Quietly below the soil, the “hidden half” of a plant works. Roots exchange resources with the surrounding soil biology, enhance the soil structure, and hold the plant fast to the earth even as they nourish its growth upward. Like a plant’s hidden half, a new chapter is taking root at The Nest. A forum where ideas are exchanged, where data gives structure to human story, and understanding grows.
This month, we are launching Rooted, a magazine for the innovations, evidence, and voices shaping the next chapter of our food system. Long-form stories, honest conversations, and perspectives from the people building change from the ground up.
Subscribe now to be the first to receive Rooted in your mailbox.
The Nest News
On May 5, our founder Els was featured at Follow Up, the annual event for alumni of the Successor Academy and next generation of corporate families.
Anouk will be taking the stage at Feeding the Future 2026 on 18 June in Antwerp. The event is focused on retail, FMCG or food service. Learn more about the event and register here.
From the Farm
Domaine de Graux celebrated International Biodiversity Day on May 22. Our agroecological practices at the farm support biodiversity from the life in the soil to the birds and insects in the air. Here, biodiversity is more than an aspiration. We track our impact in measurable, meaningful outcomes:
- Our soils contain up to twice the organic matter of average farmland, between 3% and 6%, compared to the typical 0% to 3%.
- We partner with BeeOdiversity to support wild bee populations on our farm. Our “BeeOtels” have above average occupancy by wild bee species.
- BeeOdiversity also tested soil and pollen at the farm, finding near-zero pesticide levels and below-average heavy metal levels.
- We partnered with Biotope Environment to conduct a study linking our agroecological practices to the state of biodiversity on the farm.
Agriculture is a primary driver of biodiversity loss globally, through habitat loss and degradation. Learn how we grow food in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem, in a way that supports and builds biodiversity.
Talking about celebrating life and diversity: the first Angus calves have arrived at the domain. They are slowly discovering the orchard, taking their first steps on the grass, and feeding on their mothers. A beautiful start to life, just the way nature intended.
Portfolio News
Ardo
Ardo highlights their Horizon 2035 framework focused on four programmes: Resilient agriculture: MIMOSA+, Climate mitigation and adaptation, Sustainable sourcing: WeCare, and Resource efficiency.
Agricarbon
The Agricarbon team completed baseline core collection for the first sampling cohort on 15,000 acres of the Canadian Alliance for Net Zero Agri-Food (CANZA). The three-year “Million Acre Challenge” takes place in Southwestern Ontario.
Biotope
The May edition of UDEA’s monthly magazine, Verbindend, has been published (Dutch). The publication features supplier stories and food trends. Retailer färm celebrates seasonal eating, legumes, and meal prep strategies for busy lives.
Edacious
Edacious launched an improved Public Product Page that helps brands share their nutrition analysis results in a visual and informative way. The team’s blog also covers case studies, how to explore USDA food records in the application, and insights on what makes a high-quality protein.
Quick Organics
As of June 1, for the next sixty days, Quick Organics is offering organic producers, handlers, and certifiers access to Quick Organics software for a FREE 12-month trial period.
Steward
A New York Times article on premium and craft flours had a lesson on impact funding by Steward baked in. Steward founder and CEO Dan Miller recaps the financing strategy and rapid rise of Cairnspring Mills amidst high demand for more nutritious whole grains. (No paywall).
Fund News
Aqua-Spark
Aqua-Spark appointed Katherine Bryar as Director of Strategic Partnerships to strengthen relationships along the sustainable seafood value chain.
Arborview Capital
Arborview portco TemperPack, a producer of sustainable thermal packaging, earned certification from the nonprofit B Lab as a B Corporation.
biotope by VIB
For the second consecutive year, Sifted and the Financial Times selected biotope as one of Europe’s Leading Startup Hubs, ranking first in the Food & Agriculture category. The basecamp for cohort 9 took place in Ghent in early May. The latest newsletter from biotope includes milestones for their portfolio and for the incubator program: 19 investments made over 8 completed basecamps and €37M raised. Read more in biotope’s spring edition newsletter.
Blume Equity
Blume Equity shared highlights from their 2025 Impact Report, noting that every portfolio company met or exceeded its impact targets for 2025 across goals for energy efficiency, industrial decarbonization, and climate resilience.
Pymwymic
Pymwymic’s 2025 Impact Report includes impressive metrics: 109K hectares of land under improved management, 13k tons of carbon emissions reduced or sequestered. Their team also identified a powerful trend. Portfolio companies that tied incentives to impact performed 13% higher on Pymwymic’s impact ratings. The report presents rankings for each portfolio company and Pymwymic itself.
Synthesis Capital
May insights from Synthesis posit that it is time to stop looking at each crisis, be it geopolitical, supply and trade disruption, animal and plant disease, or climate, as a one-off. Instead, we should recognize that food system crisis is a constant and we need to build resilience, including food tech options.
What We’re Reading
The Best Path Forward in Challenging Times
The current geopolitical instability and closure of the Strait of Hormuz is triggering a boom in renewable energy demand. This situation also requires us to rethink our reliance on synthetic fertilizers as their costs soar in time with planting season. World Resources Institute states that “the best path forward is to invest in a more sustainable, diversified and resilient food system.”
Agriculture can de-risk now by adopting less fertilizer-dependent crops, soil health practices, precision agriculture, and new inputs like microbials and biochar that reduce synthetic fertilizer inputs. The chaos is devastating for food security, but it can hopefully be a pivotal moment for building a greener, more resilient system.
Wild Bees and Pollinator Diversity
If our biodiversity efforts at Domaine de Graux inspire you, you will enjoy this lovely short essay that muses on the diversity of wild bee species (over 4,000 in North America alone) and the simple things we can all do to support them.
Stories of Hope: For the first time in history, bees have legal rights
In Peru, stingless Amazonian bees, ancient pollinators essential to rainforest life and Indigenous culture, are now legally protected as rights-bearing beings. This landmark ruling doesn’t just defend bees; it redefines how the law can recognize nature itself, setting a global precedent for protecting even the smallest guardians of biodiversity.
A Deeper Dive Into Regenerative Labels
In February, we posted an overview of the differences between organic and regenerative systems. We also love this Farming Practice Spectrum from Clear Frontier. In May, Friends of the Earth published a comparison specific regenerative labeling programs.
The Power of Gathering Places
Working toward systemic change¾be it climate, agriculture and food, health, biodiversity ¾ can be overwhelming. Katherine Wilkenson, a founder of Climate Wayfinding, reminds us that the biggest positive movements in history all began in small gatherings and the places designed to support connection.
“Movements depend on churches, retreat centers, classrooms, and community halls because our work isn’t just strategic. It is creative, emotional, relational, and often spiritual, and that kind of work requires such spaces to take root.”
We take Katherine Wilkenson’s words to heart as we build a place to gather and connect at Domaine de Graux.
Opportunities
- Ardo is hiring and Allround Operator / Vervangend Teamleider in Zundert, North Brabant. Forty-five career roles are posted on their website.
- Edacious is hiring for a Senior Lab Manager.
- AgFunder’s network has job openings for areas such as protein science, robotics, and biotech.
- Astanor’s network has 95 job openings across 36 companies.
- Buoyant Ventures’ network has 72 job openings across the climate intelligence, tech, and energy sectors.
- Omnivore’s network has 285 job openings across 31 companies.
- Synthesis Capital is hiring for a Senior Associate on their investments team.