Cologne-based SenseUP, a German biotech company, has closed a €2.4M Seed funding round. Its investment was led by Capnamic, with participation from HBG Ventures, CHECK24 Impact, and Amsterdam’s Rockstart.
Niklas Raberg, Partner at Capnamic, says, “SenseUP has everything it takes to drive the shift towards sustainable agriculture. Its 100 per cent biological technology tackles one of the industry’s biggest challenges, is deeply rooted in science and built for real-world application.”
“We are impressed with the team’s passion and the early commercial validation of its technology. Alongside HBG Ventures, CHECK24 Impact, and Rockstart, we are excited to support SenseUP’s continued growth.”
The German company plans to use the funds to advance its product portfolio, expand its team in multiple areas, and strengthen collaborations with industry partners.
Transforming crop protection and biotechnological production
The UN Environment Programme has set a target to phase out highly hazardous pesticides by 2035, where replacements are available.
In response, SenseUP is developing encapsulated dsRNA-based biopesticides through a patented platform that uses precision fermentation and renewable resources. These products are compatible with existing farming systems and can be produced at scale with low production costs.
SenseUP applies its expertise with Corynebacterium glutamicum, a microorganism long used in feed and food production, to create crop and livestock protection solutions. It also uses its platform for producing dsRNA as a postbiotic in animal nutrition.
Dr. Georg Schaumann, CEO and founder of SenseUP, says, “Our technology addresses the urgent global challenge of crop losses due to pests and pathogens, which reach 17–30 per cent each year and represent billions of dollars in production losses.”
“At the same time, the overuse of chemical pesticides is driving pest resistance and biodiversity loss, and contaminating soils. With the insecticide and fungicide market projected to reach $44B by 2030, there is significant potential for emerging technologies to offer safer, more sustainable solutions.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the support from our investors, which will enable SenseUP to advance its game-changing mission to develop effective, eco-friendly, and affordable biopesticides,” adds Dr. Schaumann.
SenseUP is a spin-off from the German Institute for Biotechnology at Forschungszentrum Jülich and has recently relocated to BioCampus Cologne.
Brief about the lead investor
Capnamic, a venture capital firm with offices in Cologne, Berlin, and Munich, invests in founders from German-speaking regions at the pre-seed to Series A stages. It manages €350M and has made over 100 investments, with more than 40 active companies in its portfolio. Notable exits include LeanIX and Adjust.
The firm provides operational support and access to a network of over 100 corporate and entrepreneurial limited partners. Since 2013, the firm has recorded multiple trade sales and IPOs.
Capnamic is led by Managing Partners Christian Siegele, Christian Knott, Jörg Binnenbrücker, and Olaf Jacobi.
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