The Bristol firm behind pioneering technology that can reduce carbon emissions from crops by 30% has received a £1m investment to prepare its first product for the market.
Glaia, which was founded in 2019 by former University of Bristol scientists Dr David Benito and Dr Imke Sittel, pictured, has discovered how to supercharge crop growth without increasing greenhouse gases, using ground-breaking, carbon-based technology that reduces farming’s climate footprint. 
The investment from Green Angel Syndicate (GAS), the UK’s largest network of specialist investors fighting climate change, and agri-tech fund The Yield Lab Europe, will allow Glaia to commercialise the technology, known as ‘sugar dots’, which reduces emissions from crops by 30% when applied to the plants.
The technology improves the efficiency of photosynthesis – the energy-producing process by which plants use carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the sun to fuel their growth.
Glaia CSO Imke Sittel said: “You might think billions of years of evolution had fine-tuned photosynthesis to the max – but in fact, usually less than 1% of the sun’s rays absorbed by plants are turned into biomass.”
She said applying Glaia’s new-generation biostimulants to the roots or leaves gives photosynthesis a much-needed boost, increasing harvests by as much as 40% without increasing fertilisers or other climate unfriendly inputs. 
The technology could revolutionise the production of staple and horticultural crops, although for now the team is focusing on hydroponic tomatoes and strawberries, where they estimate the added value could initially result in a fivefold return on investment for the growers.
The firm, which is based in Bristol’s Science Creates incubator, plans to expand into the EU within two years – it has already carried out trials with customers in the Netherlands and Germany – and North America within three years.
Globally, the market value of the product could be worth more than $1.9bn for the first targeted crops.
GAS is the UK’s largest angel syndicate specialising in the fight against climate change while Dublin-based The Yield Lab Europe is one of the most active VC funds in the agri-tech sector.
David Benito said: “Glaia is very happy to have the new investors joining forces with SHAKE Climate Change to deliver a technology with the potential of causing a significant impact in crop production and the fight against climate change.”
GAS CEO Cam Ross added: “It was immediately apparent that the ground-breaking sugar dot technology could transform the CO2 influence of farming.
“We were impressed by the expertise and dedication of the Glaia team and believe they will have a great impact in reducing agriculture’s carbon intensity.”
