US-based technology firm Crop Enhancement secures funding

Cavallo Ventures, the venture capital arm of Wilbur-Ellis, has invested in Crop Enhancement, an innovator of sustainable agrochemical products for enhancing crop yields.

With the investment, Cavallo aims to accelerate the development of Crop Enhancement’s breakthrough crop protection technology in the US, particularly for the production of high-value fruit and vegetable crops.

To boost crop yields, Crop Enhancement develops proprietary films and formulations that modify plant surfaces (leaves, stems, fruit and seeds) to improve plants’ resistance to pests and diseases, while reducing the need for synthetic pesticides and pesticide applications.

Crop Enhancement’s formulations can be applied with agricultural inputs such as nutrients, fertilisers and other active ingredients. The firm’s CropCoat technology is said to enable growers to implement sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) techniques.

Kevin Chen, CEO of Crop Enhancement, said: “Growers around the world tell us that they want solutions that are good for their farms as well as the environment.

“In trials we’ve completed, our first product, CropCoat, is proving to be an effective and sustainable crop protection technology. As we expand our efforts to fruits and vegetables here in the US, we’re delighted to welcome Cavallo Ventures into the fold.”

Cavallo Ventures CEO Mike Wilbur added: “We’re glad to be able to back the Crop Enhancement team as they develop innovative solutions to long-standing challenges in production agriculture.

“Their unique approach addresses trends in the food and ag industry calling for products that are more sustainable and friendlier for growers, their farms and the global ecosystem.”

Last year, Cavallo Ventures invested in Israeli precision agriculture platform Taranis as part of a $20 million Series B funding round.

Taranis aims to enhance its AI-powered solution and high-resolution imagery tools to boost growth in Argentina, Brazil, Russia and the US.