CLIMATECH ‘UMGRAUEMEIO’ SPECIALIZING IN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY JOINS THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO OF THE YIELD LAB LATAM AND RURAL VENTURES

A Brazilian startup develops solutions to mitigate forest fires and minimize environmental impact. Alongside other investors, it raised R$ 18.7 million in a funding round

The Brazilian B Corporation, Umgrauemeio Climatech, has just concluded its first funding round of R$ 18.7 million, which began in December. Among the investors are The Yield Lab Latam, recognized as the venture capital firm that invests the most in early-stage startups, boasting the greatest global experience and regional presence, and Rural Ventures, a Brazilian company formed by entrepreneurs and investors with extensive experience in the agricultural market. Umgrauemeio Climatech also secured investments from Indicator Capital and Baraúna Investimentos.

With this announcement, The Yield Lab Latam expands its presence in Brazil by making its 23rd investment in Latin America, the eighth in a Brazilian startup. The Yield Lab has a global network of Venture Capital funds focused on AgriFood Tech. Together with Rural Ventures, they have been developing new co-investment opportunities. The partnership aims to create a comprehensive ecosystem so that new climatechs, fintechs, and agtechs have support from key professionals in the field to enhance what they already develop in a promising market

With the aim of combating forest fires, reducing CO2 emissions, and improving the instant detection of smoke signals, the Jundiaí (SP) based startup umgrauemeio has developed an integrated risk management and analysis solution with global application that utilizes Artificial Intelligence in a camera monitoring system. The all-in-one platform, called Pantera, operates end-to-end, leveraging the speed and capacity of AI as its differentiators.

Always with a focus on sustainability, the recently announced investment is part of The Yield Lab Latam's investment strategy. For Kieran Gartlan, , Managing Director of The Yield Lab Latam, the investment goes beyond a financial decision; it's a strategic move to promote sustainability. “The fight against forest fires and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions are urgent needs in our generation to promote the sustainability we aspire to for the future. We are excited about umgrauemeio and look forward to witnessing the positive impact this investment will bring,” he explains.

Currently, umgrauemeio monitors over 17.5 million hectares in Brazil, including 2.2 million hectares of forests, 7.8 million hectares of native areas, and 7.5 million hectares of agricultural land, utilizing more than 130 monitoring towers. In 2023, the revenue was R$ 19.2 million, and the estimate for 2024 is R$ 23.9 million.

“Every fire starts small, capable of being extinguished by a single footstep, and it's the speed of detection that defines its scale. That's the intelligence behind our solution. By detecting the fire focus, we reduce the social, environmental, and economic impacts caused by the flames. We don't believe in a healthy economy without well-cared-for forests, and it's no coincidence that our name carries the goal of keeping the planet's temperature rise below 1.5°C," comments Rogério Cavalcante, founder and CEO of umgrauemeio.