Rhizocore Technologies secures £4.5m to scale fungal forestry innovation
We’re proud to share that Rhizocore Technologies has raised £4.5 million to scale production of our pioneering fungal biotechnology, RhizoPellets™, and expand the impact of our science across forestry and land restoration.
The round was led by The First Thirty, it saw participation from customers like Grosvenor , and The University of Edinburgh (Old College Capital), as well as Sand River, Scottish Enterprise, Generation-Re, Kibo Ventures and John Thomson, who recognise the need to rebuild the biology that support healthy, climate-resilient forests.
Our work focuses on restoring the biology that makes forests thrive. RhizoPellets™ introduce locally adapted fungi to young trees, strengthening their ability to absorb nutrients and water - resulting in higher survival rates, faster growth, and more resilient ecosystems.
We’ve already seen remarkable outcomes across our partner projects:
🌱 97% survival vs. 78% untreated - Forestry and Land Scotland
🌲 23% faster growth in Sitka spruce - Former pasture land
🍃 13× growth improvement in birch - Trees for Life
RhizoPellets
enquiries@rhizocore.com
This investment follows an extraordinary surge in demand, with our production now fully booked for the current planting season. The funding will allow us to expand our Scottish facility, develop new applications in soil and water health, and continue building the world’s largest living fungal library.
As our CEO and co-founder Dr. Toby Parkes put it:
“Our results show that planting success can be dramatically improved by restoring the belowground networks that make forests thrive. This investment helps us meet growing demand, unlock new markets, and deliver real ecological and economic returns.”
Antony Yousefian, General Partner at The First Thirty, added:
“Planetary and human health start with soil. Rhizocore is proving that soil biology can be a driver of both ecological recovery and financial performance.”
With more than 100 active field sites across the UK, we’re continuing to demonstrate how applied mycology can support the forestry sector’s biggest challenges, from woodland establishment to carbon and biodiversity outcomes.
This investment marks an exciting new phase in our journey to reconnect forests with the fungi that help them flourish.
