Vitalfluid, an agritech spin-off from Eindhoven University of Technology, has announced that it has raised €5 million in seed funding. With this funding, Vitalfluid aims to accelerate the introduction of Plasma Activated Water (PAW) applications, offering a sustainable alternative to agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilisers.
Chemical pesticides are crucial for securing global food production but pose a significant threat to human health, biodiversity, and the environment. Hence, there is an urgent need for more sustainable solutions.
Enter Vitalfluid. Here’s how it works. In a thunderstorm, lightning causes the natural transformation of water into Plasma-Activated Water (PAW).
Vitalfluid creates lightning
Vitalfluid mimicked this natural process and developed a technology that creates lightning. Its plasma systems enable farmers to produce PAW on the premises, which can be easily integrated into existing greenhouse and orchard infrastructure.
Their systems currently operate in greenhouses worldwide, supporting vegetable growers such as Azura, BioSabor, PortaNova, and others.
Future Food Fund, Graduate Entrepreneur Fund, Horticoop, and Innovation Industries, combined with existing investors, have now backed the €5M round to accelerate its commercial activity, bringing the total funding to date to an estimated € 9.35 M.
Jeroen Kimmels, managing partner at Future Food Fund, an agrifoodtech venture capital fund, comments, “We have been following VitalFluid for seven years and decided now is the right time to invest. VitalFluid has proven to be the first company to transfer PAW from an experimental environment to large-scale commercial applications.”
Vitalfluid was spun out of the Eindhoven University of Technology a decade ago, led by entrepreneur Paul Leenders. Since last year, its former Commercial Director, Erik Hertel, has been the CEO.
Erik Hertel, CEO Vitalfluid: “We are proud to team up with these strong investors that recognise the potential of plasma technology in agriculture. Their long-term vision, extensive knowledge in both deep tech and agriculture and strong network perfectly fit our ambition to make PAW a game-changer in food production.”
Two years ago, regional development fund BOM and VDL Group poured €2M into the Eindhoven agtech company. European Innovation Council provided grants worth €1.45M, according to Dealroom.
Wilco Schoonderbeek, Investments Director at Horticoop, who invests on behalf of 300 horticultural businesses, adds, “… Horticoop invests actively in companies that are making a positive contribution to the future of the horticultural industry, and Vitalfluid’s innovation dovetails seamlessly with that aim. Thanks to Vitalfluid’s innovative technology, growers will have access to more environmentally friendly fertilisers and crop protection products.”
Trial in Spain
In Spain, the company started a trial at the Las Palmerillas experimental station of Cajamar to cultivate tomatoes with a specialized fertiliser formula that implements a pH controller to regulate the water’s pH during irrigation.
The trial is part of the Cajamar Innova project, which supports startups expanding to Spain.
Through its Agrifood NXTGEN Hightech program, the Dutch National Growth Fund early this year supported the development of plasma-as-a-platform technology, with a total project budget of €6.6M
The Plasma4Agrifood project comprises Vitalfluid and other notable agritech organisations such as Royal Agrifirm Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, Blue Plasma, and N2 Applied.
Within the project, plasma technology applications are being further developed, tested and validated to enhance sustainable food production.
It focuses on sustainable nitrogen fixation for crop cultivation, air treatment in livestock barns, manure treatment to reduce ammonia and methane emissions, and sustainable alternatives for crop protection.
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