Mycoverse, an agritech spin-out from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has secured €2.4m in pre-seed equity funding to advance the development of a fungal-based biological solution targeting potato late blight, one of Europe’s most persistent crop diseases.

The funding round was co-led by Future Food Fund and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), with participation from PINC, the venture arm of Paulig. Following the transaction, the company’s total funding stands at €4.3m.

The Copenhagen-based start-up is positioning its technology at a time when European crop protection markets are undergoing structural change. Regulatory tightening and policy pressure to reduce the use of chemical pesticides are reshaping agronomic practices, while growers continue to face recurring disease pressure in key crops, including potatoes.

Late blight remains a significant economic burden for potato producers. Mycoverse estimates the global market associated with the disease at approximately $1.9bn, reflecting sustained demand for effective and scalable control measures. For processors and fresh-market suppliers alike, the disease represents not only a yield risk but also a supply chain challenge, with volatility in raw material quality and availability.

AI-Driven Fungal Discovery Platform

Mycoverse is developing biological crop protection products based on fungi, using what it describes as an AI-driven discovery platform combined with advanced fungal production technology. The company focuses on identifying promising fungal strains and formulating bioactive solutions intended to replace chemical pesticides while remaining compatible with existing farming systems.

The platform is designed to enable scalable, data-driven development across multiple crops. While the initial commercial focus is on potato late blight, the company indicates potential future applications in grapevine.

According to Mycoverse, its lead candidates have demonstrated strong performance in greenhouse trials. The newly raised capital will be used to further develop and advance the first solution targeting potato late blight, with the aim of bringing a biological alternative closer to field deployment.

Implications For European Potato Production

For Europe’s potato sector — spanning seed growers, fresh suppliers and processors — the emergence of biologically derived crop protection tools is strategically relevant. Regulatory constraints on conventional active substances have narrowed the portfolio of chemical options available to growers in several markets, increasing interest in integrated pest management approaches.

Biologicals are increasingly viewed as part of that toolkit, particularly where they can be integrated into existing spray programmes and production systems without compromising efficacy or operational efficiency. In this context, scalable fungal-based solutions targeting late blight could offer processors and buyers greater resilience in raw material sourcing, provided field performance matches greenhouse results.

The €2.4m pre-seed round marks an early but notable step for Mycoverse as it seeks to translate laboratory validation into commercially viable crop protection products tailored to European regulatory and agronomic conditions.