Agrifood venture pioneer Finistere Ventures today announced the launch of the Farm2050 Nutrient Technology Trialing Platform, a dual-hemisphere agrifood tech testing and validation platform, co-led by Innovation Endeavors. In collaboration with major agtech players, farmers and startup companies around the globe, the new platform will identify, validate and demonstrate at scale promising technologies in nutrient management and the reduction of water contamination across pasture-based dairy, horticulture and row crops. Finistere Ventures will leverage its unique, country-specific strongholds to help nutrient management technology startups and partners build high-fidelity proof points for environmental, sustainability and economic value.
“Food supply pressures continue to intensify, as do regulatory requirements and the demand for more sustainable agriculture approaches. Improving nutrient management will play a fundamental role in significantly increasing food production, enhancing nutrient use efficiency and improving environmental outcomes for our food production systems around the globe,” said Arama Kukutai, co-founder and partner, Finistere Ventures. “As the industry begins to better understand the role excessive nitrates caused by farming-related nutrient leaching plays in both atmospheric and water-related issues, nutrient management technologies will help farmers, agricultural industry players and governments alike better mitigate any associated environmental and health concerns.”
With the goal of supporting the creation of productive and profitable food production systems with low environmental impact, the first phase of the initiative will focus on starting trials in New Zealand with support from government agency Callaghan Innovation and country partner Agritech NZ. The U.S. trial program will begin in 2022 with partners in high-value horticulture and large-scale row crops, enabling the development of valuable year-round insights across diverse ecologies and agricultural systems. The initiative in New Zealand is being led by Finistere Ventures NZ Venture Partner Dean Tilyard and Chief Agronomist Michael Pereira with Co-Founder (and expat kiwi) Arama Kukutai taking a central role in the trial assessments.
According to Finistere Ventures 2020 Agrifood Tech Investment Review, total global investment in agrifood tech companies in 2020 surged to a colossal $22.3 billion – $5B in agtech and $17.3B in foodtech – and is continuing to accelerate with the increased focus on environment, societal, and governance (ESG) investments. Validating new technologies in nutrient analysis and delivery, efficient uptake and environmental mitigation will better position this important technology sector to claim its place in the expanding agrifood tech market map.
Qualifying technologies can request consideration to participate in the upcoming trials by filling out a short online form here. In the coming weeks, the coalition will select leaders from its partner ecosystem (which includes leading industry players Bayer, Landus Cooperative, The Mosaic Company, Nutrien, Syngenta, Western Growers Association, and more) to participate in the nutrient management advisory steering committee.