Ponderosa Ventures

Founded in 2021, Ponderosa Ventures is a venture capital firm based in New York. It focuses on investing $100-750k in pre-seed and seed-stage companies operating within the food, agriculture, and ocean sectors.

Chloƫ Payne

Principal

Evi Steyer

Co-Founder

Past deals in AgTech

Everest Carbon

Venture Round in 2024
Everest Carbon develops sensing technology to measure alkalinity in agricultural fields to enable Enhanced Rock Weathering carbon removal. It provides an in situ, low-cost, large-scale sensor that accurately tracks carbonate alkalinity, reducing the need for manual sampling. The system delivers a liquid-phase signal of carbon removal over time, enabling traceability of carbon credits for reliable, scalable climate impact. By combining measurement data with scalable deployment, Everest Carbon aims to deliver high-quality, cost-effective carbon removals for enterprise buyers and carbon markets.

Syntopa

Pre Seed Round in 2024
Syntopa is a biotechnology company specializing in the development of precision biologics for agriculture. It leverages proprietary methods and cutting-edge technologies from synthetic biology and ag tech to create innovative agricultural products. The company's core technology enables it to predict and optimize the performance of microorganisms in specific soil conditions, thereby enhancing crop productivity, profitability, and sustainability. This, in turn, contributes to the broader goal of reversing climate change.

Ant Robotics

Venture Round in 2024
Ant Robotics is a mobile robotics company focused on enhancing agricultural practices through the development of autonomous systems. Utilizing image recognition and deep learning algorithms, the company provides innovative solutions that help farmers identify and eliminate harmful weeds in their crops. By offering open-source robotic platforms, Ant Robotics aims to improve efficiency in farming operations, thereby supporting sustainable agricultural practices and increasing crop yields.

Everest Carbon

Seed Round in 2024
Everest Carbon develops sensing technology to measure alkalinity in agricultural fields to enable Enhanced Rock Weathering carbon removal. It provides an in situ, low-cost, large-scale sensor that accurately tracks carbonate alkalinity, reducing the need for manual sampling. The system delivers a liquid-phase signal of carbon removal over time, enabling traceability of carbon credits for reliable, scalable climate impact. By combining measurement data with scalable deployment, Everest Carbon aims to deliver high-quality, cost-effective carbon removals for enterprise buyers and carbon markets.

CarbonFarm Technology

Seed Round in 2023
CarbonFarm Technology facilitates regenerative agriculture for farmers, making it profitable while assisting corporations in meeting their net-zero emission targets. It uses satellite data and AI to provide transparent carbon credit monitoring.

Adapt AgTech

Seed Round in 2023
Adapt AgTech provides a turn-key opportunity for container farming of edible and gourmet mushrooms. Adapt opens the door for new entrants to the farming industry and creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs while advancing access to a sustainable food supply.Adapt AgTech provides a turn-key opportunity for container farming.

Muddy Machines

Seed Round in 2022
Muddy Machines develops autonomous robots aimed at assisting farms with labor-intensive crops. The company's primary focus is on enhancing its technology for harvesting green asparagus, while also exploring applications for other crops. Utilizing computer vision and machine learning, Muddy Machines' robotics platform enables precise harvesting by predicting crop maturity and selectively gathering produce, minimizing damage and ensuring freshness. In addition to harvesting, the company is investigating other labor-intensive agricultural tasks, such as weeding and precision applications, to further support farmers in improving efficiency and productivity in their operations.

Aquanzo

Pre Seed Round in 2022
Aquanzo is a company focused on the sustainable farming of marine zooplankton on land, utilizing agricultural byproducts to minimize environmental impact. The company operates a marine protein farming platform designed to domesticate and cultivate zooplankton, which serves as a highly nutritious feed for fish and shrimp. By employing advanced technologies, Aquanzo produces zooplankton sustainably, ensuring that its ingredients are both natural and environmentally friendly. This innovative approach allows clients in the aquafeed industry to source marine proteins without depleting ocean resources, thereby promoting a more sustainable aquaculture practice.

SERA Intelligence

Seed Round in 2021
Sera Intelligence is an Agtech company that offers IoT, machine learning, and advanced analytics to farmers to meet global food demand.

Boomitra

Seed Round in 2021
Boomitra is a US-based company that uses proprietary AI and satellite technology to monitor, report, and verify soil organic carbon up to 30cm depth. This enables cost-efficient, scalable carbon credit generation worldwide, with farmers and landowners earning the majority of proceeds.

Verdi

Verdi is a developer of advanced data science platforms focused on enhancing precision agriculture, particularly in irrigation management. The company creates scalable control systems that facilitate plant-level healthcare and automation, even in challenging farming environments. By leveraging geospatial analytics, Verdi's network of irrigation valves allows farmers and growers to make informed irrigation decisions. This innovative approach enables users to customize water and fertilizer application at the individual plant level, thereby optimizing cultivation processes. Verdi aims to empower agricultural professionals with the tools needed to effectively build, manage, and scale their farming operations.
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