Agricultural Tech Investment Rises to Record $25 Billion
- Investment at record in 2015 could expand this year: report
- There’s ‘optimism despite the shrinking farmer wallet size’
Investments by companies and venture capitalists in agricultural technology reached a record of as much as $25 billion globally in 2015, and that figure will probably grow again this year, according to a private report.
Real-time data analytics, sensors and robots are raising the prospect of the “next green revolution” and are spurring start ups, according to the report released Tuesday by Boston Consulting Group and AgFunder, which connects investors with agricultural companies and proposals online. The investments include research and development, deals, partnerships, equity stakes and technology centers. Early-stage funding from venture capital firms reached $3 billion globally, up from $900 million in 2013 and $400 million in 2010, the groups said.