fertilizer
(4)
Addis Energy
Addis Energy is a Somerville, Massachusetts climate-tech company turning the Earth's subsurface into a chemical reactor to make ammonia. By injecting nitrate-bearing water into iron-rich underground rock, its process uses natural heat and pressure to convert nitrogen into ammonia without hydrogen feedstock, added electricity, or CO2 emissions. Spun out of MIT research and paired with deep oil-and-gas engineering experience, the company aims to produce clean ammonia - a fertilizer and potential fuel behind more than 1% of global emissions - at a fraction of conventional cost.
TerraBlaster
TerraBlaster is a California agtech startup building a rugged, tractor-mounted soil sensor that reads nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH and other nutrients in real time using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) - the same laser technique NASA uses on Mars rovers, licensed from St. Louis deep-tech firm Impossible Sensing. Led by CEO Jorge Heraud, who previously co-founded Blue River Technology (acquired by John Deere for $305M), the company aims to replace slow, sparse lab soil sampling with instant, plant-level nutrient maps so farmers can apply exactly the right amount of fertilizer - cutting waste, boosting yields, and protecting waterways.
Nitricity
Nitricity is a Fremont, California climate-tech company turning air, water, renewable electricity and discarded almond shells into organic nitrogen fertilizer. Its flagship product, Ash Tea, replaces fossil-fuel-derived fertilizers with a regionally produced, OMRI- and CDFA-certified alternative that cuts emissions by more than 90%. Founded in 2018 by three Stanford PhDs, the company closed a $50M Series B in September 2025 and is building its first commercial plant in Delhi, California.
Pivot Bio
Pivot Bio engineers nitrogen-fixing microbes that live on crop roots and feed corn, wheat, sorghum and small grains directly, replacing a portion of synthetic fertilizer with a biological alternative that does not volatilize into the atmosphere or leach into groundwater.