Mycoverse, an agri-tech spin-out from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), developing biological crop protection using fungi, has raised €2.4 million in pre-seed equity funding. The round was co-led by Future Food Fund and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), with participation from PINC, the venture arm of Paulig. The funding will support the development of Mycoverse's first solution targeting potato late blight, one of Europe's crop diseases, as Europe faces pressure to reduce chemical pesticide use.
Using its AI-driven discovery platform, Mycoverse identifies fungal strains and develops bioactives providing crop protection. Combined with Mycoverse's fungal production technology, this approach enables biological crop protection solutions designed to fit into current farming systems.
© Mycoverse Lab (Photo: Thomas Steen Sørensen)
Its candidates have demonstrated performance in greenhouse trials. Svend Petersen, CEO and co-founder of Mycoverse, commented: "This funding allows us to expand our field trials program, bringing us closer to delivering biological crop protection products that farmers can adopt without changing their existing practices."
"We are impressed by the scientific depth of the team and the speed with which they are able to identify and screen biological candidates," said Christian Kannemeier, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF. "The development of their potato blight candidates, achieved in five months, demonstrates the efficiency of their platform."
Potato late blight remains a challenge and represents an estimated US$1.9 billion global market opportunity. This creates potential for bio-based solutions that support crop resilience while reducing environmental impact.
"As chemical crop protection products are phased out and growers are increasingly dealing with resistance to products that are still on the market, the need for new solutions has never been clearer," said Kim Wagenaar, Investment Director at Future Food Fund. "Our investment strategy is guided by the Planetary Boundaries framework, supporting innovations that allow food production to operate within Earth's safe limits. Mycoverse combines AI-driven discovery with fungal production technology to deliver biological solutions that can match field performance while reducing environmental pressure."
PINC, the venture arm of Paulig, focuses on accelerating the transition away from chemical inputs in the food system. "As a food company reliant on agricultural value chains, we see potential in technologies that reduce chemical inputs without compromising reliability. Solutions that help maintain yields while supporting soil health, biodiversity, and food security are essential for a food system. Mycoverse's approach combines science with a route to scale, making it an addition to our portfolio," said Rosemari Herrero, Senior Investment Manager at PINC.
Looking ahead, Mycoverse plans to expand its platform to additional crops, including grapevines, as regulatory institutions and agribusiness across Europe accelerate the shift toward biological crop protection.
For more information:
Lizzie Blythe
Mycoverse
Tel: +44 (0) 7928 592 107
Email: [email protected]
www.htgf.de
Kurian Jacob
Tel: +44 (0) 7763 468 972
Email: [email protected]
