Koppert launches fund to invest in biological input startups

Koppert is launching an equity investment fund aimed at agtechs that aim to develop solutions applied to agricultural bioproducts, in particular new technologies and services related to optimizing producers' operations - from harvest planning to product marketing, through the stages of crop management and storage. The fund will have an initial offering of up to R$50 million, which will consist of equity shares in startups in the biological inputs ecosystem, at an early stage (seed capital). 

According to the commercial director of Koppert Brasil, Gustavo Herrmann, the objective is to provide shareholders with the appreciation of each investment through incubation by Gazebo (the company's innovation hub) and acceleration by Koppert, in addition to promoting open innovation at Koppert and supporting the adoption of new technologies linked to bioinputs.

“The startups will be selected through the relationship network within Koppert’s sphere of activity, including research, teaching and innovation support institutions in agribusiness, for incubation and acceleration”, he explains.

Initially, the selected startups must present solutions for some areas prioritized by Koppert, such as: development of new products, market access, property management, application of bio-inputs, integrated management, crop monitoring, management of greenhouse gas emissions and rational use of resources.

The fund will be managed and administered by Trustee DTVM and will have an investment committee made up of company executives with extensive experience in the sector. The initial capital of the fund will be from Koppert itself.