The betterSoil pitch in front of the European Commission at the event Soil Investment Forum as part of the Mission Soil
betterSoil at the Mission Soil Investment Forum: from the pitch and Q&A to showcasing how soil data, smarter farm decisions, and financial insights can support healthier soils and the future of farming.
A big stage for bigger mission
The first Mission Soil Investment Forum organized by Mission Soil and European Commission, brought together investors, policymakers, researchers, startups, and agricultural experts from across Europe. Held on 30 June 2026 at Sparks venue in Brussels, Belgium, the landmark event operated under a vital mission framework: “A Soil Deal for Europe”. Its core objective was to unlock private capital, advance sustainable land management, and establish a pipeline of investable opportunities for soil restoration. For betterSoil, the forum was more than just another conference−it was a high-stakes arena to put soil health at the centre of global financial and innovation strategies. The team captivated the audience by unveiling the betterSoil Farm Assistant−a cutting-edge, digital decision support tool.
Seven minutes, one powerful pitch
Selected as one of just seven startups to pitch at the inaugural Mission Soil Investment Forum in Brussels, betterSoil took the stage as a unified team to address a major challenge facing European agriculture: the long-term decline in potato yields occurring alongside rising food demands. Azadeh Farajpour (Founder/CEO), Dr. Tobias Orthen (Co-Founder/CFO), and Fritz Köcher (Agricultural Strategist) introduced the betterSoil Farm Assistant, a digital platform that combines Sentinel-2 satellite data and agronomic insights to help farmers map field fertility and transition towards regenerative practices. The key focus of the presentation was the financial side of this transition. Changing farming practices can involve uncertainty and upfront costs, so betterSoil is looking at ways to make the potential benefit clearer for farmers while helping banks and other stakeholders better understanding the risks and opportunities. The message throughout the pith was: healthier soil is essential for the future of farming, but transition also needs to make economic sense.
betterSoil’s Farm Assistant: technology for smarter farming
betterSoil’s Farm Assistant platform is designed to help farmers better understand the condition of their land and make more informed decisions. Using Sentinel-2 satellite data, updates every five days, the platform creates fertility maps of individual plots and highlights areas that may need attention. It also estimates key soil properties, including sand, silt, and clay content, as well as pH, giving farmers a clearer picture of their soil and a starting point for improving its soil health. The platform also includes a crop rotation simulator, where farmers can test their current practices or explore different crop rotations through a simple drag-drop interface. Each scenario receives agronomic and economic scores, allowing farmers to compare different approaches and understand the potential impact of their decisions. The financial side focused on helping farmers understand what they would need to invest, what they could potentially gain, and how changes in farming practices might affect their cash flow and access to loans.
Meaningful conversations and new connections
During the Q&A session, Soil Capital asked the betterSoil team about their market traction and whether they already had customers. The team explained that the app is currently in internal testing, while they have been in discussions with several B2B partners since last year to test the application in real-world use cases. They also explained their B2B2F model, where agribusinesses, food processors, machinery companies, and supply-chain partners can license the tool and make it available to their supplier's farmers.
The forum also led to some interesting conversations around the Farm Assistant and its potential. Will expressed interest in connecting betterSoil with his technical and impact teams to challenge the Farm Assistant, identify ways to improve it, and explore the value it could bring to their work. Paul from Agri Carbon also shared his perspective on regenerative practices, including the potential of deep-rooted plants such as Milpa. He highlighted an important challenge in soil health: while cover crops can bring clear benefits, measuring and calculating those benefits can be extremely difficult. We also had the opportunity to connect with Peter Wehrheim from the European Commission and exchange ideas about soil health and sustainability.
From a pitch to bigger future
For betterSoil, the Mission Soil Investment Forum was more than a chance to present its work−it was an opportunity to share its vision and exchange ideas with people working towards a more sustainable future for agriculture. From the pitch and Q&A to the conversations throughout the event, it reinforced the growing importance of making soil health measurable, practical, and financially viable. The next step is to take these ideas beyond the stage and continue building tools that can help farmers make better decisions for their soil, their farms, and the future of food.