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The San Diego-based startup UpCycle & Co has recently closed an $825,000 seed round which was led by Tech Coast Angels. The round witnessed participation from 15 individual investors.
The company has made a proprietary fertilizer that combines fertilizer with amendments to improve soil quality, which it considers to be the most significant asset for a gardener, as reported by AgFunderNews.
“Our solution has a high concentration of organic matter and carbon worked into it. We sustainably source three ingredients: biosolids, brewer’s grains, and algae in a proprietary formulation that you would otherwise have to buy two-to-three products to achieve,” Criscuolo, founder and CEO of Upcycle & Co, said.
“It’s a premium product but our sourcing process and model have been able to control costs pretty well,” he added.
According to the start-up’s CEO, Upcycle & Company is not profitable yet. However, its per-unit price is yielding a solid margin. The brand also has a few undisclosed collaborations and partnerships in place. So far, its biggest opportunity has been serving large corporate campuses where leaders ask deeper questions about their employers’ sustainability practices.
Sources said the company is also running trials at Fresno State University in order to explore the application of its product in production agriculture capacities.
Notably, the growing interest in rebuilding soil health has stimulated innovation at the entrepreneurial level, and Criscuolo is confident in the product Upcycle has developed, especially in its ability to deliver soil amendments that build healthier soil for the long-term.
To recap, Upcycle and Company is a regenerative and sustainable agri-company that offers natural, chemical-free and inexpensive fertilizers made from organic waste that grow nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables.
