Farming Smarter: DTCF Backs Stenon in €18 Million Series B

Farmers make fertilizer decisions worth millions every season. Most of them do it based on soil data that is weeks old. Stenon is changing that, and today we are proud to announce our investment in their €18 million Series B alongside lead investor Pymwymic and existing investors Atlantic, Oyster Bay, Founders Fund, TIME Ventures, and Bernd Hoffmann.

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Potsdam (Germany), Stenon has built FarmLab: a field intelligence platform that combines proprietary optical and electrical sensor technology, AI, agronomic models, and cloud software to measure key soil parameters directly in the field. No waiting for lab results. No guesswork. Just real-time data at the moment it matters most.

The Data That Changes the Decision

At the core of Stenon’s platform is something that sounds simple but has proven extremely hard to do: measuring plant-available nitrogen (Nmin) directly in the field. That is the number farmers actually need to decide how much fertilizer to apply, when, and where. Paired with soil organic carbon (SOC) measurements, FarmLab connects immediate fertilizer decisions with a longer-term view of soil health and productivity.

„Farmers cannot control global nitrogen supply or prices, but they can control how precisely each kilogram is used. That is why nitrogen management is Stenon’s core competence. By combining real-time plant-available nitrogen measurements with SOC insights, we help customers make better immediate fertiliser decisions and build a longer-term view of soil productivity. This financing allows us to scale that capability in the markets where it is needed most.“

Niels Grabbert, Founder and CEO of Stenon

The timing could not be more relevant. In April 2026, nitrogen fertilizer prices in the European Union were 71% above the 2024 average, according to the European Commission. When input costs are this volatile, precision is not a nice-to-have but a competitive necessity.

The results across multiple years and geographies reflect that: 20–40% nitrogen fertilizer savings and 2–8% yield increases across crops including corn, beans, cotton, sugarcane, coffee, grains, and vegetables. The platform has already been deployed across several million customer acres.

What Tipped the Scale

Stenon has built proprietary sensor technology that is genuinely hard to replicate. But what sealed it for us was the combination of that technical depth with a business model that actually scales. The hardware-SaaS approach creates durable customer relationships across input retailers, agricultural groups, machinery dealers, consultants, and food producers. And the commercial footprint already spans multiple continents.

„Real-time soil data is infrastructure for modern farmingand Stenon has built the foundation to deliver it at scale. Farmers today make million-euro fertilizer decisions based on soil data that is weeks old. Stenon closes that gap directly in the field, backed by a sensor system that is genuinely hard to replicate and a scalable hardware-SaaS model. This is precisely the kind of deep-tech company DTCF invests in, and we are excited to support the team as they grow.“

Dr. Achim Plum, Managing Director at DTCF

„What convinced me is that the Stenon team has not just built a better measurement tool. They have used AI-driven real-time analysis and a smart SaaS model to create a true platform business, one with the potential to durably transform how agriculture with fertilization works. That combination of technical depth and commercial clarity is rare.“

Günther Bogenrieder, Investment Manager at DTCF

What Comes Next

The Series B will fund international expansion, with Brazil as a core market alongside Central Asia and selected European countries, as well as continued development of FarmLab’s nitrogen and SOC capabilities.

Most importantly, Stenon is preparing to unveil the next evolution of its technology platform later in 2026: a machine-integrated, real-time nutrient intelligence system built on the sensor, data, and AI foundations of FarmLab. The step from handheld field sensing to continuous, integrated nutrient intelligence at scale.

For media requests please contact:
DeepTech & Climate Fonds: Stephanie Stein, s.stein@dtcf.de

About DeepTech & Climate Fonds
The DeepTech & Climate Fonds (DTCF) invests up to €50 million in high-growth deep-tech and climate-tech companies in Germany and Europe. As an anchor investor and partner of long-term-oriented European investors, DTCF supports companies with extended development cycles and substantial financial needs in implementing sustainable growth strategies and actively contributes to expanding the technology ecosystem. The fund acts as a bridge between investors, SMEs, and innovative high-tech startups in the fields of climate, computing, industry, and life sciences. Funded by resources from the German Future Fund and the ERP Special Fund, DTCF plans to invest €1 billion over the coming years to strengthen the European technology ecosystem. More information