Regenerate Ventures

Cultivating Sustainable Innovation with Regenerate Ventures

Regenerate Ventures is a pioneering agritech fund investing in early-stage agricultural technologies that are helping farmers transition to more sustainable farming practices. As specialists in seed and growth stage start ups, Regenerate Ventures focuses on technologies with transformative potential that are globally scalable. The team is excited about the opportunities within the agritech investment, eager to support mission-driven entrepreneurs and innovative businesses.

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Mission, Goals and Values

Regenerate Ventures’ mission is to invest in technologies that transform farming practices, enhance sustainability, and deliver both environmental benefits and strong financial returns. They aim to transform the global food system from farm to fork by capitalising on climate-resilient and regenerative agricultural technologies.

Their core values include sustainability, innovation, and impact, prioritising investments that reduce environmental impact and promote regenerative practices without compromising the planet's health. Seeking to make a positive impact on society and the environment, Regenerate Ventures backs scalable solutions addressing critical challenges in the food supply chain.

Regenerate Ventures seeks to establish itself as a leading investor in agritech, leveraging its expertise and network to support the growth of portfolio companies. They strive to help farmers transition to more sustainable practices, enhancing soil health, increasing crop yields, and reducing carbon emissions.

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Founders and Origin Story

Regenerate Ventures’ founding team boasts over 60 years of collective experience in sustainable investing. Director Paul Rous brings a wealth of expertise in investing, agriculture, and technology. Having previously worked at Goldman Sachs and in asset management, Rous spent six years diversifying his family’s farm. He is also a co-founder of Blackfinch Ventures, has served as chair of the Suffolk CLA, and has participated in the Shake Climate Change support program for early-stage innovation.

Joining Rous are partners Ben Stafford and Ryan Cameron, both of whom have previously held positions at Impax Asset Management. Together, they founded Regenerate Ventures’ with the aim of integrating new technologies into the world’s oldest industry.

Explore the founders’ professional journeys: Paul Rous LinkedIn, Ben Stafford LinkedIn, Ryan Cameron LinkedIn.

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Investment Focus

Geographic Scope:

Regenerate Ventures has a global scope of investment, prioritising technologies that are globally scalable.

Sectors of Interest:

Regenerate Ventures concentrates on upstream agritech, specifically “inside the farmgate” technologies. Their key areas of interest include:

• Biotech and genetics
• Robotics
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Data science
• Satellite imagery
• Sensors

The fund targets technologies that help farmers transition to more sustainable farming practices and decarbonise the agricultural sector. This focus aligns with their goal of promoting environmental benefits alongside strong financial returns, seizing the opportunity for growth in the agritech sector.

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Investment Criteria

Regenerate Ventures targets B2B agricultural technologies and exceptional entrepreneurs. They invest in early-stage companies that have the potential to transform global farming practices, enhance sustainability, and contribute to solving critical challenges in the food supply chain.

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Assessment

Regenerate Ventures employs a comprehensive due diligence and assessment process for potential investments. This includes initial screening to ensure alignment with Regenerate Ventures’ mission and assess the founders, technology and market potential. Formal due diligence follows the fund manager Sapphire Capital Partners’ methodology, including product validation through discussions with farmers. Impact assessment includes evaluation against the Sustainable Development Goals and the Regenerate Impact Framework.

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Notable Portfolio Companies

SugaROx: A spin-out from Oxford University and Rothamsted Research, SugaROx has developed a cutting-edge biostimulant platform which enhances agricultural productivity and reduces the need for chemical fertilisers. Their technology can increase wheat yields by up to 22%, with promising results for other crops like barley, millet, and sorghum. Learn more: SugaROx Website.

Muddy Machines: Autonomous field robots designed to address labour shortages in agriculture. The robots help growers manage labour-intensive crops efficiently, enabling local production and fresher food. Learn more: Muddy Machines Website.

Discover more successful investments: Regenerate Ventures Portfolio.

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Funding and Growth

Regenerate Ventures is a venture capital EIS fund managed by Sapphire Capital Partners LLP. Limited partners include development finance institutions and impact investors, as well as individual investors. The fund has a minimum subscription amount of £25,000 for investors, and is structured as an Evergreen Fund, allowing for continuous reinvestment.

Operating as an Alternative Investment Fund, Regenerate Ventures targets a 5x return on capital invested after fees within seven years.

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Investment Details

• Investment Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, up to Series A.
• Equity: Offers pure equity investments and quasi-equity redeemable investments.
• Funds: To date, the average deal size has been around £0.5m, although the range has been from £100k to £900k.

Regenerate Ventures goes beyond financial investment by offering comprehensive support to its portfolio companies:

• Strategic Guidance: They secure a board position in every investee company, providing strategic insights and leveraging their market knowledge.
• Technical Assistance: Tailored technical support is provided to help companies implement regenerative management practices and address business challenges.
• Networking: The fund utilises its extensive network within the agricultural sector to facilitate introductions for commercial or corporate opportunities.
• Mentoring: The team offers mentoring to help companies test, trial, and commercialise their technologies.
• Scaling Support: The fund aids companies in scaling their operations and growing their businesses.

Learn more about Regenerate Ventures' investment profile at: Crunchbase - Regenerate Ventures.

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Impact and Opportunities

Regenerate Ventures aims to achieve a target return of 5x the capital invested after fees within seven years, primarily through capital gain.

As of January 2023, Regenerate Ventures achieved:

• £2.5 million managed assets.
• Shortlisted as a finalise for the Growth Investor Awards, under Best EIS Manager in the New Entrant Category.
• Winner of the Best New Entrant Award at the EIS Association Awards.

As the pioneer in agritech funding, Regenerate Ventures emphasises the importance of a strong value proposition in their investments. They are aiming to invest £30 million in solutions to tackle climate change and food security. This effort is part of a broader trend, as government policies are expected to leverage around £100 billion of private investment into new industries and low-carbon technologies to support the net zero transition.

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Community

Regenerate Ventures has cultivated a robust community and formed strategic partnerships to advance sustainable agricultural innovation. Regenerate Ventures was selected as an investment partner for Innovate UK’s Investor Partnerships Future Economy Programme, and collaborated with the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S) to co-invest in their portfolio company SugaROx. These efforts align with the UK Infrastructure Bank’s £22 billion financial capacity dedicated primarily to tackling climate change and promoting economic growth.

The community engagement at Regenerate Ventures is farmer-centric, actively supporting innovations that enhance yields, reduce input costs, and increase resilience to climate challenges. The experienced team leverage an extensive network to provide portfolio companies with valuable resources and market opportunities, ensuring alignment with industry needs. Through these efforts, Regenerate Ventures has established itself as a pivotal player in advancing sustainable agricultural practices and fostering innovation within the agritech ecosystem.

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FAQs

1. What is Regenerate Ventures' investment strategy?
   Regenerate Ventures focuses on investing in early-stage agricultural technologies that promote sustainable farming practices. Their strategy is centred around supporting innovations with transformative potential that can scale globally, aiming to enhance sustainability, reduce environmental impact, and generate strong financial returns. They prioritise investments in technologies that address critical challenges in the food supply chain, aligning with their mission to transform the global food system and tackle climate change.
2. What sectors does Regenerate Ventures invest in?
   Regenerate Ventures focuses on investing in upstream agritech technologies that operate "inside the farmgate." Their key areas of interest include biotech and genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), data science, satellite imagery, and sensors. These technologies are aimed at helping farmers transition to more sustainable practices, enhancing productivity, and reducing environmental impact.
3. What does Regenerate Ventures look for in founders?
   Regenerate Ventures looks for founders who demonstrate exceptional entrepreneurship, credibility, and alignment with sustainability goals. They prioritise those who are problem-solvers, addressing significant agricultural challenges, particularly in food production, ensuring investments in transformative technologies that offer both environmental and financial benefits.
4. What stage does Regenerate Ventures invest in?
   Pre-Seed, Seed, up to Series A, giving innovative start ups the support they need early-on to develop minimum viable product and globally scale.
5. What is the typical investment size?
   The average deal size at Regenerate Ventures is approximately £500,000, with investments ranging from £100,000 to £900,000. This flexible range allows the fund to cater to diverse early-stage agritech start ups, providing them with the necessary capital to grow and scale their innovative solutions.
6. How do I submit my pitch deck?
   Contact details are provided on Regenerate Venture’s website.
7. What support is available to portfolio companies?
   Regenerate Ventures provides a comprehensive support package to its portfolio companies, including funding, strategic guidance, and technical assistance. They offer mentorship to help ambitious entrepreneurs navigate business challenges and scale their operations. They also facilitate networking opportunities by leveraging their extensive connections within the agricultural sector, enabling companies to access commercial and corporate opportunities.
8. Where is Regenerate Ventures based?
   Regenerate Ventures is based in Leeds, and is currently the UK's only dedicated agritech fund.
9. When was Regenerate Ventures founded?
   Regenerate Ventures was founded in 2021, with a mission to invest in transformative agricultural technologies that enhance sustainability, reduce environmental impact, and generate strong financial returns, thereby addressing the world's most pressing challenges.

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Contact

Are you an innovative agritech founder seeking funding? Discover how Regenerate Ventures can support your journey by visiting: Regenerate Ventures Website.

Stay updated with the latest news and opportunities by following Regenerate Ventures on LinkedIn: Regenerate Ventures LinkedIn.

Explore more UK opportunities for greentech investment at Adopter’s Greentech Investors Map.

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