Gevo Acquires CultivateAI to Strengthen Verity’s Carbon Accounting Solutions

Key Points:
– Gevo acquires CultivateAI for $6 million to boost Verity’s carbon tracking capabilities.
– The acquisition will accelerate revenue growth and provide advanced agricultural analytics.
– CultivateAI’s SaaS platform integrates real-time agricultural data, driving sustainability and profitability for farmers.

Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a renewable energy and carbon solutions company, has announced the acquisition of Cultivate Agricultural Intelligence, LLC (“CultivateAI”) for $6 million in cash. This strategic acquisition will bolster Gevo’s Verity business unit, accelerating the development of Verity’s carbon tracking capabilities, while integrating new revenue streams from CultivateAI’s agricultural data and analytics platform.

CultivateAI, a cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) platform, provides agricultural operators with real-time analytics, helping them make data-driven decisions to improve productivity, sustainability, and profitability. With expected 2024 revenue of $1.7 million and positive cash flow, CultivateAI is already a proven business. Gevo aims to leverage this platform to strengthen Verity’s carbon accounting and tracking solutions, focusing on carbon abatement across sectors like food, feed, fuels, and industrial markets.

Dr. Paul Bloom, Head of Verity and Chief Carbon Officer of Gevo, expressed excitement about the acquisition: “Adding CultivateAI and its inventive approach to Verity will help us grow revenue by providing the most complete set of data-driven analytics services to farmers, agronomists, and researchers. This acquisition accelerates our ability to deliver value to our customers.”

Verity’s primary focus is creating an innovative platform that tracks, verifies, and empirically values carbon intensity throughout the entire carbon lifecycle. With the addition of CultivateAI’s tools and customer base, Verity will extend its reach beyond biofuels and tap into new revenue streams. This integration is poised to strengthen Gevo’s role in promoting sustainability and profitability, particularly for farmers and agricultural service providers.

Gevo’s CEO, Dr. Pat Gruber, emphasized the broader implications of the acquisition: “We are constantly looking for development opportunities that bring new revenue streams to the company. As Verity accelerates, we expect to see more customer relationships and growth opportunities, supporting our mission to build a circular economy.”

CultivateAI’s advanced platform, with its real-time data capabilities, will allow Verity to offer the highest quality carbon abatement solutions while helping clients understand their operations better. The SaaS platform enables farm operators, agronomists, and researchers to access timely, reliable insights, enhancing their ability to manage resources efficiently and sustainably.

Gevo is committed to converting renewable energy and biogenic carbon into sustainable fuels and chemicals with a net-zero or better carbon footprint. With this acquisition, the company takes another step toward its mission of fostering a sustainable, circular economy while driving shareholder value through scalable revenue growth.

As Verity continues to expand its platform, the integration of CultivateAI will not only help improve agricultural operations but will also support the carbon footprint reduction efforts in various industries. By offering clients innovative, data-driven solutions, Gevo aims to lead the way in sustainability-focused business practices.

Carbon Credit Firm DevvStream To Go Public In $212M SPAC Merger

DevvStream Holdings, a leading developer of carbon offset projects and associated credit streams, has signed a definitive agreement to go public through a merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Focus Impact Acquisition Corp.

The combined company will be named DevvStream Corp. and is expected to list on the Nasdaq under ticker “DEVS”. The deal values DevvStream at an implied $212.8 million enterprise value.

Founded in 2021, Vancouver-based DevvStream partners with corporations and governments on sustainability initiatives. It brings projects generating carbon credits to market by co-investing or providing technical services in exchange for a share of long-term credit streams.

This capital-light model requires little upfront investment for participation in the fast-growing carbon markets. DevvStream estimates its current portfolio will generate $13 million in net revenue in 2024 and $55 million in 2025 as projects are expanded.

DevvStream participates in both regulated compliance markets and the rapidly expanding voluntary carbon credit market. The voluntary market hit $2 billion in 2022 but could reach up to $250 billion by 2030 according to estimates.

The merger will provide further expansion capital to DevvStream as it scales its portfolio of emissions-reducing projects. Focus Impact raised $172.5 million in its May 2021 IPO into a trust that will go to the combined company after redemptions.

According to DevvStream CEO Sunny Trinh, “Entering into a definitive agreement to merge with Focus Impact is a significant step towards accelerating the growth of our differentiated technology-based approach to carbon markets.”

He added that enhancing transparency and reliability in voluntary markets in particular can help drive participation and meaningful emissions reductions.

Focus Impact CEO Carl Stanton said the proposed merger “presents a significant opportunity to create substantial value for our shareholders.” He cited DevvStream’s systematic approach to carbon project development and blockchain-enabled tracking.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2023, subject to shareholder approvals and other customary closing conditions. Upon completion, DevvStream will be listed on the Nasdaq under ticker “DEVS”.

With global momentum building around carbon markets and climate action, the merger comes at an opportune time. DevvStream is now poised to capitalize on surging demand as both corporations and governments seek to curb emissions.