Investing in innovation across the agri-food value chain to advance sustainable and resilient food production: Notice of Establishment of the AgFunder SIJ Impact Fund
〜The AgFunder SIJ Impact Fund will be anchored by investment from Meiji Holdings and Asahi Group Holdings at its first close.
SDG Impact Japan Inc. (CEOs: Mari Kogiso and Bradley Busetto) and AgFunder Asia Pte Ltd. (Executive Director: John Friedman), a Singapore based global venture capital platform, jointly announced the first close of the AgFunder SIJ Impact Fund, a specialized impact fund focusing on early stage investments to accelerate the Japanese and Asian agrifood tech ecosystem. To mark its first close, the fund has received $10 million dollars as anchor investment from Meiji Holdings and Asahi Group Holdings. The final close is scheduled for March 2023 with a targeted fund size of between USD 30 and 50 million.
Technology transformation and innovation across our agriculture and food industry is of critical importance to address issues related to climate change, population growth and environmental degradation facing the world today. In collaboration with AgFunder, a global leader in early-stage agritech and foodtech investment , the AgFunder SIJ Impact Fund will prioritize investments in global technology startups with high growth potential delivering solutions with particular relevance to the Asian market. In addition, SDG Impact Japan will help to connect Japanese startups operating in the agritech and foodtech sector with overseas investment support as well as helping overseas startups expand their business into Japan. The Fund will invest in outstanding startups that have the potential to deliver tangible environmental and social impact to advance a more sustainable food system by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating food loss in the supply chain, improving soil and crop monitoring, as well as increasing production efficiencies through biotechnology and digitalization, amongst key areas of interest.
Kazuo Kawamura, CEO of the Meiji Holdings Co. commented:
“The Meiji Group’s mission is to contribute to people’s health through its food and pharmaceutical businesses. In order to deliver its products to customers, it is essential to stably procure agricultural products such as raw milk and cocoa. By investing in this fund, which invests in startup companies with superior technology and know-how in the fields of agriculture and food, we will promote open innovation through collaboration with startup companies. In this way, we aim to create new health value and contribute to the establishment of a sustainable food system.”
About AgFunder and SDG Impact Japan
AgFunder was founded in 2013 on the belief that innovation and targeted investment are the most powerful tools to bring about rapid and positive change in the global food and agriculture system. Its media platform, AgFunderNews, has established itself as the industry site of record, and go-to knowledge source with over 2 million yearly site visits and nearly 100,000 subscribers. Today, AgFunder is one of the most active early-stage agri-food technology investors with a portfolio of more than 70 companies across its funds. AgFunder Asia was established in Singapore in 2019 to help develop the agrifood technology ecosystem in the wider Asia Pacific region, including the establishment of AgFunderNews Asia and GROW Accelerator.
SDG Impact Japan is an investment advisory firm founded by financial and sustainability experts, specializing in sustainability finance. We structure venture and ESG impact funds that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, develop sustainability assessment tools, and provide sustainability consulting services. We partner with leading sustainability-focused domestic and international funds, companies and entrepreneurs. SIJ will serve as an advisor on SDGs related issues for the fund.
Name: AgFunder SIJ Impact Fund
Initial Closing: March 2022 (Final closing scheduled for March 2023)
Fund term: 10 years, until March 2032 (with a maximum extension of two years)
Investment targets: Outstanding startups with the potential to create a sustainable food system in the agriculture and food sectors
About SDG Impact Japan
Company Name AgFunder Asia Pte Ltd.
Location Singapore
President John Friedman
Established 2019
Business Venture Capital, Fund Management, Media & Research Business
URL https://agfunder.com/
About SDG Impact Japan
Company Name SDG Impact Japan Inc.
Location 1-17, Toranomon 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Co-CEO Bradley Busetto, Mari Kogiso
Established 2021
Business Advisory service for sustainability and impact to funds
URL https://sdgimpactjapan.com/
