Belgium-based Astanor Ventures, an impact investor in the agri-food sector, announced on Tuesday that it has closed €360M in the final closing of its second venture fund.
The fund was backed by national financing and development institutions such as Bpifrance, KfW, and Vækstfonden. Invest-NL, a Dutch national financing and development institution, has committed €5M in the round.
“We are thrilled to share the successful closing of our second venture fund and prove that among a continuously changing environment and economy, Astanor is here to stay,” says Eric Archambeau, co-founder and partner of Astanor.
“When looking at new companies to invest in, our approach will continue to always look for highly disruptive and scalable business models, driven by ambitious entrepreneurs who also share our vision of sustainable and resilient agrifood and bioeconomy systems,” adds Archambeau.
This latest closing marks a significant milestone for Astanor, bringing their total assets under management to approximately €800M encompassing various funds and special purpose vehicles.
Support early-stage and mission-driven companies
Building upon the success of its initial venture fund, Astanor says it remains dedicated to its core investment strategy – supporting early-stage and mission-driven companies that identify social or environmental challenges and develop nature-positive solutions to address them.
The fund offers investment tickets from €1M to 25M from the Seed phase to Series C and beyond.
“We are deeply grateful for the trust and confidence our investors have placed in us,” adds Christina Ulardic, Partner at Astanor Ventures. “This fundraise allows us to amplify our impact and catalyse innovative solutions that transcend traditional boundaries. We remain committed to supporting entrepreneurs who are pioneering advancements that will shape the future of food and agriculture for a thriving bioeconomy.”
Astanor Ventures and Invest-NL
This investment has strategic added value for Invest-NL.
In addition to resources, the collaboration includes the structural exchange of expertise, deal flow, and access to knowledge partners on themes relevant to Invest-NL, including regenerative agriculture, alternative proteins, and biobased materials.
In addition, Astanor can contribute to Invest-NL’s venture-building programmes such as Fastlane, further strengthening them.
Astanor Ventures’ increasing focus on the Dutch market has already resulted in an investment in Source.Ag, an agri-food tech company.
Through the collaboration with Astanor, Invest-NL wants to stimulate further investments in Dutch agrifood companies.
Elisabeth Storm de Grave, Investment Principal at Invest-NL, says, “We are pleased to announce our strategic partnership with Astanor Ventures, a leading impact investor in the agrifood sector. Astanor’s deep expertise in financing pioneering agrifood companies at various stages—from Seed to Series C and beyond—makes them a valuable co-investor as we work together to strengthen the Dutch agrifood ecosystem. This collaboration fits seamlessly with our own objective of financing capital-intensive companies that make a positive contribution to the agri-food sector of the future.”
Astanor Ventures: Bolstering sustainable agrifood technologies
Founded by Eric Archambeau and George Coelho, Astanor Venture is working to accelerate regenerative agriculture, innovate food production techniques and farming, as well as promote food culture and the enjoyment of food.
To date, the VC has invested in over 45 promising companies and mission-driven founders globally. This focus aligns with Astanor’s core values of climate transition, nature positivity, resource efficiency, and the betterment of social and health outcomes.
“As we witness the ever-evolving landscape of the agrifood market, it becomes increasingly evident that innovation is not an option but a necessity. The challenges we face today, from climate change to resource scarcity, demand a transformation in how we produce, distribute, and consume food. Astanor Ventures is dedicated to playing a pivotal role in this transformation by supporting visionary entrepreneurs who are redefining the future of agrifood, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient global food system,” says Hendrik Van Asbroeck, Partner at Astanor Ventures.
Read the orginal article: https://siliconcanals.com/news/invest-nl-backs-astanor-venture/
