Tall Grass Ventures News

Sensor Globe closes Pre-Seed round to scale sustainable aquaculture tech!

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:36:01 GMT

Sensor Globe closes Pre-Seed round to scale sustainable aquaculture tech!

Halifax, Nova Scotia – September 23th, 2025 – Marin X Inc. ( Sensor Globe ), an aquaculture technology company on a mission to improve fish welfare and operational efficiency, today announced the closing of its pre-seed funding round. The round was co-led by Invest Nova Scotia and Tall Grass Ventures with participation from Hatch Blue and other strategic investors.

Sensor Globe delivers next-generation monitoring solutions designed to give fish farmers real-time insights during critical operations such as crowding, transfers, and handling. By capturing environmental and welfare indicators, our platform helps reduce mortality, improve productivity, and enhance compliance with welfare regulations.

Our technology has already been deployed in commercial operations in Norway and all major geographies producing salmon, generating actionable data that supports better decision-making and greater transparency across the value chain.

“ This investment is a vote of confidence in our vision and the importance of high-frequency welfare monitoring in aquaculture. With this backing, we’re positioned to accelerate product development, strengthen our analytics, and expand both our team and footprint across key aquaculture regions .”

- Sheamus MacDonald, CEO of Sensor Globe.

Sensor Globe is led by a team with deep roots in aquaculture, fisheries, and technology. Our founders and team members bring experience spanning commercial fisheries, seafood sustainability, sensor engineering, AI-driven analytics, and aquaculture operations. Together, we combine practical industry knowledge with advanced technology development to ensure our solutions meet the real-world needs of farmers.

Aquaculture is the world’s fastest-growing food production sector, yet it faces increasing pressure from regulators, consumers, and insurers to improve fish welfare and reduce environmental impact. Traditional monitoring approaches are limited in capturing the most stressful and risk-prone moments in farming, such as handling and crowding. Sensor Globe addresses this gap by providing continuous, real-time welfare and environmental data, empowering farmers to reduce losses, safeguard animal health, and meet evolving compliance standards.

About Sensor Globe

Founded in 2023, Sensor Globe is an aquaculture technology company dedicated to transforming fish farming by elevating welfare standards and operational resilience. Through proprietary sensor platforms and advanced analytics, we enable farmers to act proactively—not reactively—ensuring healthier fish, lower risk, and more sustainable production.

Cellar Insights Raises Oversubscribed Seed Round to Scale AI-Powered Potato Storage Tech

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 15:21:21 GMT

Tall Grass Ventures and Accelerate Fund IV co-lead investment to expand predictive storage monitoring across North America

Calgary, AB – September 8, 2025 – Cellar Insights , a Calgary-based AgTech company helping potato growers prevent storage losses, today announced the close of an oversubscribed seed round. The financing was co-led by Tall Grass Ventures and Accelerate Fund IV, with participation from Carrot Ventures, University of Alberta Innovation Fund, (UCeed,) and other strategic investors.

Cellar Insights combines specialized sensors with AI models to detect trace gases emitted by decomposing potatoes—well before visible signs of spoilage. This early-warning system enables growers to extend storage seasons, optimize movement timing, and preserve millions in crop value. The platform has already analyzed over 1.5 million storage data sets and is monitoring more than 150 million pounds of potatoes across North America.

“ This investment validates our vision and technology ,” said Terry Sydoryk, CEO of Cellar

Insights. “ With the backing of these top-tier AgTech investors, we’re ready to scale faster,

expand into new markets, and give growers unprecedented clarity and control over storage .”

The new funding will accelerate AI model development, enhance predictive capabilities, and support expansion into Canada and the U.S., including a new team presence in Manitoba backed by Manitoba First Fund.

“ Post-harvest technology is an underserved market with huge potential ,” said Yasmine Al-Hussein, Investment Associate at Accelerate Fund IV. “ Cellar Insights’ solution is complex but practical, and we’re already seeing strong adoption by growers and processors .”

“ Ross’s farming expertise paired with Terry’s scaling experience makes this a team uniquely positioned to transform potato storage ,” said Chris Edwards, Managing Partner at Tall Grass Ventures. “ We’re excited to support their growth across key potato regions .”

The global potato processing market reached $38 billion in 2023, yet up to 25% of crops are lost post-harvest. By detecting rot before it starts, Cellar Insights provides growers and processors with a proven way to cut waste, protect supply, and improve ROI.

Cellar Insights was founded in 2023 by sixth-generation New Brunswick potato grower Ross Culberson, Cellar Insights is an AI-powered AgTech company focused on eliminating post-harvest storage losses. Its platform delivers early risk detection, crop protection, and supply chain visibility across North America.

EmGenisys Completes Oversubscribed $1.5 Million Raise from Leading VCs to Transform Livestock Reproduction with Artificial Intelligence

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:55:46 GMT

EmGenisys Completes Oversubscribed $1.5 Million Raise from Leading VCs to Transform Livestock Reproduction with Artificial Intelligence

Driftwood, TX — July 23, 2025 — EmGenisys , a pioneering animal health company leveraging artificial intelligence to evaluate embryo health in real-time, today announced the successful close of anoversubscribed $1.5 million seed financing round.

The round was led by Grit Road Partners, with participation from leading agtech venture capital firms Tall Grass Ventures, and Ag Venture Alliance. The capital reflects strong confidence in EmGenisys’ mission to empower veterinarians, embryologists, and cattle producers with real-time, objective insights that improve IVF and embryo transfer outcomes—ultimately boosting pregnancy rates and maximizing

return on genetic investment.

EmGenisys’ flagship product, EmVision, is a machine learning-powered platform that analyzes 30-second videos of embryos recorded using a smartphone mounted to a microscope. The web-based system examines each embryo frame-by-frame, assessing for signs of life and generating an immediate embryo health score. This data helps producers select the most viable embryos for transfer and considerably

improve the efficacy of their IVF program.

“ Attracting some of the most strategic investors in animal health and genetics gives EmGenisys both the financial and human capital to scale globally,” said Dr. Cara Wells, founder and CEO of EmGenisys. “This funding will allow us to advance our AI platform, expand access to our technology, and deliver real impact for beef and dairy producers around the world .”

“ This financial backing will allow us to continue to develop and improve services which will benefit both novice and experienced embryologists and their clients.” said Dr. Russell Killingsworth, Co-founder and Chief Veterinary Officer with over 40 year’s experience practicing bovine embryo transfer in the Texas panhandle .

Founded in 2020 by Dr. Cara Wells and Dr. Russell Killingsworth, EmGenisys has already achieved key milestones, including the issuance of 15 U.S. patents, successful pilot studies, and recognition from leading organizations in both ag tech and biotech sectors. Accolades include the BioTools Innovator Award at Boston Biotech Week and the Animal Health Corridor Innovation Award in Kansas City.

With this new capital, EmGenisys plans to accelerate commercialization of the technology, expand into additional livestock species, and launch new product offerings aligned with reproductive success and genetic progress.

“ We are incredibly excited to partner with EmGenisys. Their innovative, data-driven approach to improving embryo transfer outcomes is a game-changer for livestock producers,” said Mike Jung, Managing Partner at Grit Road Partners. “This partnership perfectly aligns with our mission at Grit Road Partners to back cutting-edge AgTech solutions that deliver real, measurable impact for Midwest agriculture .”

“ EmGenisys is advancing a very exciting innovation in the livestock sector. EmGenisys’s team has blended artificial intelligence with advanced livestock reproduction technologies in the way that other’s haven’t been able to do in the industry,” said Wilson Acton, Managing Partner at Tall Grass Ventures.

“We are excited to work closely with the EmGenisys team to accelerate and grow their business .”

EmGenisys is a leading animal health and agtech company transforming livestock reproduction through artificial intelligence. Founded in 2020 by Dr. Cara Wells and Dr. Russell Killingsworth, EmGenisys develops software solutions that provide real-time, non-invasive evaluation of embryo health to improve pregnancy outcomes and genetic progress in beef and dairy herds. With a foundation in biological research and a growing IP portfolio of 15 issued U.S. patents, the company empowers veterinarians, embryologists, and producers with data-driven tools that increase efficiency, reduce subjectivity, and accelerate innovation across the breeding value chain. EmGenisys is headquartered in Driftwood, Texas.

Danish AgriRobot Secures Investment for Robot Safety Software

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 21:09:16 GMT

Danish AgriRobot Secures Investment for Robot Safety Software

Copenhagen, Denmark - December 11, 2024 - AgriRobot, a pioneering agritech company developing safety software for autonomous agricultural robots, has announced the successful first closing of its latest funding round. This investment brings the total capital raised by the Danish innovator to more than €2.5 million and will fuel AgriRobot’s mission to revolutionize agriculture by enabling safe and efficient autonomous agricultural operations.

AgriRobot is developing certifiable software that eliminates the need for human operators to monitor robots in the field. Leveraging advanced technology from self-driving cars and last-mile delivery robots, AgriRobot's software ensures the safety of autonomous tractors and robots, paving the way for a new era of efficient and sustainable farming.

The round was led by Norminal Ventures with participation from Tall Grass Ventures. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of their safety software while they continue to raise additional capital.

“We are excited to announce this significant milestone for AgriRobot,” said Tommy Ertbølle Madsen, CEO at AgriRobot. “This first close of our investment round will enable us to accelerate the development and deployment of our innovative software, helping farmers worldwide achieve safe and sustainable agricultural practices.”

“By addressing critical safety challenges, AgriRobot’s software empowers farmers to increase efficiency, reduce labour costs, and enhance crop quality while minimizing risks," said Chris Edwards, Managing Partner at Tall Grass Ventures. “With a highly technical and knowledgeable team, we are excited to watch as they bring functional safety to autonomous agricultural operations.”

AgriRobot’s software is designed to be modular and easily scalable, allowing for integration with various autonomous agricultural systems. With a strong focus on safety compliance, AgriRobot is committed to providing equipment manufacturers with reliable and trustworthy solutions.

Founded in 2021 by a team with deep expertise in advanced robotics, agricultural compliance and functional safety analysis, AgriRobot is developing leading safety solutions for OEMs to enable the transition from semi to fully autonomous operations.

PheroSyn Secures Funding from Tall Grass Ventures to Advance Sustainable Pest Management Solutions

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:54:13 GMT

PheroSyn Secures Funding from Tall Grass Ventures to Advance Sustainable Pest Management Solutions

Harpenden, UK – July 22, 2024 PheroSyn , an innovative agricultural technology company specializing in the development of insect pheromones for sustainable crop protection, announced today that it has secured investment from Tall Grass Ventures (TGV), a leading Canadian venture capital firm focused on early-stage agri-food tech startups. This funding will accelerate PheroSyn’s mission to replace harmful chemical pesticides with more sustainable alternatives.

A spin-out from the renowned chemical ecology research group at Rothamsted Research in the UK, PheroSyn is committed to providing farmers and growers with effective and sustainable pest management solutions. The company’s groundbreaking pheromone-based products offer a safer and more targeted approach to pest management, minimizing the environmental impact of traditional pesticides.

“We are delighted to partner with a firm that shares our vision for a more sustainable future in agriculture,” said Dr. Mary Ellis, Co-founder and CEO of PheroSyn. “This investment is a significant step towards advancing the growth of our company, and will enable us to expand our product portfolio, accelerate research and development, and reach a wider market with our innovative solutions. Ultimately, farmers and growers across the world are facing renewed pressures with fewer products in their toolbox, and this support will allow us to scale and expand our solutions to help protect crops while also preserving the earth’s biodiversity.”

PheroSyn’s proprietary pheromone production methods allow for the creation of cost-effective and environmentally friendly pest management products. By harnessing the power of natural insect communication systems, the company’s novel products offer a targeted and effective way to manage pests, while preserving biodiversity and minimizing the risk of resistance development.

“Quality of founders is at the top of the list in the venture world, and we found Mary and Daniel excellent to work with, very down to earth, and extremely motivated to succeed in this endeavour.” said Chris Edwards, Managing Partner at Tall Grass Ventures. “Insect pheromones are not easy to synthesize accurately, and so PheroSyn’s unique technological approach coupled with a market waiting for a solution, really made us stop and take notice.”

Tall Grass Ventures Announces Oversubscribed Final Close

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 14:20:04 GMT

Tall Grass Ventures Announces Oversubscribed Final Close

Calgary, Alberta – July 4, 2024 – Tall Grass Ventures (TGV), an early-stage venture capital firm focused on fundamentally advancing agriculture and food on a global scale, today announced the successful close of its inaugural fund with a total fund size of $32 million. Having upsized the fund as a result of investor interest, the team is humbled by the support and conviction that investors have in the values forward approach of TGV and the opportunity to advance a sector that is a cornerstone of the Canadian and global economy.

Wilson Acton, Managing Partner of Tall Grass Ventures commented:

“As an emerging fund manager, in many ways we are a start-up similar to the companies in which we are investing. Since our inception, we have stayed true to our approach focusing on how we are uniquely positioned to add value to a portfolio company as opposed to a singular focus on returns. The result is a balanced, full cycle view that focuses on the inputs of building great companies which drives the output of leading returns. The support that we’ve received from the capital markets has been validating of our approach and focus.

“Our team deeply believes that agriculture is underserved by innovation investment and founders need real, tactical support more than just capital. While our team’s foundation is built on shared values and a passion for agriculture, our strength lies in our differences. This collaborative approach that embraces diverse viewpoints has shaped our firm's evolution and guides how we invest and create value for our portfolio companies.”

Tall Grass Ventures Fund I (the Fund) garnered significant interest from a diverse range of investors. With our final closing, we welcome Manitoba First Fund as one of our leading investors alongside Farm Credit Canada. In addition to our institutional investors, our limited partners include leading grain and livestock producers from Manitoba to British Columbia; livestock feeders; commodity brokers and traders; financial service firms; private equity investors; technology founders; and executives in ag machinery, energy, construction, and marketing. While this community of investors are keenly interested in fund performance, they also have a vested interest in innovation adoption and resiliency across the sector.

Chris Edwards, Managing Partner and co-founder of TGV alongside Acton, commented:

“This has been an incredible and special journey alongside a fantastic group of people. It is extremely rewarding seeing what a group of motivated and driven individuals can do when they put their heads together. Every partnership we developed came from a relationship that wasgenuinely and purposefully nurtured, resulting in both quality and depth. This symbiosis across our network has allowed us to create a continuous feedback loop which ultimately drives higher performance for everyone.”

Ken Ross, CEO of Manitoba First Fund, commented:

“Manitoba First Fund is proud to invest in Tall Grass Ventures, recognizing their differentiated approach to addressing critical challenges that are central to Manitoba’s economic growth. We believe their focus on early stage, agricultural innovation will create significant opportunities for Manitoba's economy and communities, fostering growth and sustainability in a vital sector. This is the first startup fund that we have invested with, and we continue our focus to add further start-up funds to broaden our portfolio.”

Tall Grass Ventures Fund I is actively investing in pre-Series A technology companies across the agriculture and food supply chain. The Fund primarily invests in companies across Canada and those that have strong applicability to Canadian agriculture. TGV has welcomed 11 companies to the portfolio representing various aspects of the agrifood supply chain from gene editing and biological solutions to software and hardware solutions in specialty crops, plant-tissue sampling, grain grading and beyond.

TGV's investment strategy is aligned with addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing global agriculture. The sector demands urgent attention due to the growing impact of climate change, increasing food demand, fragile supply chains, rising prices, and geopolitical tensions that strain the global food supply. With rapid technological advancements on the horizon, now is the right time to invest in and catalyze growth throughout the agricultural sector.

About Tall Grass Ventures

Tall Grass Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage companies that are reimagining the future of agriculture and food. With a team of experienced investors and operators, TGV partners with visionary entrepreneurs to build category-defining businesses. To learn more visit www.tallgrass.vc

About Manitoba First

Manitoba First Fund (MFF) is a $100 million, provincially funded venture capital organization that was formed in 2023. MFF was established as a fund of funds to partner with existing investment funds that commit to investing in Manitoba and bring additional capital to the market. MFF does not invest directly into Manitoba businesses but through its partnership with other funds, facilitates access to capital for Manitoba businesses in order to further the development, growth and success of Manitoba’s economy and communities and to create opportunities for Manitoba.

About Farm Credit Canada

Farm Credit is Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, dedicated to the industry that feeds the world. FCC provides a complement of expertise and services designed to support the complex and evolving needs of food businesses. As a financial Crown corporation, FCC is a stable partner that reinvests profits back into the industry and communities it serves. For more information, visit  fcc.ca .

Media Contact :

Marlise Hunter

Director of Platform

mhunter@tallgrass.vc

IntelliCulture Raises $3.5M to Double Down on Growth

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:19:21 GMT

IntelliCulture Raises $3.5M to Double Down on Growth

June 3, 2024 - Calgary-AB - IntelliCulture, an equipment management software for specialty crops, has secured $3.5M in funding for accelerating its scaling in the market. The round, led by Serra Ventures , and backed by Emmertech and Tall Grass Ventures , represents a continued commitment to intentional capital in the agriculture sector to serve growers.

The investment will primarily be allocated towards growing the IntelliCulture team as expansions continue both within North America and internationally. In addition, continued R&D will drive further product evolution for areas of new development, accelerating critical product milestones on the company’s roadmap.

"Machine-learning engines for insights and recommendations let IntelliCulture do the number crunching for our farms in ways that historically have never been possible. The savings of our growers have been substantial already, and we can't wait to drive even higher ROI through this investment", says Cole Powers, CEO of IntelliCulture.

Serra Ventures is a venture capital firm focusing on companies that have deep technology which solves industry specific problems. It is led by Managing Partners that are former venture-backed CEOs who understand the art as well as the science of building great companies. Tim Hoerr, CEO of Serra, joins the board of IntelliCulture as part of the transaction, and shared this regarding the investment in IntelliCulture: “We have known the IntelliCulture team for over three years, having first intersected when the company participated in the Illinois Ag Tech Accelerator in 2021. Since that time, IntelliCulture has made remarkable progress because they're delivering a powerful solution that solves real pain points in production agriculture. Customers are delighted, and for us as investors, that's the bottom line!”

Emmertech, one of Canada’s leading AgTech investment firms, has a differentiated focus on global AgTech opportunities. They invest in high-quality businesses developing novel technologies in their early and growth stages and led IntelliCulture’s first venture round. “The IntelliCulture team has differentiated itself with a relentless focus on both execution and grower ROI. Emmertech is proud to be a part of this exciting AgTech story and we look forward to a bright future for the Company.” says Kyle Scott, Managing Partner with Emmertech and a Director of the Company.

Tall Grass Ventures rounded out the fundraise and is a venture firm based in Canada that focuses on investing exclusively into the future of agriculture and food. They leverage deep industry knowledge and experience as well as passion for agriculture to augment their portfolio companies. Chris Edwards, Managing Partner shared the following: “We are very impressed with this group. We see a rare mix of pragmatism, technical know-how, and passion all backed by real results. The decision was an easy one to join IntelliCulture’s family of investors.”

A specific area of significant investment from IntelliCulture is in the safety and compliance space. Re-entry intervals and spray confidence are only getting more complex and there is a lack of tools available to growers to easily manage their operations. IntelliCulture released ground-breaking features for the 2024 growing season to effectively manage these critical items on the farm, and will continue to evolve the product to address the most pressing industry needs.

Regulatory and environmental pressures continue to rise for growers, especially in the high-value crop space and technology can play a critical role in helping the industry, provided it is grounded in positive ROI. Powers shared as a closing thought: "We are not shy to share the calculators of how we will get our growers a return through the platform. In fact we encourage it and we are in a fortunate position to have so many case studies with industry leading growers. At the end of the day, that's our vision; to create a platform that empowers growers to make quicker, easier decisions, and to share their best practices with one another.... that's how growth happens, through a genuine desire to be of service and do good work. We are grateful for the partners in Serra, Emmertech, and Tall Grass who are supportive in this mission, and cannot begin to express our appreciation for the continued trust and support from our growers.”

About IntelliCulture

IntelliCulture provides an equipment management software for high-value crop producers that provides insights into spray coverage, equipment health and labor management.

The universal plug and play device connects into any piece of farm machinery to then report on spray effectiveness, equipment health and block-level cost accounting. In addition, the software digitizes task planning and warns of overdue or inefficient work, ensuring optimized use of labor and minimizing downtime in the operation.

The package is bundled into an easy-to-use system with automated alerting and reporting to streamline the management process for our growers in a simple, elegant fashion.

https://www.intelliculture.com/

Tall Grass Welcomes Farm Credit Canada Among Its Largest Fund Investors

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:01:08 GMT

Tall Grass Welcomes Farm Credit Canada

GeneNeer Secures $1 Million in Seed Funding to Revolutionize Crop Seed Innovation

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:55:51 GMT

January 9, 2024 – GeneNeer Ltd. is pleased to announce it has successfully closed a US$1 million seed round to support the acceleration of its technology for rapid crop seed innovation. The company’s breakthrough method leverages its proprietary Superlines and tissue-specific silencing capabilities to improve the current precision, speed and safety of advanced breeding technologies. In a league of its own, GeneNeer is positioned to democratize crop seed innovation, fostering more rapid, localized solutions to impacts of climate change, and to accelerate the development of healthier, more functional natural food sources.

The funding round was led by Tall Grass Ventures, an early-stage Agrifood Tech venture firm based in Canada, and 2b AHEAD Ventures, a repeat investor from Germany. The funds will be used to expand the company’s research and development into its methods for enhancing gene editing and gene discovery. While the company’s first focus is on the potato market, further development in other key crops is being actively pursued through strategic partnerships.

Chris Edwards, Managing Partner at Tall Grass Ventures, said “We believe GeneNeer is at the forefront of gene-editing in crop development through their novel and proprietary Superline technology. With this technology, they have developed a multi-faceted platform, which we believe mitigates many of the business risks inherent in biotechnology and deep science-based startups. This approach not only enhances stability, but also aligns with the nimbleness and adaptability required to lead an emerging field.

“GeneNeer’s commitment to success is further reinforced by the exceptional quality of their team. With a deep mix of technical competency, skill and business acumen, the team is well positioned to successfully execute against their vision and have a significant role in increasing the resilience and adaptability of global agriculture,” added Edwards.

The investment is the climax of a successful year, marked by multiple successful proof of concept trials, a paid collaboration with a Tier-1 company; participation in the prestigious StartLife program for promising agritech start-ups; the registration of a second patent application; and significant strides in its research and development activities. As a result, the company doubled its valuation in 2023.

Kinneret Shefer PhD, CEO and Co-founder of GeneNeer said, “The addition of Tall Grass Ventures and return investment of 2b AHEAD Ventures provide GeneNeer with outstanding support from seasoned, savvy and visionary investors and mentors. Their involvement will be instrumental in GeneNeer’s ability to achieve its ambitious business plans.”

Sven Gabor Janszky, CEO of 2b AHEAD Ventures and Chairman of Europe’s largest Future Science Institute 2b AHEAD said, “We are proud to continuously support GeneNeer’s progress to solve one of the world’s biggest challenges: to provide food security for up to 11 billion people on Earth in times of global warming. Even for us, with a portfolio of 30+ deeptech investments worldwide – from Nuclear Fusion to Quantum Computing – GeneNeer is outstanding in its product vision and the excellence of its technological platform.”

About GeneNeer:

GeneNeer is engaged in the enhancement of crops through the development of innovative methods for expedited precisely-controlled gene editing and rapid gene discovery, using its patent-protected Superlines and tissue-specific silencing. The company aims to use its capabilities to support global food security and nutrition. GeneNeer is a member of the prestigious StartLife program for promising startups. www.geneneer.com

Picketa Systems Closes $1.4M Seed Round

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 20:42:12 GMT

May 29, 2023 - Fredricton, NB - In a critical move towards advancing precision agriculture, AgTech startup Picketa Systems has successfully closed a CAD 1.445M Seed investment round. The funding will broaden the development and deployment of their real-time plant tissue analysis technology, called LENSTM. This revolutionary solution allows farmers and agronomists to diagnose real-time, geo-located, nutrient concentrations. This key information aids growers to minimize fertilizer applications while optimizing crop production.

Picketa Systems has collaboratively built its solution with farmers in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island since its inception in 2021. The new LENSTM, Leaf Evaluated-Nutrient System, is being used in-field by 10 leading agronomists across Canada and the United Kingdom in 2023. This will facilitate the delivery of real-time plant tissue sampling, enabling farmers to swiftly and accurately identify nutrient deficiencies, thus optimizing yield and crop quality.

The company, whose roots lie in the potato farming sector of Northwest New Brunswick, will broaden its scope with the fresh capital injection. CEO Xavier Hébert-Couturier expressed optimism about the expansion: "To date, we’ve had success and a solid footing in potatoes, but it is clear through our countless discussions with producers that the applicability of this technology extends beyond potatoes to multiple crops and use cases. We're already expanding trials to include crops like corn, onions, carrots, and blueberries this year with more coming in the future. In the process, we’re assembling the best team of technologists, researchers and agronomists to help us bring this to farmers everywhere.”

This funding will catalyze the growth of Picketa’s technology and is validated by the participation of top Canadian agtech investors. The depth of experience and connectivity from investors across hardware, software development, and agriculture is notable and stands to be a growth multiplier for the company. The round was led by the New Brunswick Innovation Fund, with Tall Grass Ventures, Desjardins, Koan Capital, Emmertech, and multiple angels from East Valley Ventures and StartupTNT.

“We were impressed with the real-time capability of Picketa’s technology and believe in its ability to change how plant tissue analysis is used in modern agriculture,” said Chris Edwards, Managing Partner at Tall Grass Ventures. “The team is energetic, tenacious and driven, and we are looking forward to working alongside them.”

Picketa Systems intends to serve a critical role in helping Canada and other nations achieve their food production and climate goals. Their platform helps clients reduce nitrous oxide and other emissions by enabling precision fertilizer application and enhancing soil health. By encouraging 4R, (Right source, Right rate, Right time, Right place), LENSTM mitigates harmful nutrient runoff and contributes to sustainability efforts such as water source protection and food security. Picketa Systems' ultimate objective is to equip the agricultural industry with in-depth crop nutrient information, facilitating the shift towards regenerative agriculture.

The Picketa Systems team will share updates on their progress and agronomic learnings in their monthly newsletter: Picketa Field Notes. To learn more, visit: https://www.picketa.com/contact

Vivid Machines Closes $4.3M USD Seed Round Funding

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:11:54 GMT

Vivid Machines Closes $4.3M USD Seed Round Funding

April 20, 2023 - Toronto, ONT – Vivid Machines Inc. today announced successful completion of an oversubscribed first close of its seed round funding of $4.3M USD. The company, founded by Jenny Lemieux, CEO, and Jonathan Binas, CTO, has developed advanced computer vision technology that gives fruit growers and others in the fruit supply chain accurate real-time crop data down to the plant level.

“Thanks to the belief our investors have in our team and the market, and the faith growers have placed in us in these early days, Vivid Machines will continue to develop cutting-edge technology to help the fruit supply chain increase fruit quality on existing acreage while optimizing costs,” said Jenny Lemieux, Vivid Machines.

Vivid Machines plans to use its seed round funding to speed development of a broader set of system applications as well as expand its capabilities to a wider variety of fruit crops.

“We have received positive feedback on the accuracy of our predictions from our current customers, and we have also been approached by other industry players who are excited by the possibilities that our system offers. We plan to invest in further R&D and continue to scale our commercial operations,” said Lemieux.

Seed round funding was led by BDC Capital Thrive Venture Fund, with StandUp Ventures, Tall Grass Ventures, Entrepreneur First, BoxOne Ventures, Conexus Venture Capital (Emmertech), the W Fund, Cornell, Freycinet Ventures, and MaRS IAF.

“Vivid Machines brings a higher level of transparency and efficiency to the fruit supply chain,” said Michelle Scarborough, managing partner, BDC Capital Thrive Venture Fund. “Its unique technology integrates machine learning to image capture methods, and leverages real-time analytics and output, helping growers increase their production. We are excited to support Jenny and Jonathan, and the whole Vivid Machines team, in their important work to revolutionize fruit production and reduce food waste.’’

For more information about Vivid Machines, please visit vivid-machines.com .

Sask. agtech startup closes $4-million seed round to put grain quality info in farmers' hands

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 18:37:20 GMT

November 29, 2022 – Regina, SK Ground Truth Agriculture Inc. (Ground Truth Ag) announced the close of its seed funding round with $4-million to develop technology that will provide farmers with lab-quality grain analysis right off their combine, in real-time and with location precision.

"During harvest on my family's farm, I would think about the effort that went into optimizing that year's yield," Ground Truth Ag Chief Executive Officer Kyle Folk said. “And then we would send a grain sample to a lab with a volume equivalent to what comes off a four foot square piece of land to judge the quality of a harvested area of at least 75 football fields. Where is the precision in that?”

The funding round was led by Conexus Venture Capital Inc. and includes $2-million from its agtech focused Emmertech fund. Additional investors include: SaskWorks Venture Fund Inc., Tall Grass Ventures, Golden Opportunities Fund Inc., WTC Investments LP, private investors and new commitments from existing shareholders.

“Finding an experienced team led by a repeat founder in the agtech space is extremely rare here in Canada. We are excited to be working with Kyle given his experience in scaling and exiting an agtech company,” Conexus Venture Capital Inc. and Emmertech Managing Director Sean O’Connor said. “We believe that Ground Truth Ag is the missing piece in helping give meaningful clarity to the farmer on the outcomes of their precision agriculture practices.”

Since beginning operations in January of this year, Ground Truth Ag’s team has grown to include 15 employees working out of their Regina, Saskatchewan-based headquarters, creating new jobs in computer vision, mechanical and electrical engineering, software development and analytical chemistry.

In less than nine months, Ground Truth Ag’s team had a current prototype operating for this year’s harvest on Folk’s family farm. The Holdfast, Saskatchewan operation has become a proving ground for agtech innovations.

“My dad was an amazing supporter when I built my first agtech firm over a decade ago and was the first farmer to install its monitors on his grain bins,” Folk said. “With this being his last harvest before retiring, it meant so much to me to see our prototype on his combines for my family’s final harvest.”

For more information on Ground Truth Ag, visit www.groundtruth.ag

Tall Grass Ventures announces launch of Canada’s newest Agrifood Tech Venture Fund

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 15:49:04 GMT

September 27, 2022 – Calgary, AB –Tall Grass Ventures is pleased to announce the successful launch and initial close of Canada’s newest agrifood tech venture fund. With a focus on pre-Series A investment across the agrifood tech value chain, the team at Tall Grass Ventures specifically designed their first fund to target an existing gap in early-stage capital in Canada.

“As past founders ourselves we know firsthand some of the challenges that exist raising early-stage capital, especially in Western Canada,” says Wilson Acton, Managing Partner and 4x tech startup founder. “More than a gap in capital, there is a desire by founders to receive genuine support to help build better leaders and better companies. Bringing experience and capital to agtech startups is exactly where Tall Grass is focused.”

The team believes that the fund is only as good as the sum of its parts, which is why building a firm with a depth of experience and expertise that is currently unmatched in the Canadian market gives them an advantage. “Our first priority is ensuring that we are identifying and working with companies that we can add real value to,” says Managing Partner, Chris Edwards, “Tall Grass Ventures works as an extension of the teams in our portfolio, enabling them to openly access our deep industry connectivity, experience and operational knowledge gained through lessons learned as founders, mentors, thought leaders and connectors.”

Armed with a penchant for peer-mentorship, deep industry knowledge, connectivity and a robust platform of resources, Tall Grass Ventures is creating a purpose-built ecosystem and environment that will enable the next generation of agrifood tech companies to scale quickly.

Agriculture is in the early stages of yet another transformative revolution, at the heart of which is data, connectivity & sustainability. The sector is demanding attention as several factors such as climate change, increasing demand for food, fragile production and supply chains, rising prices and geopolitical issues continue to challenge and strain the global food supply. With a period of rapid technology adoption on the horizon, there is no better time to be catalyzing growth across the sector.

As one of the top 5 most agriculturally productive regions in the world, it is clear that the world needs more Canadian agriculture and in turn, needs more Canadian innovators who are developing new ways to produce our food, fiber and fuels. In response to this opportunity, Tall Grass Ventures is building the leading investment firm in the Canadian agriculture and food sector. “We look forward to being a part of the solution to an evolving agricultural sector” said Wilson, “and to supporting the entrepreneurs who are changing the face of the future of food.”

For Media Inquires:

Marlise Hunter, Director of Platform

mhunter@tallgrass.vc

About Tall Grass Ventures:

Tall Grass Ventures is a leading investment firm based in Calgary, Alberta focused on the agriculture and food sector. Leveraging our deep industry knowledge, connectivity and backgrounds as farmers, founders and investors, we support the entrepreneurs who are changing our world’s relationship with its food, fuels and fibers. To learn more visit www.tallgrass.vc