genetics operation breeding through selection, not genetic engineering without ties to the two globally consolidated genetics companies. They support local farmers by feeding their bird's local Non-GMO feed grown using methods that improve soil health and directly translate to better nutrition for the bird and farmers. Cooks Ventures was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in New York, NY, United States.

Sound Agriculture

Series C in 2020
Sound Agriculture uses molecular discovery to create climate-resilient crops, enhancing harvest yields for growers. They also use an innovative life science approach to sustainably increase farming productivity. The company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Emeryville, California.

Culture Biosciences

Series A in 2020
Culture Biosciences, founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, specializes in developing automated bioreactors and tools for fermentation. The company provides a digital bio-manufacturing platform that allows biotech companies to optimize their manufacturing processes, enabling them to bring products to market more efficiently. By utilizing robotic sample handling and cloud-based data monitoring and analysis, Culture Biosciences helps scientists run, monitor, and analyze bioreactors more quickly than traditional methods. This innovative approach supports the biotechnology sector in enhancing productivity and streamlining workflows.

FarmlandFinder

Seed Round in 2019
FarmlandFinder is a provider of an online marketplace intended to make the world's farmland information accessible. The company's marketplace connects farmers with the right farmland and offers information of upcoming land sales, sale price records, sale comparison tool, soil composition maps, enabling clients to reduce time spent on researching farmland real estate market as well as cost of selling, renting and acquiring farmland.

Vestaron

Series B in 2019
Vestaron Corporation is a biotechnology company that specializes in developing, manufacturing, and selling peptide-based biologic crop protection products. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, with a research and development center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Vestaron offers a range of bioinsecticides including Spear-T for thrips in vegetables and ornamentals, Spear-Lep for various fruits and vegetables, and Leprotec for field use. The company's products are designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and sustainability of agricultural practices while being safe for humans, birds, fish, and pollinators. By utilizing peptides derived from spiders, Vestaron aims to provide innovative solutions for agriculture, animal health, and commercial pest control applications.

Phylagen

Series A in 2019
Phylagen, Inc. is a data analytics company based in San Francisco, California, that focuses on microbiome data solutions. Founded in 2014, the company employs DNA sequencing and machine learning to analyze complex genetic signatures found within the environmental microbiome. By transforming this extensive and largely unexplored dataset into actionable insights, Phylagen aims to support decision-making for businesses across various industries. Through its innovative approach, Phylagen harnesses the potential of microbial data to provide valuable analytics that can enhance operations and strategies for its clients.

Geltor

Series A in 2018
Geltor, Inc. produces bioactive animal free collagens and other proteins for beauty, nutrition, and other applications. It offers Collume, a bio-designed collagen technology for skincare cellular regeneration, protection, and derma-collagen synthesis; and HumaColl21, a collagen product that delivers collagen, elastin, laminin, and fibronectin boosting effect for skin care. The company also provides vegan collagen peptides and other novel proteins for functional food and nutraceutical formulas. Geltor, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is based in San Leandro, California.

Conservis

Venture Round in 2018
Conservis provides farm management software to help you see your operation from the dirt up. Track field activities, manage inventories and analyze yields. The Conservis platform connects your information to manage your progress today and harvest opportunities ahead. Conservis started when four farmers asked our founders for help with workflow management. That was five years ago. Today, the Conservis system is used by the most successful agricultural producers to make informed business decisions. It is trusted to manage over $8 Billion in land, equipment and crop assets at all stages of production to improve bottom-line performance.

Full Harvest

Series A in 2018
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.

Nuritas

Series A in 2017
Nuritas is revolutionising the discovery of novel, natural and scientifically proven active ingredients that can manage and improve human health. The company’s disruptive computational approach to discovery uses artificial intelligence and genomics to, for the first time ever, rapidly and efficiently predict and then provide access to the most health-benefiting components hidden within food, called bioactive peptides.

Sound Agriculture

Series B in 2017
Sound Agriculture uses molecular discovery to create climate-resilient crops, enhancing harvest yields for growers. They also use an innovative life science approach to sustainably increase farming productivity. The company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Emeryville, California.

Asilomar Bio

Series B in 2017
Asilomar Bio is creating crop protection tools to enhance harvest yields and efficiency by leveraging their breakthrough technology in plant science and chemical manufacturing.

Descartes Labs

Series B in 2017
Descartes Labs, Inc. specializes in deep learning and image analysis, utilizing advanced machine learning algorithms to categorize and interpret visual data from various sources, including satellites, drones, and cameras. Founded in December 2014 as a spin-out from Los Alamos National Laboratory, the company initially focused on agricultural models to predict crop yields using satellite imagery and weather data. Recognizing the broader applications of its technology, Descartes Labs developed a cloud-based geospatial analytics platform that enables organizations to analyze vast datasets for insights into natural resources and supply chains. The platform processes data from major satellite constellations, providing rapid access to analysis-ready images and supporting intelligent learning models. By normalizing and presenting science-ready data, Descartes Labs accelerates the application of machine intelligence for diverse users, including businesses and governments, enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency. The company is headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with additional offices in San Francisco, Los Alamos, and New York City.

Conservis

Debt Financing in 2017
Conservis provides farm management software to help you see your operation from the dirt up. Track field activities, manage inventories and analyze yields. The Conservis platform connects your information to manage your progress today and harvest opportunities ahead. Conservis started when four farmers asked our founders for help with workflow management. That was five years ago. Today, the Conservis system is used by the most successful agricultural producers to make informed business decisions. It is trusted to manage over $8 Billion in land, equipment and crop assets at all stages of production to improve bottom-line performance.

HarvestPort

Series A in 2017
HarvestPort Exchange, Inc. operates an online platform that facilitates the rental of used agricultural assets and equipment, connecting lenders with renters in the agricultural sector. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, HarvestPort serves as a marketplace where farmers and agricultural professionals can find and rent necessary equipment based on seasonal demands. The platform provides comprehensive services, including documentation of available assets, matching requests with qualified lenders, analyzing user profiles for targeted recommendations, and managing transactions and billing. By streamlining access to agricultural resources, HarvestPort supports efficient farming practices and promotes the shared economy within the agricultural industry.

Agrivida

Series E in 2016
Agrivida, Inc. is an agricultural biotechnology company that specializes in developing feed additives and renewable biomass-based alternative fuels. Founded in 2002 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Agrivida focuses on nutritional solutions for a variety of livestock, including poultry, swine, dairy and beef cattle, and aquaculture. The company offers products such as GRAINZYME, a phytase feed additive for poultry, and INzyme Enzymes, which provide regulated enzymes for various applications including detergents and food production. In addition, Agrivida develops corn varieties optimized for producing ethanol from corn stover, contributing to the production of clean-burning, renewable fuels.

Sample6

Series C in 2016
Sample6 is a biotechnology company that specializes in the development of a synthetic-biology based diagnostic system for bacteria. Its innovative technology enables enrichment-free detection of harmful bacteria, identifying levels as low as 1 CFU/ml within just four hours. The proprietary Bioillumination Platform, created by a team of researchers including Professor Tim Lu from MIT, allows for the engineering of bioparticles that target specific unwanted bacteria, illuminating them for detection. This system is coupled with sensitive sensor technology that provides rapid on-site results without the need for a laboratory. Sample6 aims to enhance public health and safety by enabling quick and efficient detection of harmful bacteria across various industries, including food production, retail, and healthcare, addressing environments where humans and bacteria interact.

Vestaron

Series D in 2016
Vestaron Corporation is a biotechnology company that specializes in developing, manufacturing, and selling peptide-based biologic crop protection products. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, with a research and development center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Vestaron offers a range of bioinsecticides including Spear-T for thrips in vegetables and ornamentals, Spear-Lep for various fruits and vegetables, and Leprotec for field use. The company's products are designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and sustainability of agricultural practices while being safe for humans, birds, fish, and pollinators. By utilizing peptides derived from spiders, Vestaron aims to provide innovative solutions for agriculture, animal health, and commercial pest control applications.
Advanced Animal Diagnostics, Inc. commercializes proprietary technology for the diagnosis of farm-animal diseases. It uses an animal's own immune response to detect and stage infections to improve the quality of life for producers, processors, animals, and consumers. The company offers QuickSmear, a rapid differential slide to speed and simplify production animal research using differential cell counts; and SCC+ System for early detection of mastitis. Advanced Animal Diagnostics was founded in 2001 and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Descartes Labs

Series A in 2015
Descartes Labs, Inc. specializes in deep learning and image analysis, utilizing advanced machine learning algorithms to categorize and interpret visual data from various sources, including satellites, drones, and cameras. Founded in December 2014 as a spin-out from Los Alamos National Laboratory, the company initially focused on agricultural models to predict crop yields using satellite imagery and weather data. Recognizing the broader applications of its technology, Descartes Labs developed a cloud-based geospatial analytics platform that enables organizations to analyze vast datasets for insights into natural resources and supply chains. The platform processes data from major satellite constellations, providing rapid access to analysis-ready images and supporting intelligent learning models. By normalizing and presenting science-ready data, Descartes Labs accelerates the application of machine intelligence for diverse users, including businesses and governments, enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency. The company is headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with additional offices in San Francisco, Los Alamos, and New York City.

Asilomar Bio

Series A in 2015
Asilomar Bio is creating crop protection tools to enhance harvest yields and efficiency by leveraging their breakthrough technology in plant science and chemical manufacturing.

Conservis

Series A in 2015
Conservis provides farm management software to help you see your operation from the dirt up. Track field activities, manage inventories and analyze yields. The Conservis platform connects your information to manage your progress today and harvest opportunities ahead. Conservis started when four farmers asked our founders for help with workflow management. That was five years ago. Today, the Conservis system is used by the most successful agricultural producers to make informed business decisions. It is trusted to manage over $8 Billion in land, equipment and crop assets at all stages of production to improve bottom-line performance.

Agrivida

Series D in 2015
Agrivida, Inc. is an agricultural biotechnology company that specializes in developing feed additives and renewable biomass-based alternative fuels. Founded in 2002 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Agrivida focuses on nutritional solutions for a variety of livestock, including poultry, swine, dairy and beef cattle, and aquaculture. The company offers products such as GRAINZYME, a phytase feed additive for poultry, and INzyme Enzymes, which provide regulated enzymes for various applications including detergents and food production. In addition, Agrivida develops corn varieties optimized for producing ethanol from corn stover, contributing to the production of clean-burning, renewable fuels.

Sound Agriculture

Series A in 2015
Sound Agriculture uses molecular discovery to create climate-resilient crops, enhancing harvest yields for growers. They also use an innovative life science approach to sustainably increase farming productivity. The company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Emeryville, California.

Agrivida

Series D in 2015
Agrivida, Inc. is an agricultural biotechnology company that specializes in developing feed additives and renewable biomass-based alternative fuels. Founded in 2002 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Agrivida focuses on nutritional solutions for a variety of livestock, including poultry, swine, dairy and beef cattle, and aquaculture. The company offers products such as GRAINZYME, a phytase feed additive for poultry, and INzyme Enzymes, which provide regulated enzymes for various applications including detergents and food production. In addition, Agrivida develops corn varieties optimized for producing ethanol from corn stover, contributing to the production of clean-burning, renewable fuels.

Vestaron

Series C in 2014
Vestaron Corporation is a biotechnology company that specializes in developing, manufacturing, and selling peptide-based biologic crop protection products. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, with a research and development center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Vestaron offers a range of bioinsecticides including Spear-T for thrips in vegetables and ornamentals, Spear-Lep for various fruits and vegetables, and Leprotec for field use. The company's products are designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and sustainability of agricultural practices while being safe for humans, birds, fish, and pollinators. By utilizing peptides derived from spiders, Vestaron aims to provide innovative solutions for agriculture, animal health, and commercial pest control applications.

Conservis

Series A in 2014
Conservis provides farm management software to help you see your operation from the dirt up. Track field activities, manage inventories and analyze yields. The Conservis platform connects your information to manage your progress today and harvest opportunities ahead. Conservis started when four farmers asked our founders for help with workflow management. That was five years ago. Today, the Conservis system is used by the most successful agricultural producers to make informed business decisions. It is trusted to manage over $8 Billion in land, equipment and crop assets at all stages of production to improve bottom-line performance.

Vestaron

Series C in 2014
Vestaron Corporation is a biotechnology company that specializes in developing, manufacturing, and selling peptide-based biologic crop protection products. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, with a research and development center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Vestaron offers a range of bioinsecticides including Spear-T for thrips in vegetables and ornamentals, Spear-Lep for various fruits and vegetables, and Leprotec for field use. The company's products are designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and sustainability of agricultural practices while being safe for humans, birds, fish, and pollinators. By utilizing peptides derived from spiders, Vestaron aims to provide innovative solutions for agriculture, animal health, and commercial pest control applications.

Novihum Technologies

Series B in 2014
In the 2000's, scientists at the TU Dresden in Germany invented a revolutionary natural soil enhancer based on lignite. In 2012 Novihum Technologies was founded to bring this great product to the market. With the help of venture capital partners, the European Union, and an international team of soil, plant, and production experts, Novihum Technologies built its first production plant in Dortmund, Germany to produce NOVIHUM on an industrial scale in 2016. Novihum Technologies has about 30 employees and is still growing. They successfully serve customers in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

AbCelex Technologies

Series A in 2014
AbCelex Technologies is a biotechnology company that develops solutions which focus on animal health and food safety challenges. It focuses on swine, poultry, and other farm animals. AbCelex Technologies develops protein feed that is able to prevent and treat a number of bacterial infections in animals. It offers NF-220, sdAb-based protein fragments. AbCelex Technologies was founded by Saeid Babaei in 2010. It is based in Mississauga, Ontario.

enEvolv

Series A in 2014
enEvolv, Inc. engineers and licenses microorganisms to produce chemicals, enzymes, and small molecules. It offers bacteria, yeast, and algae for various industries, including specialty chemicals, food, energy, personal care, and pharmaceuticals. The company was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. As of March 18, 2020, enEvolv, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zymergen, Inc.

Sample6

Series B in 2013
Sample6 is a biotechnology company that specializes in the development of a synthetic-biology based diagnostic system for bacteria. Its innovative technology enables enrichment-free detection of harmful bacteria, identifying levels as low as 1 CFU/ml within just four hours. The proprietary Bioillumination Platform, created by a team of researchers including Professor Tim Lu from MIT, allows for the engineering of bioparticles that target specific unwanted bacteria, illuminating them for detection. This system is coupled with sensitive sensor technology that provides rapid on-site results without the need for a laboratory. Sample6 aims to enhance public health and safety by enabling quick and efficient detection of harmful bacteria across various industries, including food production, retail, and healthcare, addressing environments where humans and bacteria interact.

Harvest Automation

Series A in 2010
Harvest was founded by a seasoned technology executive and a trio of robotics experts. The Company now comprises a diverse, commited team with expertise in sales and marketing, engineering (software, hardware, electrical, mechanical), project management, and business operations.
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