• by Teresa Buyikian , December 13, 2023

Cultivate Next, Chipotle’s $50M venture fund committed to early-stage investments in companies “that further Chipotle's mission to cultivate a better world,” has announced its latest investment in two new farming technology companies, Greenfield Robotics and Nitricity.

Greenfield Robotics leverages AI, robotics, and sensing technologies in fields to make regenerative farming more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable, the company claims. It has created fleets of lightweight autonomous robots that cut weeds between rows of crops 24/7, decreasing the dependence on herbicides while reducing risk for farmers, according to Greenfield.

With its Cultivate Next investment, Greenfield Robotics will continue to build out its fleet of autonomous agricultural robots, while developing additional capabilities for future robots, including micro-spraying, cover crop planting and soil testing.

"The work of Greenfield Robotics to build out a tech-forward alternative to herbicides plays an important role in ensuring a more sustainable future for the agricultural industry," said Curt Garner, chief customer and technology officer for Chipotle, in the announcement "We will help Greenfield Robotics scale their robotic offerings and explore how their robots can be deployed on farms within our supply chain."

Nitricity creates fertilizer products that are reportedly healthier for fields, farmers and the environment while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The company does this through leveraging air, water, and renewable energy from artificial lightning to produce a cleaner, more sustainable and cost-efficient fertilizer. The company has started field trials with Salinas Valley, California, farmers, including Chipotle suppliers in the region.

Funding from Cultivate Next will be used to scale up Nitricity's production of nitrogen, build out the company's infrastructure, and support the launch of its first commercial product within the next two years.

"Fertilizers have experienced steep price increases in recent years due to supply chain issues, fossil fuel price volatility, and rising distribution costs. Nitricity's fertilizer offering not only has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of the fertilizer industry, but it can be a cost-effective solution for growers in our supply chain," said Jack Hartung, chief financial and administrative officer for Chipotle, in the announcement.

Formed in April 2022, Chipotle’s Cultivate Next fund is intended to “support seed to Series B stage companies that can accelerate the company's strategic priorities such as running great restaurants, amplifying technology and innovation, further advancing its Food With Integrity mission, and expanding access and convenience for consumers,” according to a previous release. Since inception the fund has invested in companies such as Vebu, developer of the Autocado, and Hyphen, which helps automate commercial kitchens.