What Soil Foodweb does

The Soil Food Web School (now operated by the Soil Food Web Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) is an online education platform that teaches Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web Approach to soil biology restoration. The platform delivers a tiered curriculum built around a proprietary three-step methodology: Identify which microorganism groups are lacking, Boost populations using BioComplete™ compost and liquid amendments, and Adopt natural farming techniques that sustain the biology. The core product is a Foundation Courses series (over 40 hours of self-paced video across four modules covering introduction, compost, liquid amendments, and microscopy) priced at approximately $3,400–$5,000, supplemented by Advanced Programs that certify Lab Technicians, Consultants, and Growers through the CLP, CTP, and GTP tracks, with the GTP Full Access tier priced at $3,999 including 56 hours of mentoring.

The business operates primarily as a direct-to-consumer, self-serve online education platform with global reach across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and Oceania. Distribution combines the company website, a free introductory mini-course, a 10% affiliate program, monthly Q&A webinars, regional workshops (Cyprus, Costa Rica, UK, US), and institutional partnerships such as the African Cotton Foundation and TrashIt (Pakistan). Monetization is anchored on course tuition with a secondary donations stream through the Soil Food Web Fund. The customer base spans farmers and growers (conventional and organic), professional soil consultants, lab technicians, and adult learners — with nearly 100 certified consultants graduated cumulatively by end of 2025 and 107 new lab technicians certified in 2024.

In October 2025 the company converted from a privately held LLC into a nonprofit foundation, coinciding with founder Dr. Elaine Ingham's retirement. Product momentum in early 2026 includes the reopening of Advanced Programs (February 2026) and the launch of the school's first Permaculture Design Certification course (April 2026), while reported customer outcomes (up to 150% yield increases, up to 100% reduction in chemical inputs, $1M+ savings at a 10,000-acre soy/corn operation) form the evidentiary backbone of its marketing.

Name

Soil Foodweb

Legal name

Soil Food Web Foundation

Website

https://soilfoodweb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Online education platform teaching Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web Approach through self-paced courses, lab-tech and consultant certifications, and workshops for farmers, growers, and soil professionals globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Education & Soil Regeneration Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Educational Support Services (611710), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regenerative Agriculture (Soil Carbon, Cover Crops, Reduced/No-Till) (AFAGAMAA), Soil Health & Biological Testing Services (Microbial Activity, Organic Matter, Respiration) (AFACAKAD), Microbial/Enzymatic Soil Conditioners (Decomposer & Soil Health Consortia) (AFABADAK)

Keywords

• Regenerative agriculture education
• Soil biology training
• Biological soil amendments
• Soil microscopy certification
• Regenerative farming courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Corvallis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Courses: Self-paced online courses providing comprehensive training on soil biology and the Soil Food Web Approach. The program comprises over 40 hours of lectures across four courses. Includes monthly Q&A webinars, FC Forum access, and downloadable materials.
2. Grower Training Program (GTP): Three-stage hands-on training program for farmers and growers to implement soil regeneration. Stage 1 ($2,000): BioComplete™ Compost Practicum; Stage 2 ($650): BioComplete™ Liquids Practicum; Stage 3 ($1,640): Implementation. Full Access pricing at $3,999 (saves $291). Includes 56 hours of mentoring.
3. Consultant Training Program (CTP): Professional certification program training individuals to become Soil Food Web Consultants who help farmers transition to regenerative agriculture. Graduates join a global community of soil consultants operating worldwide.
4. Affiliate Commission: The affiliate program pays 10% commission on all referrals who sign up for paid programs. Affiliates receive marketing materials, email drafts, and social media content. 10 sales unlock free Foundation Courses enrollment.
5. Donations: The Soil Food Web Foundation accepts tax-deductible donations through its fiscally sponsored 501(c)(3) entity (Soil Food Web Fund). The organization's independent 501(c)(3) application is pending with the IRS.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Soil Food Web School is an online education platform that teaches Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web Approach for soil regeneration. It delivers self-paced Foundation Courses, advanced certification programs (Consultant Training, Grower Training, Certified Lab-Tech), specialty courses (Permaculture Design Certification, Introduction to Ecosystem Restoration, Soil Sponge Workshop, Complete Practicum), and live regional workshops. The methodology trains students to identify lacking soil microorganisms, boost them using BioComplete™ compost and liquids, and adopt natural farming techniques to restore the soil ecosystem.

Product overview

Soil Food Web School is an educational platform offering a multi-tiered curriculum centered on Dr. Elaine's Soil Food Web Approach for soil regeneration. The core product is the Foundation Courses series (four self-paced online courses covering Introduction to Soil Food Web, BioComplete Compost, BioComplete Liquid Amendments, and Microscopy). Advanced Programs include certification pathways for Lab Technicians, Consultants, and Growers, along with specialized practicums in Compost Production, Liquid Amendments, and Field Trials. The school also offers Permaculture Design Certification, introductory workshops, webinars, and maintains directories of certified consultants and lab technicians. The nonprofit Soil Food Web Foundation operates the school, which transitioned from private ownership in October 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundation Courses A four-course self-paced online curriculum teaching the theory and application of Dr. Elaine's Soil Food Web Approach to soil biology and regeneration; intended for individual learners entering regenerative agriculture, consulting, or laboratory work.
• Consultant Training Program (CTP) Mentored professional certification program for individuals seeking to become certified Soil Food Web Consultants capable of conducting biological soil assessments and guiding farm transitions.
• Grower Training Program (GTP) Three-stage mentored training program teaching farmers and growers to produce BioComplete compost and liquid amendments on-farm and implement soil regeneration, with 56 hours of one-on-one mentoring.
• Certified Lab-Tech Program (CLP) Certification program teaching individuals to use standardized microscopy protocols to assess biological content in soil and compost samples for quality assurance.
• Soil Food Web Complete Practicum Comprehensive advanced program bundling microscopy, BioComplete compost production, biological liquid amendments, and field application into a single mentored program for advanced practitioners.
• BioComplete Compost Production Advanced course focused on producing BioComplete™ compost using standardized protocols to ensure full soil food web organism populations.
• Biological Liquid Amendments Advanced course covering production and application of biological liquid amendments (compost extracts and teas) for delivering beneficial microbes to soil.
• Field Trail Advanced course providing practical field application and monitoring of soil regeneration outcomes.
• Soil Microscopy Advanced microscopy course teaching standardized soil biology assessment with specific equipment requirements for biological soil testing.
• Permaculture Design Certification Permaculture Design Certificate course combining permaculture design principles with Dr. Elaine's Soil Food Web Approach for holistic regenerative agriculture.
• Introduction to Ecosystem Restoration (IER) Introductory course on ecosystem restoration principles and how the Soil Food Web Approach supports regeneration across landscapes.
• Soil Sponge Workshop (SSW) Workshop focused on building soil's water retention capacity (the 'soil sponge' concept) through biological soil management.
• Consultant Directory Online directory service listing certified Soil Food Web Consultants worldwide, connecting prospective clients with credentialed practitioners.
• Lab Technician Directory Online directory service listing certified laboratory technicians who perform biological soil and compost testing services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 150% increase in crop production
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• TrashIt (Pakistan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Woman- and youth-led social enterprise transforming organic waste into regenerative soil solutions. Partnership for Soil Health Week Pakistan 2025 (September 22-27, 2025) united 600+ participants across 60 districts. TrashIt is the first regenerative agri-social enterprise in Pakistan capable of microbial soil analysis. The partnership includes scholarships for TrashIt founders to attend Soil Food Web School programs.
• Wild Soils UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Founded by Nick Padwick, a certified Soil Food Web Consultant and regenerative farmer. Wild Soils provides consulting and training worldwide, helping farmers restore biodiversity and productivity through biological soil restoration. Nick serves as both consultant and mentor in the CTP program. Led Soil Health Week Pakistan 2025 collaboration with TrashIt.
• Terra Madre AmericasminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2025Soil Food Web School participated in Terra Madre Americas event in Sacramento, California (September 2025). Event celebrating food, knowledge, and culture bringing together farmers, chefs, and food advocates. SFW School introduced audiences to living soil concepts.
• Ecosystem Restoration CampsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Collaborative workshop held in Mexico in February 2024. Ecosystem Restoration Camps organize hands-on restoration projects globally. Partnership provides immersive learning experiences for Soil Food Web School students.
• African Cotton Foundation (ACF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Sponsored Innovations Club 2023 conference in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (May 23-25). ACF collaborates with cotton companies to provide agronomy and extension training. Their soil and farm management practices influence around 2 million producers across 9 African countries. Growing interest in replacing synthetic chemicals with biological and regenerative soil practices.
• Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Co-sponsored Innovations Club 2023 with African Cotton Foundation. Works with cotton companies to train agronomy and extension education teams. Recommend multi-cropping systems and increasingly training farmers in regenerative soil practices. Initiative reaches millions of smallholder farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Acres U.S.A. Long-running publisher and education provider in ecological and regenerative farming, offering books, conferences, and online courses that overlap with Soil Food Web's educational content on biological soil management and sustainable farming practices.
• Savory Institute: Global nonprofit offering accredited training and a practitioner network in holistic management and regenerative agriculture, with similar curriculum-plus-certification model and an emphasis on land restoration outcomes comparable to Soil Food Web's practitioner certification programs.
• Understanding Ag: Consulting and education firm focused on regenerative agriculture implementation, providing training, on-farm advising, and certification programs that overlap with Soil Food Web's Consultant Training Program and farmer-focused curriculum.
• Permaculture Research Institute: International nonprofit offering Permaculture Design Certificates and advanced courses, directly comparable to Soil Food Web's newly launched Permaculture Design Certification course and regenerative design curriculum.
• Rodale Institute: Nonprofit research and education organization focused on organic and regenerative agriculture, offering training programs, certifications, and online courses that overlap with Soil Food Web's regenerative-agriculture curriculum and practitioner certification model.
• Kiss the Ground: Nonprofit focused on regenerative agriculture education and advocacy, producing online courses, films, and training content for farmers and consumers that competes for the same regenerative-curious audience as the Soil Food Web School.
• Holistic Management International: Nonprofit delivering holistic management and regenerative agriculture training with a certified educator network model, structurally similar to Soil Food Web's consultant and lab-tech certification pathways.
• Soil Health Institute: Nonprofit research and education organization focused on soil health measurement, management practices, and practitioner training, operating in a closely adjacent mission space to Soil Food Web's biological soil focus.

Emerging players

• Quivira Coalition: Nonprofit advancing regenerative land management through education, apprenticeships, and rancher training programs, with a more narrow focus on grazing lands but comparable educational mission and practitioner-development model.

Regional players

• EcoFarm: Ecological farming education organization best known for its annual conference and educational programming for organic and regenerative farmers, overlapping with Soil Food Web's conference and workshop strategy within a primarily U.S.-focused footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSAU5ludwNyqMHBaR1ZfheQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/soilfoodwebschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soilfoodweb
• Instagraminstagram.com/soilfoodwebschool/?hl=en
• Xx.com/SoilFoodweb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Soil Foodweb