Nitricity Secures $50M to Scale Organic Fertilizer Made from Waste

Nitricity, a climate-tech startup reimagining fertilizer production, has raised $50 million in Series B funding to expand its breakthrough organic fertilizer technology across the United States and Europe.

The milestone comes as the company prepares to break ground on its first full-scale production facility in Delhi, California, marking a major step forward for sustainable agriculture.

Transforming Waste into Plant Power

Nitricity’s flagship product, Ash Tea, is a liquid organic nitrogen fertilizer made from recycled almond shells, air, water, and renewable energy.

Unlike traditional fertilizers, which are tied to the carbon-heavy Haber-Bosch process, Ash Tea is animal-free, pathogen-free, and designed to flow seamlessly through irrigation systems.

Farmers are already seeing the benefits:

• 🌱 Up to 30% yield increases in field trials
• 💧 Smoother integration with irrigation systems, reducing clogging and maintenance
• 💰 Cost-competitive with other organic fertilizers on the market
• 🌍 A significantly lower carbon footprint

Every ounce of Ash Tea’s current production is already commissioned, underscoring strong demand among organic farmers.

Rethinking Fertilizer for a Sustainable Future

Conventional nitrogen fertilizers have powered global agriculture for a century, but they come at a steep cost — roughly 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, degraded soil health, and polluted waterways.

Nitricity’s innovation offers a scalable alternative that addresses these environmental impacts while meeting the needs of modern farmers.

Ash Tea also provides a more ethical option. Competing organic fertilizers often rely on dried slaughterhouse byproducts, while Nitricity’s solution is fully plant-based.

By making nitrogen use more efficient, farmers can apply less product while maintaining or improving yields, cutting both costs and emissions.

A Startup with Deep Roots

Nitricity was founded in 2018 by three Stanford graduate students — Dr. Nicolas Pinkowski (CEO), Dr. Joshua McEnaney (President and CTO), and Dr. Jay Schwalbe (CSO).

What started with a single lemon tree in a backyard has grown into a company with over $150 million in its sales pipeline and a pilot factory producing 80 tons of fertilizer annually.

Backed by investors like World Fund, Khosla Ventures, Chipotle’s Cultivate Next, and Fidelity’s Fine Structure Ventures, Nitricity is positioning itself as a market leader in sustainable, regenerative agriculture.

Scaling Across the U.S. and Europe

With the new funding, Nitricity plans to:

• Expand production in the Western U.S. to serve organic farmers and high-value fruit growers
• Begin pilot and field trials across Europe, using local agricultural waste like wood and olive oil byproducts
• Grow its team by 10+ key hires
• Continue investing in R&D for crops such as corn and wheat

The Delhi, California facility, slated to open in 2026, will increase Nitricity’s production capacity by 100 times.

Its output is already sold out through 2028 under binding agreements with local organic growers, signaling massive market demand.

Why This Matters for the World

The stakes are high. Fertilizer production and application have long been tied to climate change, biodiversity loss, and food system instability.

Nitricity’s technology represents a new path forward — one that aligns with regenerative agriculture, circular economies, and climate resilience.

• Potential for 92% reduction in emissions compared to conventional fertilizers
• Strengthening food security by reducing reliance on volatile global supply chains
• Turning agricultural waste into a resource that feeds the soil instead of damaging it

As European governments push for more resilient and sustainable food systems, Nitricity’s entry into the region could accelerate adoption of organic practices at scale.

Looking Ahead

“This is an inflection point for Nitricity,” said co-founder and CEO Dr. Nicolas Pinkowski. “We started out as grad students with a $5,000 grant and a plan. Now, we have more customers than we can supply.

Scaling up is the next step, and this funding allows us to meet the demand both in the U.S. and in Europe.”

With the support of leading climate investors, Nitricity is proving that agriculture’s future can be sustainable, profitable, and powered by innovation.