Moa Technology has raised £22.2 million in Series C funding to advance herbicides designed to address increasingly resistant weeds. The round was co-led by Oxford Science Enterprises and Supernova Invest. New investors included Agri Investment Fund, GrainInnovate, Infinity Investment Partners and Magdalen College Oxford.
Existing investors Oxford Science Enterprises, Lansdowne Partners, Parkwalk and Oxford University Innovation also participated.
Moa develops herbicides with novel modes of action, meaning they control weeds through biological mechanisms that differ from existing products.
Repeated use of the same herbicides can cause weed populations to develop resistance, reducing crop yields and limiting the effectiveness of farmers’ existing weed-control tools.
Moa said its technology platforms have screened more than 900,000 compounds and identified over 80 potential novel modes of action.
The company’s most advanced programs have progressed from laboratory and greenhouse validation into multiple seasons of international field trials involving difficult-to-control weeds.
Moa also discovered a new category of products called Moa Amplifiers in 2025. These compounds are not herbicides on their own but are being developed to reduce the amount or concentration of herbicide needed to control weeds.
The financing will move Moa’s three most advanced programs closer to commercialization, expand its early-stage pipeline and support further development of the amplifier technology.
Moa also expects to receive upfront and milestone payments through current and future industry collaborations. The company has established research partnerships with Nufarm, Gowan, Certis Belchim and Corteva Agriscience during the past two years.
Moa was spun out of the University of Oxford’s Department of Plant Sciences in 2017.
KEY QUOTES:
“The success of the platform’s discoveries since in the lab and field trials has confirmed Moa is on track to provide the new solutions farmers need to sustain agricultural productivity.”
Martin Fiennes, Oxford Science Enterprises
“The Moa team is redefining the innovation playbook for weed control by advancing both novel modes of action and its Moa Amplifiers strategy, expanding the toolbox available to farmers.”
Alexandre Biau, Supernova Invest
“This marks a major milestone for Moa Technology, a validation of the outstanding progress we have made not just in the laboratory, but also in striking commercial deals with leading industry partners around the world.”
Dr. Virginia Corless, CEO of Moa Technology
