Argentine AgTech Startup Calice Secures $1.5 Million Investment

Argentine agtech startup Calice has raised $1.5 million in a funding round led by Draper Cygnus, with participation from Innventure, Xperiment Ventures, Air Capital, and GrainCorp Ventures through Artesian. The company is also in negotiations to secure an additional $500,000 from international institutions.

Founded in 2018 by Ramiro Olivera, Esteban Hernando, Andrés Rabinovich, and Pablo Romero, Calice initially focused on gene editing for crops. In 2023, it pivoted to digital field trial simulations with its platform, Nodes. This artificial intelligence-driven tool enables virtual crop testing, optimizing breeding strategies and assessing agricultural inputs without physical trials. The technology aims to cut field testing needs by up to 80% and reduce development timelines by 50%.

The new investment will support Calice’s expansion in Argentina, Brazil, and the U.S., as well as enhance its AI models and computational simulations. With successful concept tests in maize, soybean, barley, wheat, and rice, the company expects to generate $800,000 in revenue in 2025.