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BioLumic and the International Rice Research Institute to study the agtech company’s ultraviolet technology in direct-seeded rice.

Christine Gould, founder and CEO of GIGA Futures, urges governments to treat food security as a strategic national capability on par with AI and semiconductors, emphasizing its role in economic and geopolitical resilience. Speaking at World Agri-Tech London, Gould highlights the need for an “anti-fragile” innovation approach and the importance of helping agrifood startups overcome the scaling “valley of death” by focusing on commercial traction rather than just investment. GIGA Futures’ “four Cs” framework—capital, customer demand, capabilities, and cultural pull—is presented as key to scaling agri-innovation, with Gould advocating for diversified technology portfolios and policy support to boost food system resilience. She identifies gene editing, robotics, and the convergence of multiple innovations as pivotal for future food security strategies.

Syngenta Ventures’ managing director Michael Lee argues that agtech start-ups should abandon the pursuit of billion-dollar unicorn exits and instead focus on realistic acquisition outcomes, as most exits in the sector fall between $100m and $400m. He highlights that inflated valuations and excessive fundraising have distorted founder behavior, urging companies to keep burn rates low and seek strategic partnerships to extend runway and improve acquisition prospects. Lee identifies biological crop protection, robotics, and water management as key areas of opportunity, while noting that regulatory challenges and high costs favor larger incumbents over start-ups.