The Re:food Agrifood Investment Framework

December 16, 2025

We are proud to announce the publication of The Re:food Agrifood Investment Framework, now available in our Resource Library.

Contributors

Lena Horvath McAtee

The Re:food Investment Framework describes how we have integrated our fundamental pillars of Investability and Solvability throughout Re:food’s investment process, from initial segment research to portfolio support. Weaving together the key principles of Food is Solvable and Food is Investable, this Agrifood Framework report explains how we apply our system’s thinking approach to investing and highlights some of the category-changing companies we have partnered with. Read it here.

Rooted in our history

If you’ve been following the Re:food journey, or have taken a glance at the Resource Library on our website, you’ll know that this is not our first report.

Food is Solvable

Re:food’s first report, Food is Solvable, was published in 2021. It described Re:food’s four investment themes, introduced the Re:food circle, and explained our approach to identifying and prioritizing innovations for investment. Food is Solvable drew inspiration from a myriad of sources, including the EAT-Lancet Commission’s first report, "Food in the Anthropocene," the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, and the principles of systems thinking. It formed the bedrock upon which Re:food’s segment strategy and impact assessments have been built.

Following this initial report, we deepened our understanding of each of our four themes, researched and identified the most promising segments, and put our thinking into practice through a number of new investments. In 2023 we updated Food is Solvable, publishing a new version that expanded on our first report by adding details on how we identify and prioritize segments for our sourcing work. Food is Solvable II delved deeper into our Theory of Transformation and showcased our impressive portfolio companies.

Food is Investable

Food is Solvable is a useful framework that orients us towards the innovations most likely to solve fundamental issues in the food system by accelerating necessary transformations. However, as a growth equity investor, positive impact is only part of the story; equally important is the potential for an attractive return on our investment. In 2024, we published Food is Investable, describing the opportunities we see within the food system to invest for both outsized returns and transformative impact. This report synthesized learnings from our years of food system investing, with the goal of inspiring confidence in the sector’s investability by guiding investors through its diverse and promising landscape.

A Framework for Agrifood Investing

Food is Solvable and Food is Investable represent our team’s accumulated knowledge and insights at the time of their publication. Like all systems, the food system continues to evolve and grow, and so too does our understanding of where the most valuable investment opportunities lie. Building this understanding involves considering both “solvability” and “investability”, which go hand in hand as the green transformation in food and agriculture continues to accelerate, and sustainable innovations create real economic value. Rather than developing these pillars separately, we opted to combine them into one unified report: The Re:food Agrifood Investment Framework.

On the horizon

This is not our last report. As we continue to invest capital into the food and agriculture ecosystem, we intend to continue sharing our thinking on the state of the food system, its investment landscape, and Re:food’s work. The next report in this series, Food is Valuable, will share the latest updates to our Agrifood Investment Framework and highlight how our portfolio partners are creating value within the food system.

Do you have thoughts on our framework that you'd like to share? Inspired by our approach and want to learn more? Please reach out: solvable@refood.co

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Ag-Robotics: The Next Frontier in Farm Automation

Ag-robotics holds tremendous promise for the green transformation of food systems by enhancing sustainability and productivity. Innovations such as robots with advanced sensors and AI enable the precise application of fertilizers and pesticides, while robotic weeders and laser systems minimize the need for herbicides, protecting biodiversity. Advanced robotic irrigation can cut water use by over 90%, and autonomous electric machines reduce carbon emissions. Autonomous machines can also be lighter, reducing soil compaction. Robotic systems support soil health through reduced tillage and enable data-driven, sustainable farm management. As labor shortages and sustainability demands intensify, ag robotics is poised to unlock a $100B+ market by 2035. However, despite these significant benefits, widespread adoption faces serious barriers, and the true potential will only be realized by understanding where automation truly creates value.

April 16, 2025

Irrigation: Addressing Water Stress in Agriculture

Wait, hasn’t irrigation already been solved? After all, it was invented by Sumerians of ancient Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, around 6000 BCE. They developed one of the earliest known irrigation systems using canals, dikes, and reservoirs to manage water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, enabling large-scale agriculture in an otherwise arid region. This innovation played a crucial role in the growth of early civilizations. Still, there are massive investments in irrigation ahead of us, providing opportunities especially for private equity and infrastructure funds.

November 7, 2024

Food is Investable: Here's how

Read our report, Food is Investable, on why venture capital, private equity, and infrastructure funds should consider agrifood in their investment strategies. Despite the agrifood sector’s critical role in sustaining life and driving 12% of global GDP, it punches below its weight in capital allocation. In 2023, agrifood was only 2% of private equity’s total assets under management and received only 5.5% of global venture capital. From a climate perspective, it’s even more underinvested. Agrifood emits 26% of GHG emissions but attracts just 1.3% of climate-focused private capital. This is concerning, given the sector’s potential for massive impact and financial returns. Food Is Investable, developed with ADAM Partners, gives you a Treasure Map as an overview of relevant investment segments in agrifood across different asset classes.

September 7, 2023

Our Theory of Transformation

When pioneering startups secure backing from seasoned, long-term investors with experience in crafting robust businesses, they have the potential to reshape entire value chains radically and become category leaders in a more sustainable industry. When those same investors build an investment approach that incorporates deep research and systems thinking, and invest in companies at multiple systemic leverage points, they have the potential to transform entire industries and even the global economy.