Raising capital is never easy. But for founders working on biological solutions—those at the frontier of sustainable agriculture, whether through biostimulants, biopesticides or microbial soil enhancers—the challenge is particularly nuanced.

You are not just pitching a product. You are pitching science, trust and a vision of how agriculture can be transformed. Depending on where you are in your growth journey, the story you need to tell and how you tell it must evolve. From early experimentation to international scaling, each funding stage has its own logic, expectations and investor mindset.

This article offers a founder-centric guide to navigating the transition from the pitch deck to the actual pitch across the main phases of fundraising: Seed, Series A and Growth. While the advice is broadly applicable, it is tailored to the unique dynamics of startups in the BioAg space.

SEED STAGE: SELLING THE DREAM WITH A SOLID SCIENTIFIC BACKBONE

At the seed stage, you are likely still in R&D mode, running field trials or even finalizing your first formulation. There may be no revenues—perhaps not even a product—but what you do have is a compelling vision and the early signs that the science holds up.

Investors at this stage are buying into your conviction and capability. They want to know: is the problem you are solving real and urgent? Is your solution technically sound and defensible? And most importantly, are you and your team the right people to figure it out?

Your deck should focus on:

• The real-world pain point (e.g., regulatory bans on synthetic pesticides, soil fatigue, climate resilience)
• The science behind your solution explained clearly and credibly
• The size and structure of your initial target market
• The team’s background—scientific excellence paired with entrepreneurial agility
• What the next 12–18 months of progress would look like if funded

When pitching, avoid over-claiming. It is okay to admit what you still do not know as long as you show how you will find the answers. Authenticity often outweighs polish at this stage.

SERIES A: FROM THE LAB TO THE FARM

Once you have proven your core concept and gathered early validation, maybe through field trials or regulatory milestones, you are ready to raise a Series A. It is typically the hardest round: expectations are higher, but the path to scale is still unproven.

Now the spotlight shifts to product-market fit and commercial readiness. Investors will want to know: do farmers, agronomists or distributors want your product? Are the performance claims real and replicable? How long will the regulatory process take, and how much capital will it absorb?

Your narrative should evolve to include:

• Results from pilot trials, ideally with external or academic validation
• Feedback from early adopters in real field conditions
• A plan for regulatory approval (across key geographies like the EU, US, Brazil, India)
• Go-to-market and distribution strategies, even if still in pilot
• A view on manufacturing and scalability (Are you fermenting in-house? Partnering?)

When pitching, think of your deck as a bridge between science and the market. Investors now expect commercial thinking: cost of production, unit economics and scalability risks.

But they will be charmed by a passionate founder who knows their science and believes in their mission

SERIES B AND BEYOND: PROVING YOU CAN SCALE

By the time you are raising a growth round, the narrative must flip. You are no longer trying to prove that your product could work. You are now showing that it does work—and that your company can execute at scale.

At this stage, the focus is on traction, systems and economics. You will be speaking to larger funds, possibly strategics from the agribusiness world. Their questions will be sharper: what are your margins? Can you manufacture at scale and meet demand without compromising quality? What is your cash conversion cycle? What kind of exit are you targeting?

Key elements to highlight include:

• Sales growth, retention, reorder rate and channel performance
• Partnerships with major agri-distributors or co-development with multinationals
• Robust regulatory approvals and IP protection in multiple markets
• Production capacity, supply chain reliability, Quality Assurance/Quality Check systems
• A leadership team built for scale—not just discovery

When pitching, shift your tone. You are not a startup anymore. You are a growth-stage company with momentum. Investors want predictability, systems, and a credible path to liquidity (whether via acquisition, IPO or strategic consolidation).

A FEW TIMELESS PRINCIPLES ACROSS ALL STAGES

• Tailor your message: A deep tech VC, a family office with an impact lens and a global agribusiness player all evaluate your pitch differently. Know your audience.
• Visual storytelling matters: Use images from field trials, root development or side-by-side crop performance. They are more powerful than tables of data.
• Regulatory realism: Be upfront about approval timelines and costs. Investors in biologicals respect the process, but want to see you are navigating it wisely.
• Own the “Why now?”: The market pull for sustainable agriculture has never been stronger. From Farm to Fork to ESG pressure on input providers—use the macro context to frame urgency.
• Clarity over complexity: Your tech may be complex, but your story should not be. If a non-specialist cannot understand your deck in five minutes, simplify it.

In biologicals, your pitch is not just about capital. It is about credibility. From the early spark of innovation to full-scale commercialization, your ability to communicate the journey clearly and to the right audience can be as decisive as your next field trial.

So, build the deck. Rehearse the pitch. Know your science.
But above all—believe in the impact you are creating. Because if you do not, no one else will.