Messium, a UK agri-tech innovator that uses hyperspectral satellites and AI-driven crop growth models to tackle nitrogen efficiency in farming, has secured a £3.3m seed investment.
The round was co-led by the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S, managed by Future Planet Capital) with investment drawn from UKI2S’s Space portfolio (backed by the UK Space Agency) and Expansion Aerospace Ventures. Mudcake, Laconia, GRDC GrainInnovate, Clear Current Capital, Moonstone Venture Capital and follow-on investor SuperSeed also participated.
Messium’s platform combines satellite imaging and artificial intelligence to deliver practical, field-ready insights for farmers. Hyperspectral satellites capture detailed images of crops across hundreds of wavelengths, showing nitrogen levels in each part of a field. AI models then analyse this data alongside weather, soil, and farm management information, creating a real-time picture of crop health and nutrient needs. Farmers receive tailored recommendations on when and where to apply fertiliser, maximising yield, minimising waste, and supporting more sustainable farming.
The funding will support the commercial rollout of the platform in the UK, Europe, and Australia, expand partnerships with research institutions and farming groups, and scale the company’s data and analytics infrastructure.
In 2024 Messium conducted trials using over 13,000 lab-validated crop samples and found that more than 50% of fields were incorrectly fertilised, leading to wasted costs and unnecessary emissions. Nitrogen fertiliser remains one of the most environmentally challenging inputs in global agriculture, and Messium’s technology provides a data-driven solution to improve efficiency, food security, and net-zero goals.
Supported by the UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, Innovate UK, and leading agronomy researchers, Messium’s system has already delivered results for over 75 farms across the UK and Europe this year, with new pilots underway in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the US.
The investment will enable Messium to scale its team, technology, and commercial impact, and to extend its platform to other nutrient and crop health challenges. The company is now preparing for a Series A round to accelerate international expansion and deepen its technology leadership.
