RootWave, the UK-based pioneer in electrical weed control, has successfully raised $15 million to scale its sustainable, chemical-free solution for eliminating weeds – including herbicide-resistant varieties – using electricity.
The round was led by Clay Capital, a specialist food and agriculture venture fund, with participation from Agri Investment Fund – the investment arm of the Belgian collective Boerenbond Group – as well as vineyard-focused Xinomavro Ventures, Naruhisa Nakagawa, founder and CIO of Caygan Capital, Jorge Heraud, former CEO and Co-founder of Blue River Technology (acquired by John Deere), and returning investors V-Bio Ventures, Rabo Ventures and PYMWYMIC. The round includes $3 million in debt facilities provided by Innovate UK as part of the UK’s Future Economy initiative.
At a time when agrifoodtech investment has fallen to its lowest levels in five years, RootWave’s success underscores the urgent demand for sustainable agriculture solutions.
The $40+ billion herbicide industry is facing unprecedented challenges from herbicide-resistant weeds and tightening regulation due to safety concerns. While alternative solutions such as mechanical, laser, and thermal weeding have emerged, RootWave stands out for its unmatched combination of efficacy, cost competitiveness, and safety. Its market leading technology eliminates weeds without damaging soils or crops, with field performance rivalling that of chemical herbicides.
RootWave manufactures tractor-mounted implements using its patented high-frequency electricity that delivers exceptional performance, achieving up to 99% kill rates in a single pass during independent field trials. Compatible with conventional, regenerative and organic farming systems, the technology helps farmers protect yields and profits while safeguarding human health and the environment.
RootWave has commercial sales in the UK and has also secured international manufacturing and distribution agreements, including a partnership with leading mechanical weeding company, Garford Farm Machinery. The company is actively conducting trials with several other agrimachinery manufacturers to expand distribution across Europe, with plans to enter the US market thereafter. RootWave’s electrical weeding technology is suitable for a wide range of crops from tree, bush and vine crops, to row crops including vegetables, broad-acre, and cereals.
With this new funding, RootWave is set to accelerate both regional and international rollout, drive forward its mission to replace chemical herbicides use worldwide, and become the new standard for sustainable weed control.
Andrew Diprose, CEO of RootWave, commented: “This fundraising allows RootWave to accelerate its growth. We are grateful for the support from our customers, partners, and employees, and look forward to working with the new investors. Together, we will grow RootWave to become the dominant global player in weed control.”
“Decades of chemical herbicides overuse have made resistant weeds one of agriculture’s toughest challenges. We chose to back RootWave because it offers farmers an affordable, effective, and safe alternative to chemical herbicides,” shared Darren Leong, Principal at Clay Capital. “Having known Andrew and the team for over seven years, we have seen their technology evolve from concept to commercial launch, partnering with some of the world’s leading agriculture machinery companies. RootWave is now well-positioned to become the solution of choice for farmers seeking a safer and more effective option”.
Patrik Haesen, CEO of Agri Investment Fund, commented: “Weed control being an increasing challenge for farmers, we are excited to support RootWave bringing its technology to market. Providing a non-chemical and sustainable solution that destroys weeds down to the roots is a true gamechanger for agriculture.”
