AgTech and Food Tech startups stand out at TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield

TechCrunch’s annual Startup Battlefield competition, held as part of Disrupt, drew thousands of applications from early-stage companies across sectors. From that pool, 200 startups were selected to compete in category-based pitch rounds, with 20 advancing to the main stage for a chance to win the $100,000 Startup Battlefield Cup.

Among the 200 selectees, 14 AgTech and Food Tech startups were highlighted for their approaches to challenges ranging from crop diagnostics and water management to alternative fats, robotics, and sustainable packaging. Below is the list of selected companies, along with the reasons for their selection.

Selected AgTech and Food Tech startups

ÄIO
What it does: Produces edible fat from agricultural waste.
Why it stood out: The company has developed a yeast strain that converts materials such as sawdust into fats suitable for food and cosmetics.

Aquawise
What it does: Provides AI-driven water-quality monitoring for shrimp and fish farms using satellite imagery.
Why it stood out: The approach removes the need for costly on-site sensors while delivering real-time insights and predictive analytics.

Clave
What it does: Offers AI agents that help fast-food franchises analyze and act on their data.
Why it stood out: By combining historical and real-time store data, Clave enables rapid development of promotions aimed at boosting sales.

CredoSense
What it does: Develops a portable, AI-powered plant diagnostic system to measure crop health.
Why it stood out: The device integrates multiple crop diagnostic technologies and datasets into a single, low-power unit.

Forte Biotech
What it does: Tests for illnesses in prawns at fish farms.
Why it stood out: Developed with the National University of Singapore, the technology allows shrimp farmers to diagnose common diseases without specialized expertise.

Genesis
What it does: Provides a business intelligence platform for soil data.
Why it stood out: The company says it has assembled one of the most comprehensive databases linking soil analysis to regenerative farming practices and yield improvement.

Greeny Solutions
What it does: Offers AI software and IoT tools for indoor commercial farming.
Why it stood out: The platform aims to automate nutrient dosing, climate control, and disease monitoring to increase yields.

Instacrops
What it does: Uses AI, IoT sensors, and satellite imagery to monitor and optimize farm fields.
Why it stood out: The Y Combinator graduate combines hardware and AI agents to enable real-time responses to crop health signals, reducing water use and improving yields.

Kadeya
What it does: Operates office beverage vending stations using reusable bottles.
Why it stood out: The model eliminates single-use plastic bottles by providing, collecting, cleaning, and reusing containers on site.

MUI-Robotics
What it does: Develops AI-based scent detection for robots.
Why it stood out: By digitizing smell, the company opens applications in food, chemical, medical, and environmental monitoring.

Shin Starr Robotics
What it does: Builds robotic systems that automate food preparation for meal delivery.
Why it stood out: Its autonomous kitchens cook meals inside delivery vehicles en route, aiming to deliver freshly prepared dishes timed to arrival.

Tensorfield Agriculture
What it does: Uses AI-powered robotics to identify and eliminate weeds without pesticides.
Why it stood out: The system targets weeds at early growth stages and destroys them with superheated vegetable oil, avoiding herbicides and soil disruption.

Unibaio
What it does: Develops biodegradable polymers to improve agrochemical delivery.
Why it stood out: The polymers are derived from shrimp waste and can be applied across more than 35 crops.

Verley
What it does: Produces bioidentical dairy proteins using precision fermentation.
Why it stood out: The technology aims to stabilize dairy protein supply while reducing the environmental footprint of conventional dairy farming.

The selection reflects continued investor and industry interest in technologies that promise greater efficiency, sustainability, and resilience across agriculture and food systems.

Source: TechCrunch