Nitricity raises US$50 million for its organic fertilizer

The funding round was co-led by new investor World Fund, one of Europe’s leading climate VC, and returning investor Khosla Ventures, with participation from Chipotle’s Cultivate Next venture fund, Change Forces, Susquehanna Sustainable Investments, EIP, and Fine Structure Ventures (from the Fidelity Investments parent group, FMR).

Nitricity’s flagship organic, nitrogen fertilizer liquid – Ash Tea – is made from recycled organic almond shells, air, water and renewable power. Crucially, Ash Tea is cost-competitive with other commercially available organic fertilizers, while being better for the planet, pathogen-free and free from animal products. The product has proven highly effective with farmers, with field trials reporting up to a 30% yield increase and noticeable improvements in early plant growth, and every ounce of Ash Tea’s current production is already commissioned.

A solution to meet demand from organic farmers

Nitricity has invented an alternative to traditional nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizers. Conventional fertilizers, created through the Haber-Bosch process that sees ammonia synthesised from fresh air, account for about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) worldwide. Their widespread use revolutionised food production, but it has left soil microbiomes in a dire state, made waterways toxic, and contributed to global biodiversity loss.

Ash Tea is a fully organic fertilizer that offers farmers a sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional pelletised, dried slaughterhouse fluids used by competitors. Its liquid form flows smoothly through irrigation systems, minimising clogging and maintenance issues. Nitricity fertilizer also efficiently utilises nitrogen, meaning farmers can apply less product and cut costs. Nitricity is a safe, effective fertilization solution, serving the growing demand for sustainable, regenerative practices.

The company was founded by a team of graduate students – Dr Nicolas Pinkowski (CEO), Dr Joshua McEnaney (President and CTO) Dr Jay Schwalbe (CSO) – from Stanford University in 2018. They started out co-living, testing out their solar-powered fertilizer systems on a single lemon tree in their backyard. That tree has since grown sky-high, while Nitricity has grown to secure over US$150 million in its sales pipeline following a period of rapid growth.

The founders are tapping an enormous global market. McKinsey expects the US$150 billion fertilizer market to grow around 2.1%, while Nitricity’s internal estimates suggest the liquid organic nitrogen fertilizer market alone could top US$11 billion. The company’s pilot factory in Fremont produces 80 tpy of fertilizer, which feeds around 80 acres of crops.

Nitricity expands across the US and into Europe

Nitricity plans to use the fresh capital to scale its clean technology across the US and into Europe, make 10+ key hires into its 38-person team, and invest in research and development (R&D).

The company is building capacity in the Western US to be closer to its organic farmer customer base and expand into high-value fruit markets. New funding will also enable Nitricity to start pilot and field trials across Europe and make its first strategic hires on the continent. Nitricity plans to use local agricultural waste materials, including wood and waste from olive oil manufacturing, to power its European fertilizer production. Capital will also be used to invest further in R&D to improve system efficiency and expand into markets such as corn and wheat.

Dr Nicolas Pinkowski, Nitricity co-founder and CEO, said: “This is an inflection point for Nitricity. We’re scaling across the US and we’re very excited to expand into Europe in a serious and assertive way. The European market for our organic fertilizer is even larger than in the US, and demand is only growing against a backdrop of European governments looking to boost resilience and create circular agriculture economies. We offer an exceptional organic, circular solution for the market.”

“We started out as grad students with a US$5000 CalTech grant and a plan. Now, we have more customers than we can supply, so it’s about scaling to cater to that demand. We are thrilled to welcome new investors and deepen our partnerships with existing investors. Raising this capital is an enormous vote of confidence in Nitricity and our product, and having a prominent European investor in our syndicate will dramatically speed up our ability to connect with local partners and customers.”

World Fund, which invests in climate tech companies with significant decarbonisation potential, has backed winners including IQM, Space Forge and Planet A Foods. The investment into Nitricity is its first US ticket, and marks a step-change in reach for the fund.

Slated for operation in 2026, Nitricity's first-of-a-kind organic fertilizer facility in Delhi, California represents a major milestone, marking an 100-fold increase in production capacity to achieve commercial scale volumes of cost-competitive organic nitrogen fertilizer. The plant's full production capacity is already sold out through 2028 under binding offtake agreements with local organic growers. The plant, which was funded by Elemental Impact and Trellis Climate and will create 20+ jobs in Merced County, will hold a groundbreaking ceremony in September.

Rajesh Swaminathan, Partner at Khosla Ventures, commented: “Fertilizer production hasn’t changed in over a century – it’s complex, expensive, and vulnerable to global supply shocks. Nitricity is taking a different approach with a modular system that turns almond shells, air and water directly into organic fertilizer. Since investing in 2022, Nico and the team have made impressive progress, securing premium offtake agreements and preparing to break ground on a first-of-a-kind plant. This kind of innovation is what it takes to transform the global agriculture system.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/environment/19092025/nitricity-raises-us50-million-for-its-organic-fertilizer/