Led · Seed · Feb 2026

Spun out of the NECSTlab at Politecnico di Milano and accelerated by Bocconi 4 Innovation, GenoGra is building the first pangenomic analysis platform designed to streamline population-scale genomics. Its proprietary high-performance software leverages pangenomic graphs and interactive visualisation tools to deliver faster, more precise insights, drastically cutting analysis times. The company’s initial go-to-market focuses on non-human segments—agrifood, animal health, energy and industrial microorganisms—where advanced genomic solutions have historically been scarce. GenoGra’s top-down approach allows researchers to compare large cohorts, pinpoint shared genetic variants and link them to observable traits, opening new doors for biomarker discovery and precision medicine. The €1 million pre-seed financing will fund the commercial launch in non-human markets, drive product-market fit, and support certification and validation for future human health use cases. The startup is currently running pilots with universities, research centres, hospitals and industry players, and plans to expand its team significantly by 2026.

Participated · Equity · Aug 2025

Saga Robotics developed Thorvald, a modular autonomous platform for soft fruit and grapevine production that performs tasks such as UV-C disease control, precision data collection, and other repetitive field and greenhouse work. Thorvald originated in the robotics group at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and the company aims to transform farming into a service sector to improve profitability, reduce grower risk, and enhance environmental outcomes. The company operates from Norway, the UK (Lincoln and Kent), and the US with a team of about 50 people and over 150 Thorvald 3.0 units in operation during the 2025 growing season. In 2025 Saga recorded its first commercial revenue from a yield prediction data tool and is using field data collected while treating thousands of acres each week. Commercial traction includes supporting 13 UK strawberry growers (about 20% of the national market, targeting >30% in 2026) and operating across more than 1,300 US vineyard acres with plans to triple that by 2026. Saga plans to expand its commercial rollout in the UK and US and to leverage data and partnerships to accelerate adoption and reduce chemical use in specialty crops. Saga Robotics develops fleets of autonomous strawberry pickers and multifunctional agri-robots that use UV treatment to address fungus. Its technology aims to reduce labour risk, soil compression, CO2 emissions, and pesticide and fungicide use while increasing plant yields. The company plans to pursue a robotics-as-a-service business model rather than simply selling hardware to farmers. Saga is focused on deploying more robots in the field with reliable navigation systems suitable for varied conditions. From its office in Lincoln the company is leading an Innovate UK project called ‘Robot Highways,’ a large demonstration of robotics and autonomous technologies on farms to assist with picking, packing and crop treatment. Saga recently completed a funding round that should support scaling deployments and data-enabled applications to provide actionable intelligence to farmers.

Participated · Series A · Sep 2024

Novameat develops sustainable plant-based meats that replicate fibrous meat textures using its proprietary MicroForce technology, which scales 3D‑printing principles to industrial production. Led by CEO Giuseppe Scionti, the team combines advanced food science and culinary expertise to build texture and product formulations. The company has introduced products across Europe, industrially scaled its MicroForce technology, and modified its production facility to meet BRCGS requirements. Novameat plans to use the new funding to further scale production through MicroForce, launch an expanded product range, and boost global market reach and commercial activities. The company positions itself to expand commercial operations and production capacity following this round. Novameat develops proprietary technologies to create plant-based meat substitutes that aim to match the texture, appearance, taste and nutritional properties of animal meat. Its 3D-printed steak uses pea protein, beetroot juice and other plant-based ingredients; the company has also developed whole-cut formats including tenderloins, steaks and fillets. In January 2022 it announced a meat substitute made from highly temperature-sensitive ingredients. Novameat claims its patented technology can scale production to more than 500 kg/h with industrial equipment and that current production speed is about 15 times faster than typical high‑moisture extrusion. The company plans its products to enter Spanish steak-houses and restaurants in 2022 and expects retail availability in 2023 via partnerships with established food and beverage companies. Recent fundraising and a European Innovation Council Accelerator grant are intended to accelerate product development and production scalability. Novameat develops a customized 3D-bioprinting platform and scaffolding technology designed to mimic the texture, appearance, nutritional and sensorial properties of fibrous meats such as steaks, chicken breasts and fish filets. The company licenses its printing machinery to plant-based meat manufacturers so they can create whole-muscle textures that traditional extrusion technologies struggle to reproduce. Novameat's founder, biomedical engineer Giuseppe Scionti, built the company on a decade of academic research and produced the world’s first 3D-printed plant-based beefsteak in 2018. The firm says its micro-extrusion approach can deliver three-dimensional fibrous structures without long incubation periods, which it argues will reduce time and cost to produce meat substitutes. Novameat intends to use new investment capital from New Crop Capital to further develop the platform and accelerate commercialization across multiple meat categories. The company is positioning its technology as applicable to both plant-based and lab-cultured alternatives.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2022

Equinom uses its Manna™ technology platform and a large seed vault to breed higher-quality, non-GMO source crops (including pea and soy) optimized for food applications that require minimal processing. Its optimized crops aim to improve taste, nutrition, and reduce cost and complexity for plant-based foods, enabling food companies to deliver tastier and more affordable alternatives to meat and dairy. Equinom plans to commercialize these plant-protein ingredients through established multinational ingredient suppliers and expand seed development and grain production for ultra-high protein soy and pea varieties. The company also intends to invest in R&D and breeding programs for additional crops including chickpea, fava, mung bean, and cowpea, and to add key personnel. Financially, Equinom announced a $35 million tranche of funding and has raised over $71 million in total to date. The company presented this news from Indianapolis. Equinom develops seeds for plant-based proteins using AI-driven technology, a distinct methodology, and a proprietary genomic database to breed improved traits such as protein amount and functionality, flavor, yield, and field performance. The company begins with exotic and ancient crop types and applies non-GMO breeding methods to reverse years of yield-focused breeding that it says reduced ingredient quality. Its sesame seeds are grown on over 100,000 acres across five continents, and Equinom says it has secured 'millions of dollars in contracts' with market-leading food brands for custom-designed ingredients. Improved seeds for pea, soy, and other legumes are slated to debut in October this year. Equinom has collaborated with Sabra, PepsiCo, and Roquette and positions itself as a 'sophisticated ingredient company' targeting food manufacturers seeking lower-cost, cleaner-label plant-based inputs. The company will use new funding to boost sales and marketing and to expand R&D. Equinom is a Kibbutz Givat Brenner, Israel-based seed-breeding company led by CEO Gil Shalev that builds an ecosystem connecting food companies to the supply chain to improve transparency and responsible sourcing of plant protein. The company develops mechanically harvestable seed varieties and has become a preferred supplier for sesame seeds. Equinom plans to launch a high-protein pea variety in 2021. The firm closed a $10M Series B to support its growth. It intends to use the funds to accelerate global expansion and to build talent and infrastructure. The description and plans are focused on supplying high-value plant-protein ingredients to food companies. Equinom develops proprietary software, algorithms and data‑science methods to identify genomic regions controlling complex, multi‑gene crop traits and to select optimal combinations for cross‑breeding. The company deliberately avoids genetic modification and gene editing, positioning its products for a global clean‑label market. Equinom both builds the technology stack and runs breeding programs, selling seed and collecting royalties as a primary revenue stream. Its first commercialized crop is sesame, bred for mechanical harvestability and higher yield; the company targets capturing 5–10% of the $8 billion sesame market. Equinom is now focusing on legumes, starting with peas, aiming to commercialize varieties with 35%–55% higher protein content and improved protein quality by 2021. The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Israel; it is building a gene bank/database to improve discovery across species via machine learning. EQUInom is an Israeli seed‑breeding startup that uses computational breeding technology to create seeds for the global food industry. The company applies genomics, bioinformatics, and phenomics in its proprietary breeding platform. It plans to use the new capital to boost its plant‑protein seed breeding program. The $1.25M round was led by Hazera, a field crops and seed production specialist group. EQUInom has signed with Obela, the joint venture of PepsiCo and Strauss Group, to participate in a breeding program using its proprietary technology. Recent market research cited in the article notes the plant‑protein market totaled $7.7 billion last year and could reach $10 billion by 2020, indicating growing demand for protein‑rich crops. The funding round brings the company’s total financing to $2.25M.