Mycoverse Secures €2.4M to Revolutionize Crop Protection with Fungal-Based Biocontrol

Copenhagen-based agri-tech startup Mycoverse has raised €2.4 million in a pre-seed equity funding round to advance its biological crop protection platform. The company utilizes fungi to offer alternatives to chemical pesticides, addressing the growing need for sustainable agricultural practices in Europe, and beyond. The funding brings Mycoverse’s total funding to approximately €4.3 million, including previous support from Denmark’s BioInnovation Institute.

Addressing a Critical Need in Agriculture

Mycoverse is positioned at the intersection of microbiology, agronomy, and sustainable farming. The company’s core innovation lies in its AI-driven discovery platform, which identifies naturally occurring fungal strains with protective properties against crop diseases. This approach aims to reduce reliance on traditional chemical fungicides, which are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny and environmental concerns.

Focus on Potato Late Blight and Beyond

The initial focus of Mycoverse’s technology is tackling Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen responsible for potato late blight – a devastating disease that causes billions of euros in losses globally [1]. Farmers currently rely on repeated applications of chemical fungicides to control late blight. Mycoverse aims to provide a biological alternative that can be seamlessly integrated into existing farming practices without requiring significant changes to workflows.

Beyond potatoes, Mycoverse plans to expand its fungal solutions to other crops, including grapevines, as it scales its field trials [1], [2].

Investment Details and Backers

The €2.4 million pre-seed round was co-led by Future Food Fund and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), with participation from PINC, the venture arm of Finnish food company Paulig [1], [2], [3]. The funding will be used to support two years of field trials aimed at commercial validation and to progress the company’s pipeline toward regulatory approval [1].

The Broader Agritech Landscape

Mycoverse operates in a competitive landscape that includes established agricultural chemical companies expanding into biocontrol and newer bio-agriculture startups. Companies like BASF and Syngenta are increasingly incorporating biological agents alongside their synthetic products, while specialized firms focus on microbial or plant-derived treatments for specific diseases. The success of Mycoverse will depend on demonstrating consistent efficacy in diverse field conditions and achieving price points acceptable to growers.

A Growing Trend in European Agritech

The financing round reflects a growing trend in Europe’s agritech venture scene, particularly in areas where sustainability and regulatory alignment create opportunities. For European founders and investors, Mycoverse’s ability to attract both food-systems and deep-tech capital highlights the increasing interest in solutions that address policy constraints on chemical inputs. The company’s origins as a spin-out from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) also demonstrate the role of research institutions in fostering commercialization through blended public and private support [2].