The Yield Lab
The Yield Lab is a St. Louis-based agrifoodtech venture capital firm operating four regional funds (Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America) that invest in and support 90+ early-stage companies across crops, animal health, digital agriculture, and agrifood logistics globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Yield Lab does
The Yield Lab is a private agrifoodtech investment firm founded in 2014 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. It operates as a network of four geographically distinct regional funds—The Yield Lab Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America—each with its own team, limited partners, and investment focus. The North American fund is operated through Cultivation Capital's Agriculture and Food Technology strategy. Collectively, the funds have backed 90+ early-stage portfolio companies working on crops, animal health, digital agriculture, and agrifood logistics.
The firm has no proprietary technology product; its core capability is the curation, deployment, and support of early-stage agrifoodtech investments across regions. It pools global insights, sectoral expertise, and strategic relationships across funds to support portfolio companies. The Yield Lab Institute operates in parallel as a non-profit affiliate providing educational resources and ecosystem-building support. Strategic partners include Agri-TechE (via the ARISE initiative, 2025), Embrapa, AgriTIERRA, Earthbase, Cultivar STL, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Breakthrough Energy Discovery, BioSTL, and Bayer.
The Yield Lab generates revenue through traditional venture capital mechanics: management fees on committed capital across its four regional funds, with potential upside from carried interest on exits (acquisitions, IPOs, or secondary sales of portfolio companies). There are no disclosed product pricing models, customer counts outside portfolio companies, or revenue figures. Marketing and deal sourcing occur primarily through regional fund websites and the Yield Lab Institute's ecosystem platform, reflecting a community-led go-to-market model.
The Yield Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Yield Lab
- Legal name
- The Yield Lab
- Website
- http://www.theyieldlab.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Yield Lab is a St. Louis-based agrifoodtech venture capital firm operating four regional funds (Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America) that invest in and support 90+ early-stage companies across crops, animal health, digital agriculture, and agrifood logistics globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Yield Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AgriFoodTech Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Farm Management Services (115116)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Agriculture & Food / AgTech Growth Equity (FSANACAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Yield Optimization & Crop Performance Consulting (AFACABAC), Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL)
Keywords
Where The Yield Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Yield Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: The Yield Lab generates returns through equity investments in early-stage agrifoodtech companies across their four regional funds (Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America). Returns are realized through exits via acquisitions, IPOs, or secondary sales of portfolio companies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels1 record
The Yield Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Yield Lab operates a global network of four regional venture capital funds (Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America) that invest in and advance high-impact early-stage agrifoodtech companies. The firm pools knowledge, sectoral expertise, and strategic relationships across regions to support 90+ portfolio companies working to revolutionize agrifood systems. A parallel non-profit, The Yield Lab Institute, provides educational resources and ecosystem-building support for the agrifoodtech sector.
Product overview
The Yield Lab is an agrifoodtech investment organization operating a network of four separate regional funds (Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America), each with its own geographical focus, team, and investor base. The organization supports approximately 90+ portfolio companies and maintains a non-profit branch called The Yield Lab Institute that provides educational resources and ecosystem building support. The funds collectively leverage global insights, deep sectoral expertise, and strategic relationships to enable entrepreneurs to sustainably revolutionize agrifood systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Yield Lab Asia Pacific: Regional fund for Asia Pacific agrifoodtech startups
- The Yield Lab Europe
- The Yield Lab Latin America
- The Yield Lab North America
Products and services
- The Yield Lab Asia Pacific Fund Regional venture capital fund investing in early-stage agrifoodtech companies in the Asia Pacific region, operated with its own geographical focus, team, and investor base.
- The Yield Lab Europe Fund Regional venture capital fund investing in early-stage agrifoodtech companies in Europe, operating with its own geographical focus, team, and investor base.
- The Yield Lab Latin America Fund Regional venture capital fund investing in early-stage agrifoodtech companies in Latin America, operating with its own geographical focus, team, and investor base.
- The Yield Lab North America Fund Regional venture capital fund investing in early-stage agrifoodtech companies in North America, operated through Cultivation Capital's Agriculture and Food Technology strategy with its own geographical focus, team, and investor base.
- The Yield Lab Institute Non-profit branch that provides educational resources and ecosystem-building support for the agrifoodtech sector, operating in parallel with the investment funds.
Companies that use The Yield Lab
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Yield Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Yield Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Agri-TechEcoreAgri-TechE leads the ARISE (AgriTech for Resilience, Innovation & Sustainable Ecosystems) initiative in partnership with The Yield Lab Institute. ARISE is a trilateral platform launched in 2025 and funded by the UK Government Tactical Fund, connecting science, technology, and investment ecosystems across the UK, US, and Latin America.
- EmbrapacoreEmbrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) is a key partner in the ARISE initiative led by Agri-TechE with The Yield Lab Institute. The initiative advances international collaboration on food security and sustainable agriculture through capability mapping, startup evaluation, and knowledge exchange.
- AgriTIERRAcoreAgriTIERRA is a partner in the ARISE initiative with The Yield Lab Institute, working to advance global collaboration on food security and sustainable agriculture through capability mapping, startup evaluation, and knowledge exchange across seven countries.
- EarthbasecoreEarthbase is a partner in the ARISE initiative with The Yield Lab Institute, contributing to the trilateral platform connecting science, technology, and investment ecosystems across the UK, US, and Latin America.
- Cultivar STLcoreCultivar STL is an agtech initiative in St. Louis that launched the Core Facilities Access Fund, administered through the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, to help Latin American startups access US markets. The Yield Lab Latin America is connected through the St. Louis region's existing Cultivar platform linking US and Latin American agtech ecosystems.
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CentercoreThe Donald Danforth Plant Science Center administers the Core Facilities Access Fund under the Cultivar STL initiative. Breakthrough Energy Discovery supports this fund which awards $2,000 to $20,000 to Latin American startups for research and validation work at the Danforth Center.
- BioSTLminorBioSTL engages with the ARISE initiative through its ReACH Summit as part of week-long programming connecting science, technology, and investment ecosystems across the UK, US, and Latin America.
- BayerminorBayer senior leaders engage with the ARISE initiative through week-long programming including visits to the 39 North AgTech Innovation District and collaboration on food security and sustainable agriculture initiatives.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Yield Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cultivation Capital: St. Louis-based VC that actually operates The Yield Lab's North America fund; competes in the same US agrifoodtech early-stage market and shares deal flow.
- Acre Venture Partners: Early-stage agrifoodtech fund focused on the food value chain, from production to consumer; directly comparable mandate and stage to The Yield Lab.
- S2G Ventures: Multi-stage agrifoodtech investor focused on plant-based foods, digital ag, and supply-chain technologies; directly comparable as a US-headquartered, sector-specialist VC.
- AgFunder: Specialist agrifoodtech venture firm investing globally across the same early-stage agrifoodtech categories (crops, animal health, digital ag, supply chain) that The Yield Lab targets.
- SVG Ventures (Thrive): Global agrifoodtech accelerator and investor with regional funds and corporate partnerships; structurally similar to The Yield Lab's four-region platform model.
Emerging players
- Fifty Years: Early-stage VC that has backed agrifoodtech companies alongside other impact-first sectors; comparable as an emerging thesis-driven fund, though not agrifoodtech-pure.
- AgriTech Capital (AgTech Capital): Emerging agrifoodtech-focused investment firm; partial overlap in target sectors and stage, though smaller scale than The Yield Lab's global platform.
Broad incumbents
- Rabobank Food & Agri Innovation Fund: Banking-backed agrifoodtech investor (part of Rabobank, a leading agricultural lender) with global reach in early- and growth-stage agrifood deals; broad incumbent peer.
- Leaps by Bayer: Corporate venture arm of Bayer focused on breakthrough agriculture and health technologies; competes for agrifoodtech deals at scale and is also a strategic partner of The Yield Lab via ARISE.
Regional players
- SP Ventures: Latin America–focused agrifoodtech VC; direct overlap with The Yield Lab Latin America fund for regional deal share and co-investment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Yield Lab social profiles
Digital presenceThe Yield Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Yield Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
The Yield Lab subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Yield Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Yield Lab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments63 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Yield Lab
What does The Yield Lab do?
The Yield Lab operates a global network of four regional venture capital funds (Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America) that invest in and advance high-impact early-stage agrifoodtech companies. The firm pools knowledge, sectoral expertise, and strategic relationships across regions to support 90+ portfolio companies working to revolutionize agrifood systems. A parallel non-profit, The Yield Lab Institute, provides educational resources and ecosystem-building support for the agrifoodtech sector.
Is The Yield Lab a public or private company?
The Yield Lab is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Yield Lab founded?
The Yield Lab was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Yield Lab based?
The Yield Lab is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Yield Lab make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Returns.
Who are The Yield Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cultivation Capital, Acre Venture Partners, S2G Ventures, AgFunder and SVG Ventures (Thrive). Emerging players are Fifty Years and AgriTech Capital (AgTech Capital). Broad incumbents are Rabobank Food & Agri Innovation Fund and Leaps by Bayer. SP Ventures is listed as a regional player.
Does The Yield Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Yield Lab.
What industry is The Yield Lab in?
The Yield Lab's product category is AgriFoodTech Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANACAM, Agriculture & Food / AgTech Growth Equity, with a secondary code of AFACABAC, Yield Optimization & Crop Performance Consulting. Its NAICS code is 115116 and its SIC code is 6282.