Eindhoven's VitalFluid raises €17.2 million to fight crop diseases with plasma-treated water
Dutch startup VitalFluid has secured €17.2 million to scale up its plasma-based technology, offering growers a chemical-free alternative to fungicides. The funds will support expansion in the UK and entry into the US market.
VitalFluid, a spin-out of Eindhoven University of Technology, has raised €17.2 million to expand adoption of its plasma technology as a residue-free alternative to chemical fungicides. The round was co-led by Invest-NL and Alder Tree Investments, with participation from existing shareholders including Horticoop, Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM), Future Food Fund, Graduate Ventures, Innovation Industries, VDL Groep and Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds. It also includes a €2.7 million innovation credit from the Dutch enterprise agency RVO, with Invest-NL contributing €4 million of the total.
Founded in 2014 by Paul Leenders and Polo van Ooij, VitalFluid develops Plasma Activated Water (PAW), created by converting water, air and electricity into plasma — replicating the natural process that occurs when lightning strikes water during a thunderstorm. Described by the company as "lightning in a box," the on-site production process isolates and stabilises reactive nitrogen and oxygen components in the water, protecting crops against fungal disease without leaving harmful residues.
CEO Erik Hertel said the investment confirms the technology's potential to contribute to a more sustainable and future-proof food system, and will allow the company to accelerate commercial rollout and give more growers access to an effective alternative to chemical crop protection.
The technology has already moved beyond trials, with more than 100 hectares of commercial strawberry production in the UK now using the system, including at Hall Hunter Partnership, Angus Growers and EC Drummond.
The new capital will be used to accelerate commercial growth in the UK, support expansion into the US, and extend the technology's use to crops such as strawberries, apples and grapes. VitalFluid previously raised €5 million in April 2024 to support its market introduction.
