The early-stage VC firm has over 16 years of experience managing over $100 million in assets, with a focus on food and agtech start-ups in Latin America.
The new fund will focus on tech-powered solutions that aim to tackle the biggest challenges in agriculture, food, and climate across Latin America.
Backers include agribusiness heavyweights AGCO, FMC Corporation, CHECK24, Bidra, Grupo Corporativo Fundea, Minerva Foods, BASF Venture Capital.
“The support from such prestigious partners not only validates our vision but also strengthens our resolve to drive meaningful change in the food system,” says Francisco Jardim, managing partner at SP Ventures. “Our strategic investors provide invaluable insights and access to assets that elevate our decision making and value creation capabilities. They regularly co-invest and/or partner up with our portfolio firms.”
Mark Brooks, managing director of FMC Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of FMC Corporation, adds that FMC’s expertise in Latin American agriculture, combined with a strong focus on sustainable, tech-driven innovation, makes them “a critical partner as we work to identify and scale transformative solutions that deliver real-world impact.”
Key sectors and regions identified
SP Ventures invests in technologies such as agfintech, marketplaces, biologicals and carbon market innovations.
Start-ups in its portfolio include agfintech start-ups Agrolend, Traive and Verqor; supply chain and infrastructure start-ups ZoomAgri and Leaf; and AgroAdvance, an edtech platform offering courses and programs in various areas of agribusiness.
The third fund will prioritise key areas where innovation can substantially reduce the environmental footprint of food production and distribution. Sectors on its radar include net-zero technologies that enhance crop production and supply chain efficiency, biologicals and regenerative agricultural practices.
New offices in Mexico
With offices now in Brazil and Mexico, the company is “uniquely positioned to tap into diverse markets and support companies that are not only innovating but also adapting to the specific challenges of different regions,” adds SP Ventures partner, Felipe Guth.
Hugo Villavicencio, board president of the Guatemalan conglomerate Grupo Corporativo Fundea, adds: “We are excited to be the first partner and investor from Central America in the company and the AGV III… with SP Ventures we will facilitate developing the ag foodtech ecosystem in Guatemala and other key Central American and the Caribbean countries.”
