GALWAY, Ireland, February 21,
2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Yield Lab Europe, the region's leading AgTech accelerator
programme has opened for applications from start-up companies for
its 2018 programme. Yield Lab will support up to eight companies
with an investment of €100,000 and an intensive mentoring and
training programme to help them turn their ideas into successful
internationally scalable businesses.
This is the second year of the European programme for the Yield
Lab, which mirrors sister programmes in the US and Latin America in offering early stage venture
capital to companies in the AgTech sector, with a particular focus
on businesses addressing issues of environmental sustainability and
food security.
Last year Yield Lab Europe had applications from 165 companies
across world, from which 4 were selected to join the 6-month
programme, which gives the businesses exposure to agri industry
experts in addition to the training and €100,000 investment.
This year's companies will also benefit from all expenses paid
trips to three of the world leading venture capital conferences for
early stage AgTech companies, attended by some of the world's
largest venture capital funds (including the Ag Innovation Showcase
in St Louis in September, and the
World AgriTech Innovation Summit in London in October).
Paul Finnerty, former CEO of ABP
Food Group - one Europe's largest
agri businesses - is chairman of Yield Lab Europe:
"AgTech start-ups are at
the sharp edge of vitally needed innovation that
addresses the need to produce more food using less
resources. We commenced operations in 2017
and progress to date has exceeded
expectations, with investments made in three start-ups in
Ireland and one in the UK.
We are now ramping up to invest in six to
eight more businesses in 2018, and
hoping to extend our reach into mainland Europe."
Alvan Hunt, Chief Executive of
Hexafly one of the four companies selected last year, said:
"The benefit of being backed by The Yield Lab Europe
is more than just the financial investment that it brings. You are
accessing a training and support network that is invaluable in
helping to build a business. With venture capital in Europe much less developed than in the US,
particularly for the AgTech sector,
initiatives like this are crucial to create an ecosystem within
which companies like Hexafly can continue to
thrive."
The four companies that were backed by Yield Lab Europe's 2017
programme were:
- http://www.apisprotect.com
- http://www.hexafly.co
- http://www.microsynbiotix.com
- http://www.rootwave.com
Applications can be made at http://www.yieldlab.ie and close on
Friday March 2nd.
Contact:
Doug Keatinge, Murray,
+353-1-4980379 / +353-86-0374163 /
dkeatinge@murrayconsultants.ie
SOURCE Yield Lab Europe