Oxford University start-up SugaROx, which develops precision biostimulants to improve crop yields, has announced a £400,000 investment from global fertiliser giant The Mosaic Company as part of a £1 million seed round extension.
The remaining £600,000 came from UK angel investors and funds including Future Planet Capital and Regenerate Ventures.
Mark Robbins, chief executive officer of SugaROx, said: “In response to increasing demand for product samples, we decided to accelerate our manufacturing timeline, fast‑tracking the shift from in‑house lab production to a pilot facility.
“The Innovate UK grant and additional investment allows us to do that.
“Our existing investors were quick to subscribe to the seed round extension, which we are delighted to complete with Mosaic as a strategic partner.
“We have the ambition to transform the biostimulants industry with science-based solutions – something that is only achievable in collaboration with other players.”
Biostimulants, which promote plant growth and resilience, are one of the fastest-growing crop input sectors, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 11 per cent.
SugaROx plans to launch its wheat biostimulant in the UK in 2027 and in the EU in 2028.
This year the company started trials on soybean and maize, aiming to enter the US and Brazilian markets soon after.
Dr Cara Griffiths, chief technical officer and co-founder at SugaROx, said: “With Mosaic we gain access to an established network of trial sites for validation of our first product in the US at scale.”
