Through our Space Fund (backed by the UK Space Agency), UKI2S co-led Messium’s £3.3M seed round alongside Expansion Aerospace Ventures.
Nitrogen fertiliser is essential for modern agriculture, but it is also one of the most environmentally challenging inputs. Over 50% of fields across Europe and Australia are fertilised incorrectly, leading to wasted costs, unnecessary emissions, and reduced yields. Addressing this inefficiency is critical for food security, climate goals, and farmers’ profitability. That’s where Messium comes in.
A UK agri-tech innovator, Messium uses hyperspectral satellites and AI-driven crop growth models to provide farmers with precise, field-specific insights into nitrogen use. By replacing guesswork with data, Messium is enabling higher yields, reduced costs, and a lower environmental footprint at global scale.
Messium’s platform combines hyperspectral satellites – capturing hundreds of wavelengths of light – with advanced AI models that integrate weather, soil, and farm management data. This generates a real-time picture of crop health and nutrient needs, delivered as weekly, field-level recommendations for farmers.
Validated with more than 13,000 crop samples, Messium’s system can pinpoint over- and under-fertilised areas within a field. Farmers and agronomists can then adjust nitrogen application precisely, maximising yield, minimising waste, and building resilience in food production systems worldwide.
Through our Space Fund (backed by the UK Space Agency), UKI2S co-led Messium’s £3.3M seed round alongside Expansion Aerospace Ventures.
Raised in seed funding
Invested by UKI2S
Farms already using the platform across the UK and Europe in 2025
This investment will allow Messium to roll out across the UK, Europe, and Australia; expand partnerships with farmers and researchers; and scale its proprietary data and analytics infrastructure.
“Messium represents a leap forward for global agriculture, harnessing hyperspectral satellite imaging, cutting-edge crop science, and innovative analytics all in one offering to address one of the world’s most urgent resource challenges. The impact is significant - from reducing agri-input use and associated water pollution, to increasing yield per hectare for some of the most widely consumed crops.
“Messium is a stellar example of using space data to create a significantly positive impact on people and the planet. As demand for sustainable food production intensifies, scalable, data-driven solutions like Messium’s are essential for building resilience across the agri-food system. We’re proud to back a company with the vision and capability to make a lasting difference on a worldwide scale.”
"Messium’s success demonstrates the transformative potential of space technology in addressing critical global challenges. By integrating advanced hyperspectral satellite data with artificial intelligence, they are enabling farmers to improve yields, reduce input waste, and minimise environmental impact.
“The UK Space Agency is proud to support Messium via the UKI2S space fund. Innovations like this not only strengthen the UK’s space sector, but also contribute to global food security and climate resilience.
“Messium is a compelling case study in how our support, from start-up to scale-up, has helped unlock private investment and accelerate growth.”
UKI2S is proud to back Messium as it scales its platform from successful trials into global commercial deployment. Alongside funding, UKI2S has provided strategic support and introduced Messium to co-investors including Expansion Aerospace Ventures, Mudcake, Laconia, GRDC GrainInnovate and SuperSeed. With strong foundations in both science and space technology, Messium is well positioned to address one of the world’s most pressing agricultural challenges.
The world needs sustainable, data-driven farming solutions – and Messium is delivering exactly that. By combining hyperspectral satellite data and AI, the company is eliminating fertiliser guesswork, boosting farm productivity, and reducing environmental impact. UKI2S is proud to have played a role in supporting Messium’s mission to build a more sustainable and secure global food system.
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