EEkonoke
Ekonoke is a Madrid-based agtech/agbiotech startup that grows climate-resilient hops indoors using hydroponics, IoT, automation and robotics, building facilities next to breweries under long-term supply partnerships. It has raised a Series A round (2022) backed by Corporación Hijos de Rivera (Estrella Galicia) and impact investors, and uses ~90% less water than outdoor hop farming with 12-14 week growing cycles versus a traditional annual harvest.
SectorsAgtech, AgBiotech, Vertical/Indoor Farming, Sustainability, Foodtech
Start-up MapFoodtech & Agtech › Farm production & automation
Founders
A
Ana Sáez García
Co-Founder & COO (Head of Operations)
A
Antonio Rojas García
Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer (Head of R&D)
I
Inés Sagrario
Co-Founder & CEO
Global models 5
PPlenty
United States · www.plenty.ag ↗
Large-scale VC-backed indoor/vertical farming company using controlled-environment agriculture, the closest-scale global analogue to Ekonoke's indoor growing model.
$940MComparable
BBowery Farming
United States · boweryfarming.com ↗
VC-backed indoor vertical farming startup that built high-tech controlled-environment growing facilities, similar hydroponic/automation approach to Ekonoke.
$700MComparable
IInfarm
Germany · www.infarm.com ↗
European vertical/indoor farming company partnering with retailers and food businesses for local growing, comparable to Ekonoke's brewery co-location model.
$600MComparable
880 Acres Farms
United States · www.80acresfarms.com ↗
VC-backed indoor vertical farming operator using automation and controlled environments to grow produce closer to end customers, similar tech stack to Ekonoke.
$370MComparable
AAeroFarms
United States · www.aerofarms.com ↗
Indoor vertical farming pioneer using aeroponic, highly controlled growing systems, the same core indoor-agtech model Ekonoke applies to hops.
$230MComparable
In the same niche 17 others
See all in the Start-ups Map →
Notes: Most funded first
Investors 11
Open as list →E
Eatable Adventures
eatableadventures.com
CCosecha de Galicia (Hijos de Rivera)
A
Alazady España
B
Business Angels
C
César Melo
G
Gonzalo Ramírez-Martiarena
J
Juan Ignacio Amat
L
Leanox Impact Ventures
R
Rafael Serrano
S
Sumitomo Corporation
LLeanox Impact Capital
Funding rounds 3
| Date | Round | Amount | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-07 | No stage disclosed | — |
Lead not disclosed
+1 more
|
| 2022-10-18 | Series A (estimated) | €4.2M |
Cosecha de Galicia (Hijos de Rivera)
+3 more
|
| 2020-08-04 | Pre-seed | €422K |
Lead not disclosed
+5 more
|
News 7
Open as list →| Published | Article |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 |
Ekonoke harnesses indoor hops farming to safeguard beer brewers' supply chains ↗
AgFunderNews
2026-06-08 |
| 2026-01-03 |
La revolución 'indoor' de Ekonoke para proteger el futuro de la cerveza ↗
Economía 3
2026-01-03 |
| 2025-12-23 |
Inés Sagrario, CEO de Ekonoke: 'Nunca le digas a un emprendedor que algo es imposible' ↗
El Diario de Madrid
2025-12-23 |
| 2025-12-11 |
Ekonoke lleva su tecnología de cultivo de lúpulo prémium a Japón de la mano de Sumitomo Corporation ↗
Alimarket
2025-12-11 |
| 2024-12-30 |
Future-Proofing Brews: Welcome to the Era of Climate-Resilient Beer ↗
Sustainable Brands
2024-12-30 |
| 2024-05-17 |
Startup upends traditional beer making with innovative hop cultivation method ↗
The Cool Down
2024-05-17 |
| 2024-03-25 |
Spanish indoor farming startup believes it's cracked the secret to growing climate-resilient hops ↗
Sifted
2024-03-25 |