Agri Investment Fund

What Agri Investment Fund does

Agri Investment Fund (AIF) is a private equity and venture capital fund established in 2007 within M.R.B.B., the strategic holding company of the Boerenbond (Farmers' Union) group in Belgium. AIF invests in early-phase Ag-Tech and Agro-Food companies in Flanders and German-speaking Belgium, with a thematic focus on biological crop protection, plant proteins, animal health, digital agriculture, and precision farming. The fund operates a long-duration, successive-round investment model, typically writing initial checks at seed or Series A and following on through later rounds until portfolio companies reach commercial maturity. AIF's revenue model is standard for a venture fund: capital appreciation from equity stakes in portfolio companies, realized at exit events such as IPOs, trade sales, or secondary transactions. Management fees and carried interest are not publicly disclosed.

AIF's deployed portfolio is concentrated in Flemish and Belgian life-sciences and agri-biotech spin-offs, many originating from VIB (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie) and ILVO. Active holdings include Biotalys (biological crop protection, EUR 6.8M invested for a 7.19% stake rising to 15.17% of voting rights by May 2026), Aphea.Bio (biostimulants, Series B and C participation), Animab (edible antibodies for livestock, seed and Series A), Protealis (legume seed breeding, seed and B-round), Biotope Ventures (pre-seed vehicle), ViroVet (animal vaccines), Better3Fruit (apple/pear breeding), VOCSens (livestock emissions monitoring), Vivent Biosignals (Switzerland-based plant biosignals), Rainbow Crops (AI-driven multi-gene editing), and B-COS (precision fermentation bioactives). Check sizes disclosed range from approximately EUR 1M to EUR 5M per round.

AIF's strategic positioning is defined by its anchoring inside the Boerenbond cooperative group, giving it preferential access to a large network of Flemish farmers and horticulturists for deal origination, pilot deployment, and sector intelligence. The fund typically co-invests alongside PMV (the Flemish government investment company), V-Bio Ventures, Seventure Partners, BNP Paribas Fortis, and international investors such as Innovation Industries, Korys Investments, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and ECBF. CEO Patrik Haesen holds active director mandates in portfolio companies, embedding AIF as a hands-on governance partner rather than a passive financial backer.

Name

Agri Investment Fund

Legal name

Agri Investment Fund BV

Website

http://www.aifund.be/en

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Agri Investment Fund (AIF) is a 2007-established private equity and venture capital arm of the Boerenbond group, providing patient capital and active board participation to early-stage Ag-Tech and Agro-Food companies in Flanders and German-speaking Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital / Private Equity

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI)

Keywords

• Agricultural venture capital
• Ag-tech investment fund
• Agro-food private equity
• Biotech investment belgium
• Sustainable agriculture funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Leuven

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Capital gains from portfolio exits: AIF generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies. Return on investment is realized through exit events (e.g., IPOs, trade sales, secondary transactions). The fund has invested across multiple capital rounds (seed through Series C) in portfolio companies over extended holding periods, demonstrating a long-term, buy-and-support investment approach. Examples: Biotalys (EUR 6.8M invested across multiple rounds, 7.19% stake), Animab (seed + Series A co-led), Protealis (seed + B-round), Aphea.Bio (Series B and C).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Agri Investment Fund (AIF) is the private equity and venture capital fund of the Boerenbond (Farmers' Union) group, investing in early-phase Ag-Tech and Agro-Food companies in Flanders and German-speaking Belgium. AIF provides patient equity capital from seed through successive capital rounds, combined with active board participation and knowledge transfer through director mandates.

Product overview

Agri Investment Fund (AIF) is a private equity and venture capital fund of the Boerenbond (Farmers' Union) group, not a technology product company. AIF invests in Ag-Tech and Agro-Food companies that contribute to a stronger and more sustainable agriculture and horticulture. The fund's portfolio includes investments in companies developing biological crop protection products, plant breeding technologies, animal health solutions, digital agriculture tools, and sustainable food processing. AIF's investment strategy focuses on early-phase companies and provides long-term capital support along with agricultural sector expertise through director mandates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agri Investment Fund - Equity Investment Program
• Co-investment in Biotope Ventures Pre-Seed Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• EUR 6.8M invested in Biotalys (7.19% stake) across multiple capital rounds
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• VIB (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIB is Flanders' leading life sciences research institute. Multiple AIF portfolio companies are VIB spin-offs: Biotalys (2013), Animab (2020), Protealis (2021). VIB provides ongoing research collaboration and access to cutting-edge biotech discoveries. AIF has invested in several VIB-backed spin-offs and in Biotope Ventures (VIB's pre-seed venture fund).
• ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILVO is the Flemish Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research. Protealis is a spin-off from both VIB and ILVO. ILVO contributes breeding expertise and a non-GM breeding program. AIF's investment in Protealis is tied to this research collaboration.
• SyngentamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSyngenta Crop Protection partnered with Aphea.Bio to commercialize ΛCTIV by Aphea.Bio®, a biostimulant seed treatment for wheat, across multiple European countries over five years (pending regulatory approval). Syngenta is the exclusive distributor of Evoca in the US for all crops and applications. Biotalys also signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Biobest (world leader in biological crop protection and pollination from Westerlo) for distribution of five biological solutions.
• BiobestmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBiobest, a world leader in biological crop protection and pollination based in Westerlo, Belgium, signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Biotalys to gain access to five biological solutions based on proteins developed using the Biotalys technology platform. Biobest will become Evoca's exclusive distributor in the US for all crops and applications.
• NovonesiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiotalys entered a long-term collaboration agreement with Novonesis (a global leader in biosolutions) concerning the production, global supply, and certain commercialization rights of EVOCA NG (next generation of Biotalys' product candidate EVOCA™). Novonesis is investing to scale up production capacity for global commercialization.
• Scale it AgrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScale it Agro is a thematic accelerator program focused on scale-ups with sustainable and innovative solutions for agriculture and horticulture. The initiative was launched by Start it @KBC. AIF is listed as a partner network member, supporting the acceleration of agri-tech scale-ups in Belgium.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PMV (Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen): Flemish regional investment company and AIF's most frequent co-investor, sharing mandates in Ag-Tech, life sciences and sustainable innovation in Flanders. Direct comparable as a Belgian regional VC/PE investor with similar ticket sizes and stage focus.
• V-Bio Ventures: Belgian life-sciences VC that has co-invested with AIF in Animab, Protealis (lead at seed), Aphea.Bio, and Biotope Ventures. Closely comparable as a Belgian early-stage VC investing in agri-biotech and life-science spin-outs.
• Biotope Ventures: Pre-seed venture fund associated with VIB's biotope incubator program, in which AIF is a cornerstone investor. Directly comparable as a Flemish agri-food/health biotech pre-seed fund with the same spin-off sourcing channel.
• Seventure Partners: European VC focused on life sciences, nutrition and digital health, lead investor in Animab's seed round alongside AIF. Comparable as a European VC with nutrition/agri-food thesis investing alongside AIF in animal-health assets.
• Innovation Industries: Dutch deep-tech and agri-tech VC that led Aphea.Bio's EUR 70M Series C alongside AIF. Comparable as a regional European VC with overlapping agri-tech / sustainability thesis and similar check sizes.
• Korys Investments: Belgian diversified investment company of the Colruyt family, co-lead in Aphea.Bio Series C and shared impact focus. Comparable as a Belgian investment vehicle backing sustainable agri-food ventures alongside AIF.
• Astanor Ventures: European impact VC focused on agri-food and blue economy, lead investor in Aphea.Bio Series B with AIF participation. Comparable as a European impact-driven VC in biological crop protection and sustainable food systems.
• ECBF (European Circular Bioeconomy Fund): Pan-European VC for circular bioeconomy, co-investor in Aphea.Bio's Series B and C rounds. Comparable as a European bioeconomy-focused VC backing biological crop solutions and bio-based innovations.
• Capagro: France-based VC dedicated to agri-tech and agri-food, operating as a specialist fund in the European agri-tech landscape. Comparable as a sector-dedicated European VC with similar early-to-growth stage thesis.

Broad incumbents

• FPIM (Federale Participatie- en Investeringsmaatschappij): Belgian federal holding and investment company that co-invested with AIF in Biotalys' 2023 capital increase. Comparable as a larger, broader Belgian government-backed investor active in strategic sectors including agri-tech.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInbe.linkedin.com/company/agri-investment-fund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments22 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Agri Investment Fund