We’re thrilled to announce our latest investment in Gravity Gardens. They raised a €2.6 million funding round to scale its dry, chemical-free seed activation technology. The round was supported by VP Capital, Brightlands Venture Partners, the Graduate Ventures pre-seed fund, and a group of private investors. ‍

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Why we invest

Plant a field and some seeds emerge quickly, while others lag or never make it. That gap can determine a farmer’s season.

Pre-treating seeds can give them a head start, but conventional methods are slow and costly: seeds are soaked, held under tightly controlled conditions, and then dried again. The economics have limited this approach largely to high-value vegetable and flower seeds. ‍

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A market being reshaped

New EU regulation restricts internationally adding microplastics to seeds from 2028 onwards. Growers still need their seed to perform. This creates demand for ways to strengthen seeds without adding anything to them.

That’s where Gravity Gardens comes in.

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Technology  

Its dry process uses no water, no chemicals, and leaves no coating on the seed. By eliminating soaking and drying, the technology aims to make seed activation affordable for everyday field crops.

The technology has already has been through seven external trials, including validation by Vertify. This round will help move from a working process to full-scale machines, developed with Demcon, with market readiness targeted during 2027.

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The team

Founded in 2024 by Paulino Valdés (CEO) and Robin Le Vigourou (CTO), the team combines seed-industry expertise with deep scientific knowledge, including Benyamin Houshyani, who spent over a decade in seed research at Bayer after completing his PhD at Wageningen University & Research.

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