Building the future of agriculture but can't find investors who understand farming?
I've helped raise millions for AgriTech companies, and I'll show you exactly who gets excited about agricultural innovation.
Why AgriTech Angels Are Different
Regular tech investors want quick wins.
AgriTech angels understand farming cycles and seasonal businesses.
The Elite 20: AgriTech Angel Investors
1. Roger Royse
- AgTech Venture Network founder
- Sweet spot: Precision agriculture
- Check size: $50K-$250K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple farm robotics companies
- Pro tip: He loves solutions that reduce labor costs
2. Sanjeev Krishnan
- S2G Ventures
- Focus: Sustainable farming
- Check size: $100K-$500K
- Portfolio highlights: Beyond Meat (early)
- Values: Environmental impact
3. Nancy Pfund
- DBL Partners founder
- Specialty: Clean AgriTech
- Check size: $100K-$500K
- Portfolio highlights: Farmers Business Network
- Loves: Climate-smart solutions
4. Paul Matteucci
- Fall Line Capital
- Focus: Farm automation
- Check size: $50K-$300K
- Portfolio highlights: Various precision ag startups
- Looking for: Technology + farming expertise
5. Bill Gates
- Gates Ag One
- Focus: Global food security
- Check size: $250K-$1M
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple vertical farming companies
- Values: Food system transformation
6. Adrian Lysenko
- AgFunder
- Focus: Digital agriculture
- Check size: $50K-$250K
- Portfolio highlights: Various farm management platforms
- Loves: Data-driven solutions
7. Kathleen Merrigan
- Former USDA Deputy Secretary
- Focus: Sustainable agriculture
- Check size: $25K-$150K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple organic tech companies
- Values: Policy-compliant innovation
8. Rob Leclerc
- AgFunder co-founder
- Focus: AgTech marketplaces
- Check size: $50K-$300K
- Portfolio highlights: Various AgTech platforms
- Looking for: Scalable solutions
9. Sid Gorham
- Former Granular CEO
- Specialty: Farm software
- Check size: $50K-$250K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple farm management startups
- Values: User experience
10. Sara Menker
- Gro Intelligence founder
- Focus: Agricultural data
- Check size: $50K-$300K
- Portfolio highlights: Various data analytics companies
- Loves: AI in agriculture
11. Monte Brem
- FoodShot Global
- Focus: Soil health tech
- Check size: $100K-$500K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple regenerative ag startups
- Values: Sustainability
12. Chuck Templeton
- S2G Ventures
- Focus: Supply chain innovation
- Check size: $50K-$250K
- Portfolio highlights: Various food tech companies
- Looking for: System-level changes
13. Dane Stangler
- Right Side Capital
- Focus: Rural innovation
- Check size: $25K-$150K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple rural tech solutions
- Values: Community impact
14. David Friedberg
- The Production Board
- Focus: Biological innovation
- Check size: $100K-$500K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple biotech ag companies
- Loves: Scientific breakthroughs
15. Ingrid Vanderveldt
- Empowering a Billion Women
- Focus: Female founders in AgTech
- Check size: $25K-$200K
- Portfolio highlights: Various women-led AgTech
- Values: Diversity in agriculture
16. Tom Shields
- AgLaunch
- Focus: Farm-centric innovation
- Check size: $50K-$250K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple farm startups
- Looking for: Farmer-validated solutions
17. John Hartnett
- SVG Ventures
- Focus: THRIVE accelerator companies
- Check size: $50K-$300K
- Portfolio highlights: Various AgTech graduates
- Values: Market validation
18. Mick Kahn
- Traction Ag
- Focus: Farm financial tech
- Check size: $25K-$200K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple FarmTech platforms
- Loves: Financial solutions
19. Suren Dutia
- BioGenerator
- Focus: Biotech in agriculture
- Check size: $50K-$300K
- Portfolio highlights: Various agri-biotech startups
- Values: Scientific innovation
20. Amy Wu
- From Farms to Incubators
- Focus: Emerging AgTech
- Check size: $25K-$150K
- Portfolio highlights: Multiple diverse founders
- Looking for: Innovation + inclusion
How to Get Their Attention
Here's what works:
Show these three things:
- Farmer validation
- Clear ROI for farmers
- Scalable technology
The Approach Strategy
Don't pitch tech first.
Instead:
- Lead with farmer problems you're solving
- Show field trial data
- Then explain the technology
Common FAQs
Q: Do I need farming experience to raise from these angels?A: Not always, but strong agriculture partnerships are crucial
Q: What's the minimum progress needed?A: Most want to see pilot programs or field trials
Q: How important are partnerships?A: Critical - most want to see farmer relationships
Q: How long is the sales cycle?A: Expect 12-18 months for full enterprise adoption
Bottom Line
These 20 angel investors understand agriculture.
They know farming cycles and seasonal challenges.
They're willing to wait for solutions that transform agriculture.
Looking for funding for your AgriTech startup? These top 20 angels should be your first stop - they're actively investing in the future of farming.
Remember: In AgriTech, farmer adoption is everything. Build solutions farmers actually want.
Now go transform agriculture.