Cibus Fund

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.

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

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

• Agtech venture capital
• Agricultural technology investment
• Food value chain investing
• Sustainable agriculture funding
• Resource efficiency investments

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Core 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

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments37 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cibus Fund