The funding will be used by Sound Agriculture to enhance its product range and business development models
Sound Agriculture secures Series C funding. (Credit: PRNewsfoto/Sound Agriculture.)
Sound Agriculture, a US-based plant protection start-up, has secured $22m in Series C funding round led by S2G Ventures (Seed 2 Growth), with participation from existing investors including Cultivian Sandbox, Fall Line Capital, Cavallo Ventures and Syngenta Ventures.
Sound Agriculture develops new crop solutions that are claimed to set free the natural power of plants to help growers produce crops with fewer resources while offering consumers access to better food.
Sound Agriculture produced its first product, SOURCE, last year to unlock nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil to support plant and soil health and on-farm efficiency.
SOURCE harnessed existing nutrients in the field to provide an average corn yield increase of 8-10 bushels per acre without the need for more fertiliser.
Additional products can support the efficient use of other natural resources, allowing growers to maintain profitability while the environment is improved.
Sound Agriculture said that it is addressing the changing consumer preferences through its on-demand breeding platform that can quickly evolve traits to improve nutrition, taste and food sustainability, without gene modification.
As per the start-up, the financing will be utilised to accelerate the development of its new bio-inspired plant traits and chemistries along with new business development efforts across food and agriculture.
Sanjeev Krishnan and Cheryl Martin will join Sound Agriculture board
S2G Ventures managing director and chief investment officer Sanjeev Krishnan has now joined the Sound Agriculture board along with new independent board member and board chair, Cheryl Martin, Harwich Partners founder and principal.
Sound Agriculture CEO Adam Litle said: “Developing a more diverse set of crop solutions is essential to the success of growers, consumers and the wellbeing of the planet.
“We are thrilled to have S2G Ventures and Cheryl Martin join the Sound team. They provide a wealth of experience, network and resources as Sound expands its consumer side of the business that focuses on healthier, tastier and more differentiated food.”
Sanjeev Krishnan said: “Sound Agriculture is launching new discoveries that are in line with our goals for a healthier, more resilient and more sustainable food system.
“By combining our understanding of evolving consumer food preferences with their novel technology platform, we will be able to provide new answers to the challenges facing the entire food system.”
Cheryl Martin said: “Embracing modern approaches to plant science is a critical step to ensure the well-being of our food system and planet.
“I have spent my career helping transformative new technologies flourish and I am excited to work closely with the team at Sound to advance innovation in a way that can benefit both people and the planet.”