Climate Adaptation

Agtech Booms as Investors Target Climate-Friendly Technology

  • Funds are pouring money into lower-emission food technologies
  • Agtech got record funds in 2021, Pitchbook data shows
A worker waters greens at a hydroponic vertical farming facility.Photographer: Christinne Muschi/Bloomberg
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Investors have poured a record $7.8 billion into agtech deals so far this year, amid booming demand for climate-friendly investments, food security and productivity gains, according to researcher PitchBook.

Companies working on precision agriculture, which involves monitoring of crops for increased efficiency, got about $380 million in funding in the third quarter, while indoor farming start-ups got about $525 million, according to a report Wednesday. Startups working on agricultural biotech, which include plant breeding and GM crops received most of that funding in the third quarter, with $976 million.