Seed-to-table solutions: Indonesia start-up Koltiva helps MNCs overcome regulatory hurdles and supply chain challenges
Koltiva announced in September that it has secured a seven-figure Series A funding round led by AC Ventures, with participation from Silverstrand Capital, Planet Rise, Development Finance Asia, Blue 7, and existing investor The Meloy Fund.
The firm plans to use the fresh capital to expand its “software-as-a-service” to help multinational corporations (MNCs) and their suppliers build more transparent, traceable, and sustainable supply chains.
“By providing comprehensive seed-to-table traceability, we empower MNCs to navigate the dynamic landscape of evolving regulations and consumer demand worldwide, while digitising agribusinesses and helping smallholder producers transition to sustainable practices and traceable sourcing,” said Manfred Borer, co-founder and CEO of Koltiva.
Due to increasingly stringent ESG-oriented regulatory requirements, the demand for solutions like Koltiva’s has risen rapidly in recent years.
For example, the EU’s new Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) stipulates that companies must prove the absence of deforestation in their products and abide by specific legal standards.
Consequently, over 50,000 businesses that sell products in EU markets are now obligated to adhere to this regulation, and non-EU companies significantly engaged in EU activities must also ensure their compliance.
“Therefore, Koltiva’s solution is essential for industries like cocoa, coffee, rubber, and palm oil [which are commodities and derived products covered under the EUDR].”
A helping hand to battle modern challenges
The global supply chain management market was valued at US$27.2bn in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.9% to reach US$75.6bn in 2032.
“We ensure that the journey from input materials to farm operations and distribution to the final consumer is transparent. Our innovation helps large MNCs trace the origins of their food supply, much of which come from smallholder producers in Indonesia and other countries where we operate.”
Apart from traceability, Koltiva’s solutions include producer profiling and plot mapping, and training with its field experts and agronomist team.
On the climate front, the firm provides climate-smart farm support, land use mapping, and risk alerts. It is also developing products that can help with greenhouse gas assessment.
“Koltiva offers not just a service, but also a transformative tool. We have a comprehensive web and mobile app that handles activities like producer registration, surveys, crop transaction monitoring, deforestation mapping, and measuring greenhouse gas emissions on farms.”
The firm works with smallholder producers in 52 countries, of which almost half are in Indonesia, while the rest are spread out across countries such as Brazil, China, and Ivory Coast.
To date, Koltiva’s platform has been used by more than 1mn producers and 6,800 businesses, which the firm believes indicate a “significant need” for innovative food supply chain tracing solutions and climate tech offerings.
“By bolstering the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in emerging markets and helping them adapt to climate change, Koltiva is a great example of how modern tech can reshape conventional industries, deliver global impact, and build a more sustainable future for generations to come,” said Helen Wong, Managing Partner at AC Ventures.
