•  Zayndu has developed an innovative seed priming technology for boosting crop yields without using synthetic agricultural chemicals, which can be harmful to the environment
• Since Foresight’s initial investment in 2023, Zayndu has enhanced its technology design, bolstered its senior management and grown its team, supporting regional job creation
• Foresight continues to support Zayndu’s growth plan with a further £1.0m investment, as part of a £1.5m funding round
• The funding will enable the company to accelerate the commercialisation of its technology, drive revenue growth and position the business for further international growth

Foresight Group (“Foresight”), a leading regional private equity and infrastructure investment manager, has announced a further £1.0 million investment into Zayndu Limited (“Zayndu” or the “Company”), as part of a £1.5m funding round alongside Growthdeck and EIS investors.

Zayndu is a Loughborough University spin-out that has developed an innovative seed priming technology aimed at boosting crop yields. The technology is already being used globally to treat seeds across the value chain, from seed producers to indoor growers. By supercharging seeds, helping them germinate faster and grow into bigger, healthier plants, without using agricultural chemicals, the technology delivers significant beneficial outcomes across the industry.

The growing global population requires more food to be produced from less land. The traditional route has become dependent on using various synthetic agrochemicals, which are generally harmful to the environment, to ensure seeds are free from disease and to satisfy production volume needs. Zayndu has developed a unique method of priming seeds using chemical-free cold plasma ‘activated air’ technology. Its pre-treatment method uses only air and electricity to prime the seed and enhance growth of the germinating plant. When applied at scale, this pre-treatment will remove the most significant sources of disease and boost crop yields without the use of agrochemicals. The market for commercial seeds and indoor farming market is fast-growing and increasingly focused on sustainable, climate resistant seeds with a reduced exposure to pathogens.

Since Foresight's initial investment into Zayndu in 2023, the Company has introduced its initial products to market, expanded its range and is accumulating customer data evidencing the increasing plant yields from the technology. The senior management team has been bolstered with several new hires bringing extensive industry expertise. The follow-on investment will allow the Company to accelerate commercialisation of the technology, increase recurring revenue and position the business for further growth.

Ralph Weir, CEO of Zayndu, commented on the investment: “Zayndu is moving forward at pace, delivering systems which simultaneously remove chemicals from agriculture and boost crop yields.  With Foresight we feel we have found an investor who shares our passion for the environment while also understanding the challenges of building a high-growth technology startup. These funds will be instrumental as we continue our growth journey.”

Line Kristine Gauteplass, Investment Manager at Foresight Group, added: “We are delighted to continue to support Zayndu on its growth journey. The Company has been through exciting change since initial investment and is well positioned for scale. Zayndu’s innovative technology is unique in its ability to boost plant health, and we look forward to seeing the impact it has with its growing customer base.”

Foresight invests in promising, growing companies, providing equity investments to meet the needs of founders and management teams wherever they are on their journey. Foresight works with the founders and management teams to build resilient, prosperous companies to deliver strong economic returns and to have a positive impact on the societies in which they operate.