Cibus Fund
Cibus Fund (Cibus Capital) is a London-based private agtech investment firm founded in 2017 that invests in resource-efficiency and sustainability technologies across the food value chain, targeting robotics, genetics, and autonomous-systems companies for venture and operating-asset ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cibus Fund does
Cibus Fund (also operating as Cibus Capital) is a London-based private investment firm founded in 2017 by Robert Appleby, focused on agricultural technology (agtech) investments that drive resource efficiency and sustainability across the food value chain. The firm targets enabling technologies — notably robotics, genetics, and autonomous systems — that have become commercially viable as input costs have fallen, and it explicitly positions itself to exploit the post-2022 agtech repricing by backing "battle-hardened companies with genuine fundamentals" rather than overhyped ventures. Its portfolio and acquisition activity through early-to-mid 2025 reflects a dual strategy: leading or co-investing in growth-stage agtech financings (e.g., leading 4AG Robotics' CAD $40M Series B and joining Bonsai Robotics' USD $15M Series A) while also acquiring operating assets such as Spain-based PSB Producción Vegetal.
The firm is led by Founder & CIO Robert Appleby and Investment Director Tom Ritchie (who is also associated with ADM Capital Europe LLP). Cibus earns revenue through conventional fund management economics — management fees on assets under management and carried interest on portfolio exits — though specific AUM, vintage size, and limited-partner composition are not publicly disclosed. Its differentiator versus generalist agtech investors is operational depth and disciplined entry-point selection during a sector-wide valuation reset. The fund has cultivated repeat co-investor relationships with recognized agtech specialists including Astanor, Bison Ventures, Voyager Capital, InBC, Emmertech, and BDC, building consortium credibility in a specialized vertical.
Cibus Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cibus Fund
- Legal name
- Cibus Fund
- Website
- https://cibusfund.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cibus Fund (Cibus Capital) is a London-based private agtech investment firm founded in 2017 that invests in resource-efficiency and sustainability technologies across the food value chain, targeting robotics, genetics, and autonomous-systems companies for venture and operating-asset ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cibus Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agtech Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)
- SIC
- Investors, Nec (6799)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
Keywords
Where Cibus Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Cibus Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Cibus Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cibus Fund (also known as Cibus Capital) is a private investment fund that deploys capital into agricultural technology companies driving resource efficiency and sustainability across the food value chain. The fund takes disciplined, operationally-informed positions in enabling technologies such as robotics and genetics, and has led or participated in Series financings for companies including 4AG Robotics and Bonsai Robotics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cibus Fund (Cibus Capital Agtech Investment Strategy) A venture capital / private equity investment strategy targeting agricultural technology companies with enabling technologies (robotics, genetics) that are becoming commercially viable. Designed for institutional and sophisticated investors seeking exposure to agtech.
Quantifiable outcome
- The agtech sector underwent necessary repricing after 2022, creating more attractive entry points for disciplined investors
Companies that use Cibus Fund
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Cibus Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cibus Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cibus Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fall Line Capital: US agtech and farmland investment firm deploying venture capital into agricultural technology. Competes with Cibus for upstream agtech deal flow and LP capital.
- S2G Ventures: Chicago-based VC focused on food, agriculture, and ocean tech. Comparable investment thesis, similar deal size, and active co-investor in the broader agtech ecosystem.
- Astanor Ventures: European agtech and food-tech venture capital firm that co-invested with Cibus in 4AG Robotics' Series B. Operates the same sustainable food value chain thesis with comparable fund size and stage focus.
- Anterra Capital: Amsterdam-based agtech/food VC investing across the food value chain from startups to growth stage. Direct competitor for European agtech deals and LP capital.
- Pontifax AgTech: Growth-stage food and agtech venture firm investing globally in technology-driven agriculture. Comparable mandate and stage focus across the food value chain.
- Bison Ventures: Agtech-focused venture firm that led the Bonsai Robotics Series A in which Cibus co-invested. Direct peer competing for autonomous farming and agtech robotics deals.
- Cultivian Sandbox Ventures: US agtech-focused VC investing in early-to-growth stage food and agriculture technology companies. Competes for similar agtech deal flow and limited partner mandates.
Regional players
- Capricorn Partners: Belgium-based cleantech and agtech venture and growth capital firm. Comparable sustainable-tech mandate but primarily European, competing regionally for deals and LPs.
Emerging players
- ADM Capital: Asia/Europe-focused private investment firm. Tom Ritchie (Investment Director at Cibus Funds) is also Investment Director at ADM Capital Europe, evidencing direct operational overlap with Cibus's leadership.
Broad incumbents
- Rabo Frontier Ventures: Corporate venture arm of Rabobank, a major food and ag lender. Broader incumbent with significant capital and food-chain reach that overlaps with Cibus's investment universe.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Cibus Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cibus Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cibus Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cibus Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments37 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cibus Fund
What does Cibus Fund do?
Cibus Fund (also known as Cibus Capital) is a private investment fund that deploys capital into agricultural technology companies driving resource efficiency and sustainability across the food value chain. The fund takes disciplined, operationally-informed positions in enabling technologies such as robotics and genetics, and has led or participated in Series financings for companies including 4AG Robotics and Bonsai Robotics.
Is Cibus Fund a public or private company?
Cibus Fund is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cibus Fund founded?
Cibus Fund was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cibus Fund based?
Cibus Fund is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Cibus Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fall Line Capital, S2G Ventures, Astanor Ventures, Anterra Capital, Pontifax AgTech, Bison Ventures and Cultivian Sandbox Ventures. Capricorn Partners is listed as a regional player. ADM Capital is listed as an emerging player. Rabo Frontier Ventures is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Cibus Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cibus Fund.
What industry is Cibus Fund in?
Cibus Fund's product category is Agtech Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6799.