The 21st-century food system is undergoing a transformation as profound as the dawn of computing: climate risk, disruptive supply-chain models, precision agriculture, alternative proteins, vertical farms, and digital-enabled food traceability are rewriting the rules of what it means to grow, move and market food.

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At Collyer Law, we advise the new breed of agtech, food-tech and food value chain companies — from seed-stage ventures to institutional investors and strategic acquirers — helping them to navigate the unique intersection of regulation, technology, sustainability and scale.

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Why this sector matters

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• Regulation – From input approvals to food-safety and labelling regimes, and cross-border trade in agricultural commodities and novel foods, the legal terrain is complex and evolving.
• Technology disruptors – Whether it is vertical farming, ag-robots, IoT in crop-monitoring, AI-driven yield-optimisation or cellular agriculture, the “legal-engineering” dimension is front-of-mind: how do you structure IP, manage strategic partnerships and exit with value?
• Market momentum – Asia and the Middle-East are investing heavily in food-security, export-oriented agriculture, and “grown-here / supply-everywhere” models. We are positioned to support regional hubs, cross-border investment, and trade-compliance driven expansions.

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How we help

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Seed & venture investments – structuring founder agreements, IP and know-how protection, convertible instruments, investor terms, and regulatory due diligence on novel-food claims or agribusiness licences.
Growth-stage scaling – advising on manufacturing and processing licences, food-safety & hygiene regulatory regimes, supply-chain agreements, off-take and distribution contracts, cross-border trade and customs compliance.
Strategic partnerships & licensing – negotiating technology-licence and joint-venture agreements (for precision-ag, vertical farms, cellular-ag platforms), negotiating supply-chain and co-manufacturing arrangements, protecting data and sensor /IP layers.
M&A and exits – from strategic acquirers and private-equity buyers to SPAC-style exits, we guide deal structuring, share-purchase or asset-purchase models, deferred-consideration and earn-out mechanisms, due-diligence on environmental/regulatory risk (e.g., sustainable input certifications, export-permit regimes, ESG disclosures).

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Who we work with

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• Seed- and series-A agtech/food-tech companies using data-science, IoT or cellular agriculture to transform production, processing or distribution.
• Venture capital or private-equity investors backing food-system innovation in Asia / Middle East, including cross-border deals and co-investment syndicates.
• Strategic acquirers (agri-processors, food-brands, supply-chain platforms) seeking tuck-in deals, platform roll-outs or regional expansions.
• Commodity-traders, export-driven agribusinesses and food-manufacturers needing regulatory-, trade- and ESG-governance support as they modernise and scale.