Early Stage Ag Tech Investments Up 29%

Investments in the early stages of agricultural technology in 2017 increased 29% year over year. AgFunder, a self-proclaimed online investment marketplace for agricultural technology, reports early stage investment in agriculture tech startups reached $10.1 billion in 2017.  The increase reverses a downward trend seen in 2016, when agriculture tech investing dropped 9% from $7.8 billion from $8.6 billion in 2015.

AgFunder announced the figures through its AgTech Investing Reports.  The reports say large funding agreements pushed the total investment volume up, but a number of agreements fell by 17% to 949.  Meanwhile, AgFunder says the investor base participating in agriculture tech deals continued to diversify with 1,048 unique investors participating during 2017, including Silicon Valley venture firms, state-backed government funds, pension funds, corporate entities, as well as the growing number of agriculture tech specialists.

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