Germin8 Ventures

Germin8 Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Chicago, Illinois, established in 2017. The firm focuses on investing in disruptive companies within the Food and Agriculture Technology (AgTech) sectors across the global value chain. It targets various stages of investment and emphasizes agrifood tech, frontier science, and computational applications that enhance the agriculture, food, and nutrition industries. Germin8 Ventures comprises a team of experienced industry professionals and sophisticated investors dedicated to supporting transformative companies that address significant demand trends and improve the global food system through innovative technologies and solutions.

Charles Holmes

Associate

Lavin, Michael

Managing Partner

22 past transactions

Wheeler Bio

Series A in 2025
Wheeler Bio is a biomanufacturing company established in 2020 in Oklahoma City by Jesse McCool. The company focuses on accelerating the translation of therapeutic innovations into clinical applications through its biomanufacturing platform. By integrating pre-clinical discovery with biomanufacturing, Wheeler Bio aims to fill critical gaps between the discovery phase and early development. Its Portable CMC platform provides biopharma companies with rapid access to quality biomanufacturing, enabling a reliable pathway to clinical trials. This approach is designed to democratize access to comprehensive discovery-to-IND programs, making it easier for clients to navigate the complexities of bringing new therapies to market.

Avalo

Series A in 2025
Avalo is a plant biology company that employs interpretable machine learning, genomic discovery, and evolutionary theory to innovate crop development for future agricultural needs. Utilizing AI-assisted plant breeding, Avalo ensures that all its products are non-GMO and promote natural biodiversity. The company's core technology is a discovery engine that efficiently identifies the genetic foundations of complex traits, significantly shortening the time and reducing the costs associated with developing new crops. By focusing on traits such as drought tolerance, water-use efficiency, and nutrient density, Avalo's platform enhances crop evolution to adapt to changing climate conditions. This approach allows researchers to improve crop quality while providing diagnostic forecasting and gene discovery capabilities, ultimately advancing agricultural practices.

AgriWebb

Venture Round in 2024
AgriWebb is a software company specializing in the livestock production sector, offering a cloud-based farm management platform that facilitates real-time data collection and analysis. The platform enables farmers to track livestock actions, manage paddock treatments, and record crop information, all while maintaining transparency and efficiency. AgriWebb's tools support farmers in making informed decisions by providing essential insights into their operations, whether online or offline. Founded by a team with five generations of livestock production experience, AgriWebb aims to revolutionize the industry through data-driven practices, enhancing management efficiency and fostering better integration across supply chains.

Matterworks

Seed Round in 2023
Matterworks is a developer of an artificial intelligence platform focused on advancing the field of metabolomics within the life sciences. The company's technology enhances analytical capabilities, allowing scientific researchers to conduct faster and more comprehensive metabolomic screenings. By facilitating the discovery and engineering processes, Matterworks aims to accelerate scientific progress and support innovation in various biological applications.

Andes

Series A in 2023
Andes develops an integrated microbial technology to help accelerate crop growth. Its technology is combined with artificial intelligence to develop its seeds while reducing input costs and environmental footprints and helps farmers to boost their agricultural output and income. Andes was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Alameda, California.

AgriWebb

Series B in 2022
AgriWebb is a software company specializing in the livestock production sector, offering a cloud-based farm management platform that facilitates real-time data collection and analysis. The platform enables farmers to track livestock actions, manage paddock treatments, and record crop information, all while maintaining transparency and efficiency. AgriWebb's tools support farmers in making informed decisions by providing essential insights into their operations, whether online or offline. Founded by a team with five generations of livestock production experience, AgriWebb aims to revolutionize the industry through data-driven practices, enhancing management efficiency and fostering better integration across supply chains.

Enko Chem, Inc.

Series C in 2022
Enko Chem, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Woburn, Massachusetts, that focuses on discovering and developing innovative small-molecule products designed to protect crops from pests and diseases. Founded in 2017, the company utilizes a proprietary technology platform that enables the rapid identification of safe and cost-effective solutions aimed at promoting sustainable food production. Through its efforts, Enko Chem seeks to address the challenges faced by farmers in maintaining crop health while ensuring environmental sustainability.

Brightseed

Series B in 2022
Brightseed, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in the discovery of bioactive compounds in plants to enhance human health. Utilizing its advanced Forager platform, which employs artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, Brightseed accelerates the identification and validation of clinically beneficial molecules. This innovative approach enables the company to uncover connections between natural compounds and health outcomes, revealing the potential of bioactives that have previously remained uncharted. By integrating these discoveries back into the food supply chain, Brightseed collaborates with various companies across the consumer health continuum to develop science-backed health solutions aimed at managing chronic diseases and improving overall quality of life. Founded in 2017, Brightseed is committed to exploring the untapped resources of the plant kingdom to address pressing health challenges.

FieldIn

Series B in 2021
FieldIn is a provider of a data platform that enhances agricultural operations by offering innovative technologies to farmers and stakeholders. The platform integrates advanced hardware, sensors, and proprietary algorithms to capture real-time data from the fields, thereby improving operational oversight and reducing errors. By automating the recording of field activity and tracking pest control processes, FieldIn enables farm professionals to gain visual insights and practical tools for decision-making. This comprehensive approach fosters transparency and collaboration while allowing clients to improve crop yields, adapt to changing pest dynamics, and minimize costs.

Andes

Series A in 2021
Andes develops an integrated microbial technology to help accelerate crop growth. Its technology is combined with artificial intelligence to develop its seeds while reducing input costs and environmental footprints and helps farmers to boost their agricultural output and income. Andes was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Alameda, California.

Nobell Foods

Series B in 2021
Nobell Foods uses plants to create innovative animal-based food substitutes.

Brightseed

Venture Round in 2020
Brightseed, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in the discovery of bioactive compounds in plants to enhance human health. Utilizing its advanced Forager platform, which employs artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, Brightseed accelerates the identification and validation of clinically beneficial molecules. This innovative approach enables the company to uncover connections between natural compounds and health outcomes, revealing the potential of bioactives that have previously remained uncharted. By integrating these discoveries back into the food supply chain, Brightseed collaborates with various companies across the consumer health continuum to develop science-backed health solutions aimed at managing chronic diseases and improving overall quality of life. Founded in 2017, Brightseed is committed to exploring the untapped resources of the plant kingdom to address pressing health challenges.

Enko Chem, Inc.

Series B in 2020
Enko Chem, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Woburn, Massachusetts, that focuses on discovering and developing innovative small-molecule products designed to protect crops from pests and diseases. Founded in 2017, the company utilizes a proprietary technology platform that enables the rapid identification of safe and cost-effective solutions aimed at promoting sustainable food production. Through its efforts, Enko Chem seeks to address the challenges faced by farmers in maintaining crop health while ensuring environmental sustainability.

FieldIn

Series A in 2019
FieldIn is a provider of a data platform that enhances agricultural operations by offering innovative technologies to farmers and stakeholders. The platform integrates advanced hardware, sensors, and proprietary algorithms to capture real-time data from the fields, thereby improving operational oversight and reducing errors. By automating the recording of field activity and tracking pest control processes, FieldIn enables farm professionals to gain visual insights and practical tools for decision-making. This comprehensive approach fosters transparency and collaboration while allowing clients to improve crop yields, adapt to changing pest dynamics, and minimize costs.

CropX

Series B in 2019
CropX is an ag-analytics and IoT company that develops AI-driven, cloud-based software solutions aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity. Its platform integrates data from proprietary and third-party sources, enabling farmers to improve crop yields by up to 15% while significantly reducing water, pesticide, and fertilizer usage by up to 50% and 20%, respectively. The software combines advanced soil sensor technology with comprehensive agricultural information, facilitating efficient irrigation management and operational automation. Trusted by farmers globally, CropX has been deployed on over 5,000 farms across 70 countries. The company fosters partnerships with key industry players, including Reinke, Syngenta, PepsiCo, and John Deere, to streamline data sharing and enhance farming practices, promoting sustainable and profitable cultivation methods.

FieldIn

Convertible Note in 2018
FieldIn is a provider of a data platform that enhances agricultural operations by offering innovative technologies to farmers and stakeholders. The platform integrates advanced hardware, sensors, and proprietary algorithms to capture real-time data from the fields, thereby improving operational oversight and reducing errors. By automating the recording of field activity and tracking pest control processes, FieldIn enables farm professionals to gain visual insights and practical tools for decision-making. This comprehensive approach fosters transparency and collaboration while allowing clients to improve crop yields, adapt to changing pest dynamics, and minimize costs.

Rethink Water

Corporate Round in 2018
Rethink Brands is a solution-based beverage company that is focused on optimizing the products of everyday life. It is a drink for all occasions, may it be birthday parties, soccer game refreshments, and lunch table concessions, children could see a good bit of sugar over the course of any given day.

FieldIn

Seed Round in 2018
FieldIn is a provider of a data platform that enhances agricultural operations by offering innovative technologies to farmers and stakeholders. The platform integrates advanced hardware, sensors, and proprietary algorithms to capture real-time data from the fields, thereby improving operational oversight and reducing errors. By automating the recording of field activity and tracking pest control processes, FieldIn enables farm professionals to gain visual insights and practical tools for decision-making. This comprehensive approach fosters transparency and collaboration while allowing clients to improve crop yields, adapt to changing pest dynamics, and minimize costs.

CropX

Series A in 2015
CropX is an ag-analytics and IoT company that develops AI-driven, cloud-based software solutions aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity. Its platform integrates data from proprietary and third-party sources, enabling farmers to improve crop yields by up to 15% while significantly reducing water, pesticide, and fertilizer usage by up to 50% and 20%, respectively. The software combines advanced soil sensor technology with comprehensive agricultural information, facilitating efficient irrigation management and operational automation. Trusted by farmers globally, CropX has been deployed on over 5,000 farms across 70 countries. The company fosters partnerships with key industry players, including Reinke, Syngenta, PepsiCo, and John Deere, to streamline data sharing and enhance farming practices, promoting sustainable and profitable cultivation methods.
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