Successful and Sold Out RFSI in October
RFSI’s October event was a resounding success with a sold-out crowd of 500 attendees. The Nest’s Hallie Fox shared the stage with Tina Owens and David Leon to discuss what a systemic approach to investing can look like. RFSI highlighted their perspectives as part of their 15 key takeaways from the event.
Also in October, The Nest supported an inspiring event organized by Voedsel Anders and selected members, focused on the critical challenges of water in agriculture. The venue brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including farmers, researchers, policymakers, and industry experts, as well as The Nest’s Eva Somers. The discussions centered on the fundamental role of soil in sustaining water systems and agricultural productivity. Participants shared their experiences and ambitions, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable practices.
The event underscored the challenges of managing water resources in agriculture, with a particular focus on soil health. Innovative approaches like regenerative agriculture and agroecology were explored as promising solutions to these challenges, offering pathways for a more resilient and sustainable future in farming.
Investing in Regenerative Agriculture Podcasts
The latest episodes of the Nest’s sponsored podcast series for sustainable aquaculture launched on Investing in Regenerative Agriculture. The October 11 episode featured Yanik Nyberg on a potential new source of livestock feed: growing saltwater plants on tens of millions ha of abandoned, drained salt marshes.
The October 25 episode looks at a new solution to help rebalance marine ecosystems: harvesting, farming, and feeding over-populated species to market to restaurants. Aaron Huang, founder of OoNee Sea Urchin Ranch hopes to save kelp forests by moving overgrazing urchins to an aquaculture operation that sells the high-end seafood product.
Access the Regenerative Aquaculture series.
From the Journal
This month, The Nest published our second article our series on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, The Four “Rs” of Addressing the Fertilizer Problem. The article covers the $200 billion opportunity to address nitrogen use efficiency and the state of current solutions to reduce the environmental impact of excess nitrogen.
Portfolio News
Propagate
The Propagate team kicked off October with a featured article on RFSI. The article highlighted successes such as 200,000 trees planted since 2020 and Propagate’s role in managing the largest agroforestry operation in the U.S., about 2,000 acres at Hill Farms. The Propagate team also presented the case study during a bootcamp session preceding the October RFSI Forum in Denver.
If you are interested in how agroforestry projects are implemented, you may want to check out a video from the Propagate team documenting site prep for a spring installation at the Corbin Hill Road farm in New York.
Finally, as COP16 and biodiversity discussions take place, Propagate launched its own study of agroforestry and biodiversity. Propagate contracted a third-party to collect biodiversity data across 20 sample sites on 2 farms in Mason County, Kentucky for comparison to a conventional soy baseline. Read about the study and results at the Propagate website.
ReelData
ReelData AI announced a strategic partnership with Farm in a Box, a pre-fabricated, land-based aquaculture system. ReelData’s AI products, including ReelAppetite, ReelWeight, and ReelCount, will be integrated into the Farm in a Box solution.
Buoyant Ventures
Allison Myers of Buoyant Ventures shares advice for founders with Enduring Planet. Read her recommendations on building authentic relationships with investors.
Ardo
Market& Harvest Reports: Summer 2024
Consistent Quality in a Changing Climate: An Interview with François Smits and Marco Bom
Steward
Steward announced a participated loan opportunity for Chapul Farms on October 18. Within record time, the $2.47 million advance against a USDA grant was funded. Chapul Farms received a $3.9 million grant from the USDA's Fertilizer Production and Expansion Program to develop their zero-waste insect agriculture nutrient recycling facility. The loan helped Chapul access upfront liquidity to build their first commercial scale facility.
Omnivore
Proparco invested $5M in Omnivore's agritech and climate sustainability fund. The boost in capital will fund entrepreneurship in agriculture, rural economies, and climate solutions across India and Southeast Asia. Omnivore also announced the addition of three new startups to its portfolio: Sid's Farm, Scimplify, and Two Point O Capital.
If you are interested in learning more about Omnivore’s innovative portfolio, you will enjoy their video series, Omnivore Field Stories.
Blume Equity
British Patient Capital, the UK’s largest domestic investor in UK venture and venture growth capital, made a €25m commitment to Blume Equity’s Fund I. Blume Equity also partnered with Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), an Australian asset manager with a dedicated climate focused strategy.
Other Posts and Updates
· Arborview Capital added Pakal Technologies to its portfolio.
· Synthesis Capital released their latest report, AgTech for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
· Trace Genomics expanded their contract with Taurus Agricultural Marketing to expand access to next-generation soil tests in Canada.
Opportunities
· Omnivore’s portfolio has 210 job openings across 34 companies.
· Monarch Tractor has eight job openings, including Staff Controls Engineer.
· Buoyant Ventures lists ten job openings with their portfolio companies.
· Trace Genomics is hiring for two Technical Sales Manager positions.