Agros nets $2.7M to scale sustainable farming solutions
SINGAPORE, March 14, 2023 â Agros, a Singapore-headquartered Agri-tech startup, has raised US$2.7 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Gaia Impact Fund and Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia. Seed round investor Wavemaker Impact continued to support Agros and invested again. The round also saw participation from Silverstrand Capital, Circle Capital, and PropertyGuru Founder and impact investor, Steve Melhuish.
Founded in November 2019, Agros is the pioneer in sustainable agriculture for small and medium-sized horticulture farmers across Asia. The company is helping horticulture farmers to decarbonize, whilst doubling their profit through a full-stack solution.
Its first two products – Agrosolar and Agrosoil – are solving major agriculture problems like fuel dependency and soil degradation. After switching to Agrosâ ecosystem, farmers can double their profits from reduced input costs, improved yields, and higher prices from better-quality crops.
Agros has been enjoying the tailwind from rising fuel and fertilizer prices, which has encouraged farmers to switch to more sustainable and efficient practices. This has resulted in 4x year-on-year revenue growth in 2022. The company currently works with 1,500 farmers across 2 Asian countries and has increased farmersâ profits by more than $1,500,000 and abated up to 5,000 tons of Co2e.
âWeâre glad to have found investors who share our belief that a prosperous, inclusive, and low-carbon world is possible. The timing couldnât have been more perfect and as the pioneer, we are well positioned to become the regional market leader,â said Max Nelen, Founder and CEO of Agros.
âWeâre very honored and excited to support Agrosâ journey. Weâve been impressed by Max and his team, dedicated and passionate, in providing decarbonized solutions for farmers. Agros is a market shaper and has a huge potential to grow across the region, we strongly believe theyâre in the best position to support millions of farmers to increase their income while making their farm climate resilient,â said HÃĐlÃĻne Demaegdt, President of Gaia Impact Fund.
Gilles Vermot Desroches, President of Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia adds: âWe share with Max and the Agros team the same deep conviction that sustainable agriculture plays a crucial factor in tackling climate change and contributing to a fairer and more inclusive society.
Agros’ work in providing farmers with solar-powered irrigation systems and raising awareness on sustainable agri-practices not only leads to higher income for farmers, but also makes communities more resilient to variable climate conditions and helps reduce CO2 emissions. We are very proud to be able to to support Agros in creating this systemic change.
Agros will use the funds to scale in its existing markets, open a third country, strengthen its leadership team and develop an App streamlining the value chain. This will allow Agros to transform the lives of thousands of farmers, while abating millions of tons of carbon emissions.
âWe are very impressed with the results that Max and his team are achieving. We believe that entrepreneurs can start high-growth, high-margin businesses that also greatly reduce climate emissions. Max and his team have proven this with their efforts,â said Doug Parker, founding partner of Wavemaker Impact.
For more information, please contact:
Max Nelen, Founder & CEO
About Agros
Agros is the pioneer in sustainable farming solutions for 18 million horticulture farmers across Asia. Its full-stack solution allows farmers to double their profit and become climate-resilient for generations to come.
About Gaia Impact Fund
Gaia Impact Fund is a venture capital firm specializing in renewable energy. It invests and builds long-term partnerships with start-ups and SMEs operating in Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia with a strong environmental and social focus. Since 2017, it has invested in 12 innovative companies and is actively pursuing its investment strategy in the renewable energy value chain: small decentralized solar systems, productive uses of energy, mini grids, C&I, enabling tech.
About Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia
Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia (SEEAA) is a +20M⎠impact fund, launched by Schneider Electric, together with Norfund, EDFI MC and Amundi Asset Management, to positively contribute to SGD 7, with two main objectives: (i) bridging the energy access gap in South and Southeast Asia, where rural communities often lack access to reliable energy sources, and (ii) fostering the adoption of renewables in the energy mix and Net Zero.
About Wavemaker Impact
Wavemaker Impact is a climatetech venture builder that co-founds sustainability-focused businesses in Southeast Asia with proven entrepreneurs. It aims to rally individuals, investors, and businesses who care about the planet, and want to make a rapid, tangible change in the reduction of carbon emissions. For more information, visit: https://wavemakerimpact.com/.
