The financing was co-led by Forbion and Corteva to accelerate the commercial rollout of disease-resistant banana varieties.
"This funding is a powerful endorsement of our team’s ability to bring breakthrough products to the hands of growers, exporters and consumers around the world. We are entering a new era, one where gene‑edited crops will significantly enhance food security and sustainability. 2025 proved that our technology delivers – not in the distant future, but right now. With two banana varieties already on the market and demand outstripping supply, this investment enables us to scale global production and expand into new crops faster than ever before. We are excited to be partnering with our new investors as we progress our mission to build a world-leading tropical seeds company."
The fresh dog food brand secured backing from L Catterton alongside existing investors White Star Capital, Five Seasons Ventures and Passion Capital.
"Butternut is driven by our founding purpose – to deliver health and happiness to dogs and their humans all over the world. We are delighted about the recent investment as it will facilitate us caring for more dogs than ever before."
The round was led by Five Seasons Ventures and White Star Capital, with capital directed towards new markets and product development.
"Last year we were actively searching for a pet food investment opportunity around two key trends: the humanisation of pets and the increasing shift towards natural food, with the connected premiumisation of the overall experience. The team at Butternut Box was spot on in terms of their product positioning, their direct-to-consumer model and strong commercial traction. This is one of the strongest teams we have seen in foodtech in Europe over the last few years: we had to back them"
