iSelect Fund invests in agtech, soil, and crop health solutions to meet global protein demand, improve food quality, boost farmer profitability, and increase environmental sustainability.

iSelect Fund

Agrifood Conversations

iSelect recognized the looming crises of diabetes and obesity early on, pinpointing poor nutrition as the root cause. Since 2014, our mission has been to harness the forces of Creative Destruction in agriculture and health technology innovation to address these critical issues. We invest in pioneering companies that are redefining the food and health system, emphasizing yield, taste, nutrition, and sustainability to combat obesity, reduce waste, and tackle metabolic diseases.

Our portfolio boasts over 60 companies, illustrating our commitment and impact. These firms are advancing crop quality, minimizing fertilizer use, and innovating in healthcare to cut costs and fast-track health improvements. 

With time, we have shifted our focus from yield to taste and nutrition, and now to enhancing nutritional density, targeting the root cause in obesity and metabolic—a market with vast untapped potential and significant implications for US GDP growth.

iSelect provides investors with broad exposure to innovators in the AgTech and HealthTech sectors, offering our 500+ investors the chance to increase investments in high-performing companies and deliver insightful market intelligence that influences both venture and public market strategies. Our approach gives investors a unique blend of risk mitigation and opportunity maximization in sectors poised for substantial growth.

Our network of investors, entrepreneurs, and early adopters reshapes the landscape of ag, food and health, creating sustainable impact, driving economic growth, investor returns and building a healthier future for all. With our deep human network of market insight, robust portfolio, and commitment to innovation, we're not just investing in companies; we're investing in a healthier, more sustainable world.

#AgTech #HealthTech#SustainableInvesting #FoodTech #ImpactInvesting #AgricultureInnovation #NutritionTech #Biotech #FutureOfFood

Gremlin Social

BenchmarkONE

Agrible

Artemis

Benson Hill

SPEAR LEP receives second emergency use authorization in Greece.

Our groundbreaking bioinsecticide SPEAR® LEP has received a second emergency use authorization (EUA) in Greece for the control of tomato leafminer, providing Greek tomato growers continued access to a powerful new tool against a costly and devastating pest. 
  
Greece’s decision to grant a second EUA underscores the urgent need for effective, new crop protection products in Europe as growers' pesticide options are becoming increasingly restricted. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gmcRvser

We’re excited to announce the expansion of our RangeAg farmland valuation tool to four new states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri.

RangeAg now offers instant land valuation reports for over 144 million acres across ten states, or half of all federally-insured farmland. The tool aggregates soil ratings, satellite imagery, crop history, and FEMA flood map data to deliver precise, equitable, and efficient land valuations.

Find information here https://rb.gy/tw61kb and try the tool yourself for free at: insights.range.ag.

iSelect Portfolio Spotlight: NextSense, Inc

NextSense has been recognized as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer for 2024. This prestigious honor celebrates their innovative brain technology designed to enhance daily life by restoring energy, joy, and purpose. As a new Technology Pioneer, NextSense's CEO, Jonathan Berent, will speak at Summer Davos in Dalian, China, where he will explore groundbreaking advancements in digital neurotherapeutics. In addition, Jonathan Berent has been named to Fast Company's Impact Council, a network of visionary leaders committed to shaping the future through creativity and mission-driven innovation.
 
Press Release: https://lnkd.in/gA74CpKt

#neuroscience #neurotherapeutics #venturecapital

What I learned this week….

As the economy works to eliminate the healthcare cost of poor nutrition, there is no simple set of instructions to follow. There is an abundance of AgTech, FoodTech and HealthTech innovations touching a piece of the bigger equation. But each is driven by divergent signals (GLP-1 vs. sustainable fuels). 

If this were a large corporation, its R&D group would coordinate the various parts to fit a broader objective. But there is no Bell Labs of longevity or nutrition. The master architect is 350k years of human evolution encrypted in our DNA. Without a large R&D lab or a master plan, it comes down to early adopter customers as our guide. And up to capital providers to see the knowledge arbitrage and invest. We are assembling Food is Health from a pile of Lego blocks.

1) The most legitimate startup investor is a customer. Why don’t we have a tool like PitchBook to find early adopter customers?
2) Nutrient test assays, and many assays, measure a proxy attribute to estimate the target nutrient (i.e. protein). NIR and other spectroscopy are non-destruction and measure a wider array of orthogonal attributes. With the addition of AI, increasing correlations expect an acceleration of valuable insights linking soil, crop genetics, bioavailability, nutrients, health, and longevity. And ultimately, affordable nutrition.
3) Intermittent fasting plus protein pacing (consuming protein at consistent intervals), may boost weight loss and gut health. Perhaps important to GLP-1 treatment and boost to Fairlife Core Power Elite.
4) If we can monitor crops for expression of nutritional qualities (Macro and Micro) during the growing season, we could dynamically modify inputs to modulate nutritional density in season or as a training set for the next season. (John Kempf)
5) Architectural Innovation: Vogue wasn’t replaced by a fashion media company, it was replaced by 10,000 influencers. Salesforce will not be replaced by another CRM. Clayton Christensen and Rebecca Henderson are both right.
6) Taylor Swift’s tour in the US generated $5 billion in consumer spending over 6 months. Who is the Taylor Swift of nutrition?
7) The net demand from the addition of New York to California’s Renewable Diesel standards, by some estimates, would consume the entire US production of soybeans.
8) United Airlines is using the 100k seat back video screens to micro-target consumers with advertising.
9) A plane uses 15%-20% of its fuel during takeoff
10) People who majored in Journalism in the 90’s have seen social media decimate their industry. What college majors will disappear with the Creative Destruction of AI?
11) When playing with Legos, some people follow the instructions precisely, and some do not. I never did.

H/T: Erin Martin Ellen Brown Brad Fruth Katie Stebbins
More commentary on Creative Destruction: https://lnkd.in/g-vQpF9d

iSelect is proud to have been named by PitchBook as one of “the 10 most active VC investors cultivating agtech’s future.”

See the list: https://lnkd.in/eH3rX9w8

#agtech #venturecapital #vcinvesting #futureoffood #foodishealth

Cyprus has become the third country in the #EU to grant farmers emergency access to Vestaron’s innovative bioinsecticide, SPEAR® LEP, to combat the destructive impact of tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) infestations. Thank you to our partners as we collaborate to provide farmers with the tools they need to protect our food! 

Read more: https://lnkd.in/gbHM7GgN

Bringing you the latest in #appliedAI: We're excited to announce the expansion of our Microbiome capabilities and the introduction of Rapid Profiling to help #food and #nutrition companies innovate for health, faster. 

Our AI platform, Forager, allows us to predict bioactives resulting from the interaction between bacterial strains and natural ingredients, and that's just the beginning for unlocking #guthealth. We leave no stone unturned on a quest to bring powerful, #bioactive solutions forward for consumer health rooted in nature's design. 

"With Rapid Profiling and our expanded #Microbiome capacity, we are delivering innovative health products at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional discovery and development approaches. This enables our partners to expand into new health areas and diversify the ways in which they can investigate bioactives in their existing products, supply chains, side streams and waste streams.” David Brown, SVP of Business Development, Brightseed. 

Thank you NutraIngredients for featuring our news today – and we look forward to IPA World Congress + Probioata Americas 2024! 

#AIforhealth #synbiotics #Probiota #naturalproducts #CPGs #nutraceuticals

iSelect Fund Portfolio Spotlight: Harpe Bio
 
A recent Forbes article featuring Harpe Bio, "A New Tactic For The War With Weeds," highlights the urgent need for sustainable weed control solutions due to increasing herbicide resistance. Harpe Bioherbicide Solutions, Inc. has developed a novel method using natural chemicals derived from mint species to combat this issue. Their approach not only restores the efficacy of key herbicides but also leverages the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status of mint-derived chemicals, streamlining regulatory approval. This innovation, led by scientists Manish Bansal and Randall Hess, focuses on combining mint extracts with herbicides, showing promising results in overcoming weed resistance. The integration of advanced spraying technologies further enhances this natural, eco-friendly solution. Harpe Bio's experienced leadership, including COO Daniel Pepitone, bolsters the development and success of this approach.

Read full article: https://lnkd.in/gzidHFu6

#weedmanagement #sustainableag #sustainablesolutions #herbicides #herbicideresistance

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iSelect Fund