Edacious secures US$8M to advance nutritional transparency in food systems

Edacious, a tech company that provides data on how genetics, soil health, and management practices impact food nutrition, has closed a US$8.1 million series seed funding round.

The round was led by Patagonia’s Tin Shed Ventures, with participation from the Nest Family Office, Trailhead Capital, Grantham Environmental Trust’s Neglected Climate Opportunities, iSelect Capital, First Thirty, Pelican Ag, and other private investors.

The US-based company offers data on nutritional differences by measuring more than 200 compounds essential to human health. This data has implications for producers, companies, and markets along the F&B value chain.

“This funding allows us to build the platform necessary to break the cycle of commoditization by empowering producers and consumers with verified, actionable data for food quality differentiation,” says the company’s founder and CEO, Eric Smith.

Edacious’ comparative benchmarks for whole foods and ingredients can broaden understanding of nutrition. While many retailers and consumers view similar food groups as nutritionally identical, the company says its data shows that nutrient levels can vary up to ten times in foods like apples.

“Nutritional transparency has the potential to reshape our food system,” notes Paul Lightfoot, GM of Patagonia Provisions.

“Edacious’ approach not only advances soil health but also empowers producers and consumers with critical data to make informed choices. We’re proud to support a company impacting human and environmental health.”

The company’s two tools aim to improve the food system for humans and the planet. The company offers a “next-generation” food lab for affordable and accurate analysis of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, addressing gaps in traditional testing methods.

Additionally, its software platform enables users to compare, benchmark, and share nutrition data for deeper insights within and across organizations.

“Nutrient density should be the catalyst for full food and agriculture value chain transformation,” says Pete Oberle of Trailhead Capital.

“Edacious is making that possible by measuring and mapping nutrient density ten times faster and cheaper, with an intuitive interface that incentivizes and enables the best regenerative practices from producer to consumer.”