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S&dB has a new investor to accelerate growth
S&dB B.V. (Nederweert, the Netherlands) has raised € 1.5 million financing to scale and accelerate the validation of its seed-enhancement platform technology in the coming period. The capital is provided by Brightlands Venture Partners and the new CEO.
Higher yields with lower inputs
S&dB developed a proprietary plant seed-embedding technology (SET) to guarantee an optimal germination environment for any type of plant seed; either in open field cultivation or for indoor farms. This technology combines seeds with bio-based and biodegradable raw materials to support and protect early plant growth. In an unique continuous production process all materials are combined to make either wide seed rolls or small seed tapes.
The company has currently two main product lines: grass seed rolls (gSET) and vegetable seed tapes.The two key target markets for vegetable seed tapes are hydroponics (hSET) and open field (vSET). The wide gSET grass seed rolls will be marketed into the retail channel first. For farmers and other growers the product portfolio of S&dB offers a sustainable growing method that lowers stress on crop establishment and accelerates plant growth to produce higher yields while reducing the use of water, fertilizers, pesticides and labour.
Gaining market traction with strong partners
The SET production line is fully operational. The company also has a pilot manufacturing line that will be used to prepare prototypes and small orders.
In the past year S&dB made good progress in its three target markets: gSET repeat sales were already made and S&dB is currently in the closing stage of signing a partnership with a retail party for a large scale rollout in Europe. S+dB has important running partnerships and programs with various global seed houses and at field facilities of Wageningen University & Research (program ‘Boerderij van de Toekomst”) to accelerate the validation of the vSET concept. Results of prototype tests in open field and gutter systems for indoor farms (hSET) indicate an attractive business case for farmers and other vegetable growers.
The management team of S&dB has been strengthened with seasoned entrepreneur Harmen Smid in the role of CEO. Together with founder Gerard Otten, Harmen will lead the company into the next stage.
Plans for growth
S&dB has now raised € 1.5 mln to scale and accelerate the validation of its technology platform in the coming period. After that a follow-up investment round is foreseen to accommodate international roll-out of the SET-platform. This investment will primarily be used to gain traction for the vegetable business cases and to further expand the organization.
ECOstyle and S+dB go for long-term cooperation with unique sowing concept
ECOstyle and S+dB signed a multi-year cooperation agreement last week. In the coming years, ECOstyle will be launching an entirely new innovative product concept around grass seeds on an exclusive basis. The intention is to intensify cooperation in the near future with the expansion of new concepts and to work together in more countries.
The concept, gSET (Seed Embedding Technology), is a platform technology developed by S+dB in which seeds are applied in an industrialized process via a coating on a non-woven cloth. This creates a product that enables the consumer to lay or repair a lawn in a relatively simple and sustainable manner.
gSET is a concept based on the patented SET platform technology. This technology was initially developed for grass seeds and has since proven itself. In addition, development processes are underway with renowned parties and institutes, mainly aimed at applications with vegetable seeds, both in the open ground and in indoor farming.
Harmen Smid (CEO S+dB): “For S+dB, the collaboration with a renowned party such as ECOstyle is a wonderful way to serve the consumer market with our unique technology. The ideas and
ambitions of ECOstyle are in perfect harmony with the properties and objectives of our technology. By collaborating with ECOstyle, we can further expand and professionalize our operational processes and make use of ECOstyle’s expertise in the field of retail marketing. The knowledge we gain will also give our other processes a huge boost and take S+dB into the next phase.”
Martine Olijslagers-Kuip (CEO Eurostyle, the parent company of ECOstyle): “The partnership with S+dB fits in well with our mission. We want to make ecological gardening the norm, accessible to everyone. The technological concept of S+dB offers an easy and sustainable alternative to grass seeds and turf rolls. We are convinced that this will add a great concept to our total portfolio.”
About ecostyle
Those who want a better world must take the initiative themselves. That is where the basis of ECOstyle lies, with which it started 55 years ago, in 1967. Restoring and preserving the natural balance of soil and plants, ECOstyle has been doing that with verve all these years. With 100% natural products for the garden and for indoor plants. ECOstyle has been successful in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark for years.
S&dB selected for StartLife, the Agrifoodtech Accelerator
StartLife, the Agrifoodtech Accelerator, has selected S&dB and 8 other start-ups to join the tenth cohort of their global acceleration program.
In four months, the selected startups will level up their business development and be investor-ready. StartLife especially selected these startups for their innovative technological solutions that will contribute to a more sustainable system, from farm to fork.
Many current food production systems are unsustainable because they cause significant resource depletion and environmental setbacks. Startups with cutting-edge solutions such as precision agriculture, alternative proteins, and new fermentation technologies help revolutionize the agrifood industry and create a more sustainable food system. The technologies of the selected startups have the potential to increase food production, limit soil depletion, and decrease the carbon footprint of the agrifood industry, leading to a more sustainable future for all.
Over the next four months, the startup founders will focus on product-market discovery, business development, and fundraising. They will be exposed to agrifood investors, leading corporates, Wageningen University & Research experts, and be guided in workshops and one-on-one meetings with high calibre mentors, business coaches, and specialists.
S&dB sees their selection as a clear recognition that their SET, seed-embedding technology, can be a breakthrough in the seed enhancement applications and can have a real impact on sustainable & regenerative agriculture!
More information can be found at : https://start-life.nl/about/
S&dB has a new look & feel!
As of May S&dB has a new logo, a new visual presentation that comes with a brand new website. Being a start-up means doing things lean and mean in the beginning, but S&dB chose for a professional way of presenting the company as soon as possible, aligned with the high end products and services we develop.
Harmen Smid, CEO; “Together, we did a deep dive in who we are, came to some key values and asked the specialists of JEEN to design a look and feel that fits both the values and the sector we work for.” S&dB is the Dutch abbreviation for the old English fairytale ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Our curiosity drives the engine for believing in the impossible. That’s how we create magical solutions for superior seed germination by using production methods that may look like a ‘wonder’ to professional growers worldwide. Add and mix this with a little start-up / scale-up guts, and there you are… A modern, future-proof logo, font, colours that match both our values and the agribusiness, and a dito website. A very professional presentation of who we are, what we stand for and which we can use in our scale-up phase next years.
S&dB present during F&A Next
S&dB was present during the successful F&A Next event on 25 and 26 May at Wageningen University & Research.
During these days, we met all influencers, investors, corporates and stakeholders in the agrifood tech.
Being part of StartLife, the agrifoodtech accelerator program, S&dB was selected to participate in the session of the Startup ‘Protostars’ pitches, where the audience got a quick insight in S&dB, the SET platform technology and the current projects. Many interesting follow-up meeting were the result.
ABOUT F&A Next
F&A Next is about thought leadership and connecting promising startups and scale-ups to dedicated Food & Agtech investors and leading corporates. It includes two days of networking, pitching and debating the dynamics in food and agriculture.
S&dB will join Hectar Accelerator Program
S&dB will join the 7th cohort of the Hectar Accelerator Program in France.
S&dB is proud to be selected to join this prestiguous program in France. Just outside Paris, Hectar brings together agriculture, entrepreneurship and tech in a unique ecosystem. By combining the best of human ingenuity and innovation, Hectar seeks viable solutions through a three-pronged approach: modeling, innovating and transmitting, in order to deploy new agricultural models and new ways of organizing work.
Today, Hectar is at once: a pilot farm in mixed farming; entrepreneurial support programs dedicated to current and future farmers; a accelerator of European Agri and FoodTech startups; a venue for impact seminars geared towards businesses; an awareness-raising space for young people and students, from fork to plate; a farm studio to model the economic and social costs of the transition to regenerative agriculture.
S&dB will enter a new ecosystem and get exposed to new visions and insights, and collaborate with the specialists in the impressive network of Hectar. Our ambition is also to make use of the pilot-farm to share our vSET open-field cultivation method for regenerative farming with the Hectar ecosystem.
More information about Hectar: https://en.hectar.co/
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S&dB will give a presentation during CropIB in Ghent
S&dB is selected to present our SET, seed-embedding technology, during the CropIB Conference in Ghent (Belgium) next month.
On March 24-26, 2024 the International CROP Innovation & Business (CropIB) conference will take place in Ghent, Belgium.
This conference brings together breeding-, AgBio- and AgTech companies, academics, regulatory- and intellectual property experts from the international agri-food industry to discuss innovations and solutions for the challenges in agriculture and horticulture
For the 13th time, more than 200 international participants will gather for a three-day conference that focuses on the use of new technologies for breeding innovative crops.
As part of the program on Monday, academic institutes and startups will get the possibility to pitch their innovative technology, -service or -product to the audience from the international agri-food industry. S&dB will make use of this opportunity to introduce our technology.
The international conference that combines science, technology innovation, and business in the field of plant breeding and innovative crops.
vSET, the way to future farming!
Sustainable farming , circularity, carbon storage, facing drought and drought stress, saving water and nutrients and improving yield. An endless list with demands, regulations and how it seems, wishful thinking statements from politics. For the agricultural industry, severe times with no clear and necessary solutions for better cultivation methods.
S&dB thinks in opportunities and has another approach. Therefore we did not only find a technical, but also an agronomical solution for all these demands with our vSET technology.
With our unique ‘planting concept’ of our proprietary vegetable seed tapes, we achieve an high level of precision farming.
Seeding inside – On our dedicated manufacturing line, we do the precision seeding of fine seeded vegetables on our tapes. During the seeding process, precision can be controlled and if necessary, adjustments can be made.
Planting outside – With the unique Seed Tape Planting Tool, we are able to accurately place the seed tapes in the farmland, at the right distance and depth under complete other circumstances than regular seeding methods.
This Tool is developed together with our partner Mechanisatiebedrijf Nanne Kooiman. The perfect start for uniform germination and growth is within hand reach.
Why waiting for dry circumstances and drought stress, while you can seed now on the right moment?
Because of the fact that our Tool is so light and working with the special patented placing disc, we can do the seeding already in conditions where the traditional and heavy tools are still not able to enter the land. We can do so because the planter could work in soil which was prepared last year and survived this extreme wet winter with a cover crop, and the soil which was prepared a month ago. With this approach you can save fuel, labor hours and soil live but also benefits in planning and logistics.
Early april we planted tapes with chicory seeds at a farmland from a farmer of our partner Sensus Agro. This farmland was still wet so the traditional seeders were unable to enter the land. As you can see in the picture, our Seed Tape Planting Tool could plant the tapes accurately through the cover crops.
vSET seed tapes are biobased and biodegradable, so fully contribute to a sustainable agriculture.
Also interested? Please contact us!
Sensus wins Innocent Farmer Innovation Award with vSET from S&dB
Our development partner, Sensus, has won the prestigious Innocent Farmer innovation fund. The price was awarded for their project related to our vSET technology that should contribute to stimulate uniform crop growth, with the hope of reducing seed waste and soil disruption. This should result in a crop yield improvement of 20-30%
Fund for regenerative farming
Innocent wants to reduce its carbon footprint as much as possible – starting with a 50% reduction of the scope 3 emissions by 2030. The Farmer Innovation Fund, launched back in 2021, is one of the ways to obtain the target. The fund supports suppliers with the move to regenerative farming practices that improve and protect soil health, water resources, biodiversity and climate.
Seed Embedding Technology
Sensus submitted the Seed Embedding technology (SET) of S&dB for this award. S&dB is a startup that aims to market their proprietary seed embedding technology. In this technology, chicory seeds are attached to a tape. This gives every seed a good start, by ensuring ideal seed location, sprouting and growth. SET improves crop output with less input, water efficiency, no or minimal use of agrochemicals and low tillage.
Winning this fund highlights our continuous focus on improving the chicory cultivation for a future proof sustainable chain. We are grateful to innocent drinks for this recognition and the opportunity to support innovation that embrace regenerative agricultural practices.
S&dB Awarded Prestigious EIT Food Funding for vSET
S&dB is proud to announce that it has been awarded a prestigious funding from EIT Food to further develop and scale its vSET (seed embedding technology) — a novel solution designed to enable regenerative agriculture in open field vegetable cultivation. EIT Food is supported by EIT, an independent body of the European Union.
The project, titled: “Development of Seed Embedding Technology for Open Field Vegetable Cultivation Enabling Transition to Regenerative Agriculture (vSET)”, is covered by a total project budget of €1.5 million, and backed by our loyal and committed investors Brightlands Venture Partners and LIOF.
We are honored to collaborate with a powerful European consortium of partners:
- G’s Fresh(UK) – leading vegetable grower and implementation partner
- RISE Research Institutes of Sweden – expert in environmental validation and systems analysis
- Mechanisatiebedrijf Nanne Kooiman BV – specialist in engineering and technology development partner
The project and the consortium are supported by our strategic partners BASF | Nunhems and Sensus.
This collaboration marks an important milestone for regenerative agriculture in Europe. With vSET, we aim to offer farmers a practical and scalable cultivation system that rebuilds soil health, enhances biodiversity, and secures economic resilience.
We thank our team and all stakeholders for their continued support and belief in our company and the potential of our technology!
About EIT Food
EIT Food is the world‘s largest and most dynamic food innovation community. We accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all. Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, we invest in projects, organisations and individuals that share our goals for a healthy and sustainable food system. We unlock innovation potential in businesses and universities and create and scale agrifood startups to bring new technologies and products to market. We equip entrepreneurs and professionals with the skills needed to transform the food system and put consumers at the heart of our work, helping build trust by reconnecting them to the origins of their food.
We are one of nine innovation communities established by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an independent EU body set up in 2008 to drive innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe.
Find out more at www.eitfood.eu or follow us via social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. 
Information Hack Summit
Here you can find further information that we share @HackSummit
Our introduction deck: Presentation S&dB
vSET in action: Video vSET in action
Ben Stel succeeds Harmen Smid as CEO of S&dB
Ben is a graduate of Wageningen University & Research and brings a strong background in agribusiness, having served in Strategy and Business Development at Agrifirm. His appointment marks a new milestone as S&dB continues to scale its unique SET (Seed-Embedding Technology) platform technology.
S&dB is entering an exciting new phase. Its vSET solution for open-field vegetable cultivation is currently being scaled as part of the EIT Food Program, in collaboration with leading partners such as G’s Growers. In parallel, S&dB is developing new applications for Controlled Environment Agriculture, where its hSET technology acts as a biobased and biodegradable growth medium—pushing the boundaries of sustainable food production.
Harmen Smid, who steps down as CEO to pursue other challenges, will continue to support the company as an investor and advisor.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Ben as CEO,” said founder Gerard Otten. “His expertise and vision are a perfect fit for this stage of our journey. Together with Judith and the broader team, we are well-positioned to accelerate the transition to regenerative, resource-efficient agriculture.”
Ben Stel te
lls, “S&dB’s seed embedding technology offers great potential for growers. I’m impressed by the team’s progress and grateful for the trust to help lead S&dB forward. My focus will be on building a solid foundation for growth and delivering value to the market together with our partners.”
S&dB Appoints Maikel Huygens as Chief Technology Officer
Press Release
Nederweert, December 2025
S&dB Appoints Maikel Huygens as Chief Technology Officer
S&dB is pleased to announce that, as of December 8th, Maikel Huygens has joined the company in the role of Chief Technology Officer. In this position, Maikel will become part of the leadership team and play a key role in driving S&dB’s technology into its next phase of innovation and growth.
Maikel is an experienced mechanical engineer with a strong background in start-up environments. He has successfully led R&D trajectories at Canon Production Printing and holds several patents. His trackrecord reflects both technical depth and the ability to translate breakthrough ideas into real-world impact.
Beyond his engineering expertise, Maikel brings a passion for sustainable food production and a personal commitment to contributing to a more resilient agricultural industry.
Founder Gerard Otten who steps down as CTO will remain a shareholder and continue to support the company as advisor.
CEO Ben Stel – “Maikels personal drive and strong technical background are an excellent fit with our ambition to bring our seed tape technology to the agricultural market. Bringing Maikel on board is another step in accelerating our trajectory towards becoming a commercial company. With Maikel his appointment we’re also saying goodbye to founder and current CTO Gerard Otten. I would like to thank Gerard for his dedication towards S&dB, which has laid the foundation to where the company is today. We wish Gerard all the best in his new challenge’’
About S&dB
S&dB is an agtech start-up and has developed a proprietary Seed-Embedding Technology (SET) to guarantee an optimal germination environment for the whole seed spectrum. The SET platform technology reduces the effect of nature’s bio-stresses, boosts the seed vigor and guarantees uniform growing crops with a strong root foundation, even under challenging environmental conditions.
S&dB Participates in European InterReg Consortium Project
In a world where plastic pollution and the use of fossil resources are becoming increasingly problematic, the bioZet project seeks innovative solutions. The project focuses on developing biodegradable and biobased materials from potato starch, sourced from co-products of the potato processing industry. This starch offers a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymers. Not only does it make optimal use of existing raw materials, but it also provides significant sustainability benefits such as reduced waste, lower CO₂ emissions, and decreased water usage.
Together with companies and research institutions in the Netherlands and Flanders, bioZet is working on innovative applications such as eco-friendly packaging, paper products, seed coatings, and even biomedical implants. By developing these new materials, the project contributes to the transition toward a circular economy and to the goals of the European Green Deal. It provides a concrete example of how by-products from the food industry can be transformed into high-quality, sustainable products.
In addition, collaboration ensures a broader impact: through a sounding board group, other companies, network organizations, and governments are also involved, further accelerating the implementation of biobased and circular innovations.
Interreg VI, Theme B5: Promoting the Transition to a Circular and Resource-Efficient Economy
On a total budget of €3,214,798.07, Interreg contributes €1,607,399.02 (50%)
Project period: 01/09/2025 – 31/08/2028
Project lead: Maastricht University
Website: https://interregvlaned.eu/biozet/
For more information, please contact: katrien.bernaerts@maastrichtuniversity.nl