Every year, TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield pitch contest draws thousands of applicants. We narrow those applications down to the top 200 contenders, and from them, the top 20 compete on the big stage for the Startup Battlefield Cup and a cash prize of $100,000. However, the remaining 180 startups also impressed us greatly in their respective categories and in their own pitch competition.
Here is the full list of the agtech and food tech Startup Battlefield 200 selectees, along with a note on why they stood out.
ÄIO has developed a method to produce edible fat from agricultural waste. It is noteworthy because the company created a strain of yeast that turns abundant agricultural waste like sawdust into a fat suitable for food and cosmetics.
AQUAWISE provides AI-powered water-quality monitoring for shrimp and fish farms using satellite imagery. It is noteworthy because the startup eliminates the need for expensive sensors while offering real-time insights and predictive analytics.
CLAVE offers AI agents that help fast-food restaurant franchises better interact with their data. It is noteworthy because Clave analyzes historical and real-time store data to help franchise restaurants quickly develop promotions that increase sales.
CREDOSENSE offers an AI-powered portable plant diagnostic system that measures crop health. It is noteworthy because crop-health diagnostics are often trapped in silos, but CredoSense handles a broad spectrum of crop diagnosis tech and data in one small, low-power device.
FORTE BIOTECH has created a patented technology to test for illnesses among prawns in fish farms. It is noteworthy because this technology, developed in partnership with the National University of Singapore, helps shrimp farmers quickly diagnose common diseases without needing to hire expert help.
GENESIS offers a business intelligence platform for soil data that helps agricultural businesses make better, regenerative decisions about their land assets and crops. It is noteworthy because Genesis says it has collected one of the most comprehensive databases on raw materials that augments soil analysis to increase yields through regenerative practices.
GREENY SOLUTIONS offers AI-powered software and IoT tools for indoor commercial farming. It is noteworthy because Greeny’s technology promises to automate nutrient dosing, climate control, and disease monitoring to increase yields.
INSTACROPS uses AI, IoT sensors, and satellite imagery to monitor and optimize farming fields. It is noteworthy because this Y Combinator graduate uses hardware sensors and AI agents to help farms respond to crop health indications, like irrigation and fertilization, in real time, boosting yields and reducing water usage.
KADEYA operates beverage vending stations for offices that use reusable bottles, which can be returned and are then cleaned and reused. It is noteworthy because this startup eliminates single-use plastic bottles in the workplace and also handles the cleaning, removing the need for companies to buy beverages in plastic bottles.
MUI-ROBOTICS develops AI scent detection for robots. It is noteworthy because MUI-Robotics is digitizing smell, which paves the way for multisensory robotics and has commercial applications in food, chemical, medical, and environmental sectors.
SHIN STARR ROBOTICS builds robotics that automate food preparation for meal delivery. It is noteworthy because its autonomous kitchens cook meals in a truck, driven by a human, while en route to a delivery destination, aiming to deliver restaurant-quality Korean BBQ timed to arrival.
TENSORFIELD AGRICULTURE uses AI-powered robotics to identify and kill weeds without pesticides in densely packed crop beds like carrots, spinach, and lettuce without disturbing the crop or its soil. It is noteworthy because it can identify weeds when they just sprout and inject them with superheated vegetable oil instead of herbicides.
UNIBAIO develops biodegradable polymers that deliver agrochemicals more efficiently. It is noteworthy because the microparticles are a natural polymer derived from shrimp waste and are suitable for over 35 crops.
VERLEY manufactures bioidentical dairy proteins using a precision fermentation technology. It is noteworthy because Verley helps maintain the supply of dairy protein products while minimizing the environmental impact of dairy farming.