Agrifood Futures, Farmers2Founders, and Agnition Ventures announced the inaugural cohort on July 17. It included Cooling Crops, Margins, M4Life, Solena Ag, and Tierra Spec.
Soil health was chosen as the theme of this cohort as it was identified as a priority for New Zealand.
“Soil is one of New Zealand’s most strategic assets, as with any nation. It underpins the productivity of its export-driven agriculture, yet is increasingly under threat from climate volatility, nutrient leaching, and biodiversity loss,” said Joshua Soo, co-founder and CEO of Agrifood Futures.
“By beginning with soil, we signal that Land x Launch is about solving real problems from the ground up,” he told AgTechNavigator.
With growing pressure to farm more sustainably without sacrificing productivity, new approaches to soil management are gaining traction.
“Innovation in soil management—particularly in biologics and data-driven decision-making—offers a way to maintain high-value production while addressing environmental limits,” said Soo.
Furthermore, New Zealand offers a strong foundation for agricultural innovation.
“New Zealand’s unique position as a trusted food producer, its world-class research base, and its compact, integrated farming systems make it an ideal environment to test and scale solutions that can then go global,” said Soo.
Filling in the blanks
Soo noted that each start-up brings a distinct angle to fill the gaps in soil health management.
“These start-ups were selected not only for their innovation but because they directly target gaps that farmers and agribusinesses consistently face — whether it’s variability in soil function, a lack of usable data, or the need for alternatives to synthetic inputs.”
For instance, Cooling Crops addresses thermal stress by restoring the soil’s protective layer, a novel approach to microclimate management.
M4Life uses microbial “bio-training” to increase plant resilience to climate extremes, tackling the biological limitations of conventional inputs.
SolenaAg and TierraSpec are unlocking soil intelligence and financial insights through digital platforms, making biology actionable at the paddock level.
Lastly, Margins supports sustainable land sourcing with tools to monitor and adapt to shifting soil, climate, and regulatory conditions globally.
“The cohort reflects a powerful convergence of emerging trends in the soil health space: the rise of biologics, the demand for climate-resilient cropping systems, and the increasing use of AI, sensors, and remote sensing to make soil more measurable, manageable, and marketable,” said Soo.
Starting with a strong precedent
The upcoming cohorts are set to follow the same theme-based approach in the future.
“Future cohorts are likely to adopt a thematic approach, shaped by our strategic partner’s needs, farmer demand and national priorities. Starting with soil health sets a strong precedent — it’s foundational to farm productivity, sustainability, and climate resilience,” said Soo.
“Each cohort will continue to focus on areas where global innovation can bring immediate, measurable value to New Zealand’s agricultural sector and where New Zealand can serve as a launchpad for international scaling.”
Land x Launch was designed to help start-ups accelerate adoption and impact. It aims to provide hands-on support, direct trial opportunities, strategic guidance, and potential investment pathways.
“We’re not just offering start-ups a foot in the door—we’re giving them boots on the ground,” said Soo.