GROW, the Southeast Asia agrifoodtech accelerator based in Singapore, seeks to advance sustainable agriculture in the region and the rest of the world with the sophomore cohort of its Impact Accelerator program.
The agriculture investor has recently completed its selection of a new batch of funding recipients, which represent some of the most notable innovations from the agricultural and food technology sectors. Ten teams have been selected from more than 270 applicants from 58 countries. Of note, seven of them have female founders.
The second cohort teams
Two of the teams chosen are Singapore’s Biteback Biotechnology and Seadling. The former focuses on developing an insect bio-refinery capable of transforming agro-industrial waste into a drop-in replacement for biofuels, palm oil, and other functional ingredients. The latter specializes in the production of sustainable functional ingredients for animal feeds and aquaculture.
Indonesia’s representation in the cohort is Green Rebel, a popular maker of plant-based protein products. The company intends to produce clean-label meat alternatives using local ingredients.
Braintree Technologies, a company Malaysia, was also included in the second cohort. With its robotic farming-as-a-service business model, the company seeks to convert untended land into agricultural spaces to facilitate income generation for locals while reducing greenhouse gases and chemical emissions from farming.
The representative for the Philippines is Mayani, an e-commerce platform created to assist small-scale food farmers in selling their produce. The company also plans to digitalize the supply chain to boost farmer incomes and improve supply chain efficiency.
India’s Science for Society (S4S) is also part of the selection. The company integrates solar-driven dehydration technology and micro-entrepreneurship to address inefficiencies in the supply chain of developing countries.
Israel also has a representative in Impact Accelerator’s second cohort: ANINA Culinary Art. The company produces food laminates out of unwanted farm output. These laminates are used as containers of ready-to-cook meals.
Additionally, the UK’s Cellular Agriculture, participates in the program to develop a novel bioreactor design to be used in cell-based meat production. The project aims to significantly raise farm yields while reducing production costs.
Canada is also represented in the accelerator program by Rainfed Foods, which develops ingredients for the manufacture of plant-based food products. The company focuses on the use of millet proteins.
Lastly, Nigeria’s Rubilabs joins the accelerator program to develop a cloud-based and app-powered vaccine delivery system for the livestock farming industry. The project seeks to enhance the efficiency of animal healthcare, particularly when it comes to combating animal disease and deaths.
Impact Accelerator benefits
A twenty-week program delivered virtually, Impact Accelerator supports the selected teams by providing mentorship, technical support, customized coaching, expert sessions, and peer learning. The program also allows the teams to take advantage of AgFunder’s industry network. Moreover, each of the teams receives $100,000 in cash and in-kind investments worth $100,000.
Impact Accelerator is different from other agriculture accelerator investments because of its focus on social and environmental impact. The program does not only measure the success of its cohort in the commercial aspect; it also measures the contribution of the chosen teams to society and the environment.
John Friedman, Executive Director at GROW and AgFunder Asia, expressed excitement over the new cohort. “We are thrilled to welcome these 10 exciting companies into the GROW family and look forward to working closely with them to scale new heights and create lasting impact,” Friedman says.
“GROW was established to catalyze change and push boundaries in the global agrifood system,” Friedman explained as he highlighted the significance of the selection of the ten teams, noting that they receive investments to embody GROW’s mission and offer unique solutions to the needs and challenges in the agrifoodtech industry.
In addition to GROW, Impact Accelerator’s roster of sponsors also include UNDP Global Centre, Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, and Toniic. It also lists AFN as its official media partner.
Advancing new frontiers in sustainable agriculture and food production, GROW’s Impact Accelerator acknowledges the urgency of addressing the global food crisis not only to feed the world’s growing population but also to arrest the accelerated effects of global warming. In a media release, GROW pointed out that agriculture and food production account for around 25 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. The program aims to stimulate technological innovation that will help in moving agriculture and food production industries towards sustainability and greater efficiency.=
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