NetZeroNitrogen announce oversubscribed $6.6M seed round

The NZN team

Congratulations to our portfolio company NetZeroNitrogen on the announcement of their oversubscribed $6.6M Seed round!

The round was co-led by our friends at climate funds World Fund (Germany) and Azolla Ventures (US), joined by ag specialists Ananke; and existing fund investors Zero Carbon Capital, Revent, and Kibo Invest.

This funding will allow NZN to accelerate their biofertiliser solution, capitalise on significant commercial traction in Asia, and disrupt a $200B market.

Field trials of NZN's product in the Philippines

We first met NZN’s incredible team – biologists Gary Devine and Alan Burbidge, and former Red Arrows pilot Justin Hughes – back in 2022. We were immediately impressed by their vision to end the world’s reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilisers (SNFs), with an elegant and effective solution which addresses not only the production emissions but also the much larger problem of emissions from application. We led their pre-seed round back in December 2022 (read more about why we invested on the original round announcement).

Synthetic nitrogen fertilisers are critical for feeding the world’s growing population. The Haber-Bosch process, used to create the ammonia that is a precursor to synthetic nitrogen fertilisers, accounts for a staggering 1% of total GHG emissions. And the application of synthetic fertilisers themselves leads to the release of nitrous oxide (N₂O)—a greenhouse gas nearly 300 times more potent than CO2. Beyond emissions, SNFs can also contaminate waterways and negatively impact soil microbiomes. The current approach is clearly unsustainable.

NetZeroNitrogen’s biofertiliser removes both the production and the application emissions of SNFs

NZN is pioneering a novel bioinoculant using endophytic bacteria that 'colonise' the plant. This nature-inspired, non-GM solution allows plants to harness nitrogen far more efficiently. The result is that farmers can significantly reduce SNF use, boost yields, and improve crop quality, all without new machinery. Justin Hughes, NZN’s CEO, calls it a "green discount" – it's both greener and cheaper, solving an urgent climate problem while providing clear economic incentives for farmers.

NZN co-founders Alan, Gary and Justin

With our product, there is no transmission loss and therefore no nitrate or nitrous oxide pollution. You're placing the fuel (bacteria) next to the engine (plant cells). The scale of this opportunity is enormous. We’re talking about an idea from a small lab in the UK transforming a $200b global market. Justin Hughes, NZN CEO

We've been huge supporters of NZN from the start, and we are so excited to see them scale their process. Their traction in ASEAN countries and clear regulatory pathway position them perfectly to tackle a global challenge with truly gigaton-scale climate impact.

Read more about NZN in TechCrunch, TechinAsia, The Independent.