Nitricity is electrifying organic fertilizer production with a world-first, plant-based alternative that’s transforming agriculture.

The US-based company has developed Ash Tea, a liquid organic nitrogen fertilizer made from recycled almond shells, air, water, and renewable energy. Fully vegan, pathogen-free, and cost-competitive, Ash Tea is already sold out for years to come, with farmers lining up to secure supply. With its first commercial-scale facility breaking ground in Delhi, California, Nitricity is scaling globally to meet surging demand from organic growers in the US and Europe.

Why we invested in Nitricity

The climate case: Conventional fertilizers made through the Haber-Bosch process are responsible for ~2% of global GHG emissions, while also degrading soils, polluting waterways, and driving biodiversity loss. Worse, up to 70% of nitrogen applied is lost to the environment¹. Nitricity’s organic, circular alternative cuts emissions by more than 90% and restores soil health, while replacing animal-based fertilizers with a cleaner, safer option. By producing nitrogen fertilizer from agricultural waste and renewable energy, Nitricity directly addresses one of agriculture’s most urgent decarbonisation challenges.

The business case: Nitricity is addressing the $150B global fertilizer market, starting with a beachhead in organic nitrogen fertilizer for high-value crops, a segment worth over $11B on its own². Farmers are eager for better, affordable solutions, and Nitricity delivers. Its product flows seamlessly through irrigation systems, avoids clogging, and enables more efficient nitrogen use, cutting input costs. With over $150m already in its sales pipeline and binding offtake agreements stretching through 2028, Nitricity is scaling from proven demand, not speculative adoption. The company’s Series B raise, closed in the third quarter of 2025, will accelerate US expansion, advance R&D, and build the European customer pipeline and partnerships in preparation for international growth.

The team: Founded in 2018 by Stanford graduates Dr. Nicolas Pinkowski (CEO), Dr. Joshua McEnaney (President & CTO), and Dr. Jay Schwalbe (CSO), Nitricity began with a solar-powered experiment on a lemon tree. Today, the founders lead a 38-person team with deep scientific expertise, a clear commercial track record, and a bold vision for circular, plant-based fertilizer production. Their entrepreneurial grit, coupled with strategic backing from leading climate and agri-tech investors, positions Nitricity as a future global leader in sustainable fertilizer.

Website: Nitricity

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¹ Yara, Our World in Data
² McKinsey