Climate Insider Brief:
Women-led firm The51 closed its $51M CAD Food and AgTech Fund after four years, overcoming VC market challenges like valuation corrections and limited capital access.
The51’s first sector-specific fund will invest $350K–$2M in early-stage startups using AI, robotics, and biotech, with six companies funded, including Erthos and ArkeaBio.
General Partner Alison Sunstrum said the tough VC climate led The51 to refine its thesis, expand in Canada, and focus on scalable companies, with increased deal flow in late 2024.
Women-led venture capital firm The51 has reached the final close of its $51-million CAD Food and AgTech Fund after nearly four years of active fundraising. This milestone marks a significant achievement in a challenging venture capital environment, according to a joint statement from The51 and Alberta Crown corporation ATB Financial, which contributed the final dollar to the fund in late 2024.
Supporting Innovation in Food and Agriculture
The Food and AgTech Fund, The51’s first sector-specific fund, is dedicated to investing in diverse founders who are transforming the food and agriculture sectors with advanced technologies. The fund focuses on early-stage startups, providing investments between $350,000 and $2 million per company, targeting pre-seed to Series A rounds.
“This final close empowers The51 Food and AgTech Fund to accelerate the growth of early-stage companies revolutionizing agriculture,” said Alison Sunstrum, The51 general partner, in a statement. “By leveraging technologies like AI, robotics, and biotechnology, these companies are poised to transform the industry.”
The fund has already invested in six companies, including Erthos, ArkeaBio, and Synergia Biotech.
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