Have you ever marveled at a bloom growing up from a crack in a sidewalk? Despite the midsummer heat and lack of rain, the bloom persists, roots reaching below the concrete to tap into limited resources. The audacity of its bright petals in a bleak setting reminds us of something truly wondrous: nature’s resilience.
Resilience is what we try to build using agroecological practices at Domaine de Graux. It is a strength we look for in the founders of our portfolio and the organizations in our foundation. It is the driving force within all of us as we work to regenerate soil, ecosystems, human health, and the complex food system. This work is not easy. Each month, as we recognize achievements, we also acknowledge the resilience of all our portfolio and foundation in continuing to thrive and grow.
From the Farm
The team from Domaine de Graux attended the Libramont Agricultural Fair for connection and inspiration, including the Tomorrow Food space, a vibrant, inspiring initiative at the heart of the fair, imagined by Farm For Good.
At the farm, work continues with construction, the art walk, and the outdoor school. The team has been working with six Brussels-based restaurants to feature Domaine de Graux Mangalica pork on their menus. The farm continues to produce a diverse range of new products, from walnut oil and flour to a stunning array of heirloom tomatoes.
The Nest News
At The Nest, nature is not a nice-to-have; it is the foundation of healthy societies, resilient economies, and thriving businesses. That's why we've proudly signed the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge, joining 200+ financial institutions in a shared commitment to put nature and biodiversity at the heart of finance. Through this pledge, we're stepping up and committing to protect and restore biodiversity through engaging with our portfolio companies, deepening our understanding of the impact of our investments, and reporting transparently on our progress. Because when nature thrives, we all do!
We are happy to join Impact Europe the investing for impact community - a unique network at the intersection of finance and purpose, powering social and environmental impact!
Portfolio News
Trace Genomics Acquired by Mirraterra
We are pleased to announce that Miraterra, a British Columbia-based technology company, acquired Trace Genomics. The deal includes the full suite of Trace Genomics’ Intellectual Property (IP), in-market products, and an analytical lab in Ames, Iowa.
Ardo
Learn about Ardo’s MIMOSA+: Sustainable Production from Field to Freezer program, including the five pillars of Soil Fertility and Health, Water Conservation, Biodiversity, Cover Crops, and Plant Nutrition and Responsible Fertiliser Use.
Astanor
Astanor and Cibus Capital led a $40M CAD Series B funding round for 4AG Robotics. Additional investors included Voyager Capital and BDC Industrial Innovation Fund, among others. 4AG Robotics builds solutions to automate skilled farm labor tasks.
Astanor’s portfolio company, Modern Meadow, launched a development partnership with Mercedes-Benz AG to integrate their INNOVERA™, a bio-designed leather alternative, into the CONCEPT AMG GT XX.
biotope by VIB
biotope by VIB’s portfolio startup, AmphiStar, was awarded €12.5m in funding following the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) latest evaluation round. EIC considered nearly 1000 proposals from European startups for the funding, which comprised a €2.5 million grant and a €10 million equity investment.
AgTech Navigator featured the biotope by VIB incubator in the promotional article, “Biotech innovation: Funding scalable solutions for a healthy planet.” The article covered the potential of biotech innovation to reshape our food systems, materials, and manufacturing to support a healthier planet.
Annick Verween, Head of biotope, provided career insights for a SheCanCode spotlight. Our favorite tips include saying yes to opportunities that stretch you and the necessity of diverse perspectives.
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Steward
The most recent successfully funded projects from Steward included lending for an oat mill, which will allow regional growers in Minnesota to add an additional crop to their rotations. Green Acres Milling, led by Anne and Landon Plagge, is committed to regenerative sourcing.
Edacious
On 24 July, Edacious, along with partner Nutrient Density Alliance, held a webinar on their Regen Nutrition Project. The event shared early insights and how nutrient density is measured.
The team at Edacious has had a busy season as nutrient density gains interest. Eric Smith was featured on the RegenBrands Podcast #104. He also spoke on “Measuring Food Quality, Nutrition, and Health” at the Groundswell Agriculture Festival in the UK.
Despite the busy schedule, the Edacious team still managed to gather for a “summer camp” in Maine to connect, innovate, and deepen their culture.
Quick Organics
Quick Organics announced their latest partnership with Quality Certification Services (QCS), bringing digital tools to QCS clients that simplify organic recordkeeping and certification processes.
Agricarbon
Agricarbon announced that their US team is fully operational, led by Pierre Kim, Commercial Director.
Buoyant Ventures
Buoyant Ventures’ Lighthouse blog provides essential policy analysis for climate technology and investors, “The One Big Beautiful Bill: A Gut Punch, But Not a Knockout for Climate Tech.”
Monarch Tractor
Monarch Tractor supports farmers in accessing the California Off-Road Equipment (CORE) Voucher Incentive Program. The funding helps empower farmers to adopt sustainable innovation, including the MK-V and Wingspan Ag Intelligence®.
Precision Farming Dealer named Monarch’s technology in their roundup of “33 Pivotal Moments in Precision Ag History.” Monarch was also covered in the Wall Street Journal article, “Drones, AI and Robot Pickers: Meet the Fully Autonomous Farm” (paywall). The article reviews how robotics and automation increase farm efficiency and sustainability and solve pressing labor demands.
Omnivore
Omnivore’s portfolio company DeHaat acquired NEERX, a smart farming solutions company. The deal expands DeHaat’s precision agriculture offering with real-time soil and weather monitoring technology.
Zymofix
The International Fertilizer Association(IFA) shortlisted Zymofix as a semifinalist in its Cultivate Challenge. The competition highlights innovative startups addressing fertilizer industry challenges.
Pymwymic
Pymwymic’s portfolio company FA Bio was named to the EIT Food Rising Food Stars 2025 cohort, Europe’s premier scale-up program.
The entire Pymwymic team attended the Groundswell Festival in the UK. Founder Maarten Van Dam joined Koen van Seijen for a discussion on AI in Ag: What’s Possible, What’s Not & What Farmers Need to Know.
Blume Equity
Blume was named a finalist in two categories at the Real Deals Sustainable Investment Awards 2025. The recognition categories include Deal of the Year, for Blume’s investment Sensorfact, and Environmental Impact Investor of the Year. Blume was also named Emerging VC of the Year in the Growth Investor Awards.
Food as Medicine Foundation
Farm for Good
Farm for Good organized the Tomorrow Food exhibit at the Libramont Fair, 25-28 July. Our Food as Medicine Foundation supported the event. The lively experience featured a “village” dedicated to the agricultural transition and highlighting agroecological food producers.
Top 50 Farmers
In July, Top 50 Farmers featured farmers who are transforming 4,300 hectares to regenerative practices in Estonia, building a new generation of regenerative farmers in Ireland, and developing the cutting-edge practices to scale regenerative market gardens across Europe’s largest villages by 2035. Read these inspirational stories and others to learn how the T50F 2025 cohort is building a thriving regenerative food system.
Events
The Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe will take place 8-10 September in Amsterdam. The speaker lineup features familiar faces across our portfolio: Annie Leeson, CEO and Co-Founder, Agricarbon, and Maarten Van Dam, Founder, and Rik Posthuma, Investment Manager, both of Pymwymic.
Opportunities
Ardo is hiring for 41 positions, including Group Supply Chain Controller and Technologist.
Astanor posted 73 openings and 29 of their portfolio companies.
Buoyant Ventures portfolio has 20 job openings at companies such as Raptor Maps and Ocient.
Monarch Tractor has 10 roles open, with several in Service, Sales, and IT.
Omnivore’s portfolio is hiring for 206 roles across 34 companies.
Zymofix is hiring a Business Development Manager.