Fertiliser start-up CCm secures multimillion pound backing

A manufacturer of ultra-low carbon fertilisers has secured millions of pounds of funding from investors to fuel its expansion.

Sky News has learnt that CCm Technologies, which is based in Wiltshire, has raised £8m in a Series B round led by Frontier Agriculture.

Adjuvo, the angel investment network whose members include prominent business figures and entrepreneurs, also participated.

Founded in 2011, CCm has developed what it calls a new generation of sustainable ultra-low carbon fertilisers and has patented its technology in more than 60 countries.

It now has customers across five main sectors, including food manufacturing, retail, water and oil and gas.

Nestle, PepsiCo, Severn Trent and Tesco are among CCm's clients.

In total, the company has now raised £18m from investors as it seeks to decarbonise agricultural processes.

The latest funding was raised at a post-money valuation of just over £60m.

Pawel Kisielewski, CCm's co-founder and chief executive, said research had shown that carbon emissions from synthetic fertilisers and manures was more than aviation and shipping combined.

"It clearly highlights why finding alternative ultra-low carbon fertilisers is vital, especially when the UK and the EU continues to import in excess of 60% of the plant nutrients required to grow its food - food (in) security meets geo-politics," he said.