EDINBURGH, United Kingdom, Nov. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A pioneering biotech company using fungal technology to enhance tree growth and survival rates is set to expand into North America after raising $5.5 million (£4.5 million) in fresh investment.
Rhizocore Technologies’ flagship product, RhizoPellets™, helps trees survive planting and grow stronger and faster by pairing them with specific ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. Drawing on one of the world's largest living fungal libraries, Rhizocore selects the precise, high-performance species suited to each planting site. These fungi form a symbiotic network with tree roots, helping them absorb more nutrients and water.
Headquartered just outside Edinburgh, Scotland, Rhizocore will now scale operations to meet expected demand across the U.S., where more than 1.4 billion trees are planted annually. The new funding will also support a major upgrade at the company’s Scottish facility to fulfill orders across Europe.
The funding round was led by The First Thirty, a specialist investor focused on soil health technologies. Additional support came from Scottish Enterprise and several existing clients, including the Grosvenor Estate, one of the UK’s largest landowners. Additional investors in the round are Sand River, Generation-Re (Regenerative Agriculture Syndicate), Kibo Invest, John Thomson, and Old College Capital.
Dr. Toby Parkes, founder of Rhizocore, said:
“Our expansion into the U.S. is about more than scale, it's about impact. North America faces significant challenges to its forestry sector, including reduced milling capacity and increasing amounts of droughts and wildfires.
“We believe our fungal technology can deliver both ecological and financial returns at scale, by increasing tree survival and early growth rates, enabling the US forestry sector to continue to provide returns well into the future.”
Plantings using RhizoPellets™ across numerous sites and involving major industry partners have delivered unprecedented results. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) found treated trees have shown a 97% survival rate compared to just 78% for untreated saplings, a relative 25% improvement in survival rate. And at a site owned by Trees for Life, one of the UK's leading native woodland restoration charities, saplings grew thirteen times faster than control and fertilised trees after 12 months.
Rhizocore is currently active across more than 100 sites in the UK, working with clients ranging from large-scale forest managers to conservation charities. The investment will allow the company to increase supply to meet future demand with existing customers already having purchased 100% of planned 2025/26 capacity.
Antony Yousefian, General Partner at The First Thirty, said:
“Our thesis is simple: soil health is foundational to planetary health. Rhizocore fits perfectly. We invest in technologies that unlock the economic value of soil biology, and this technology proves that boosting soil ecosystems isn’t just good for the planet, it’s also a strong driver of financial returns.”
Issued by Holyrood PR on behalf of Rhizocore Technologies. Please contact info@holyroodpr.co.uk or +44 131 561 2244.
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