ClearCost lands Series A to drag fertilizer trading into the open
What's the deal? Saskatchewan-based ClearCostDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised a Series A round led by SaskWorks Venture FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with Motiv Ventures participating. The agriculture technology startup, founded in 2024, is building a digital marketplace for bulk fertilizer trading. The companies did not disclose the round size.
What's the endgame? ClearCost's platform combines price discovery, logistics, payments, and settlement into one fertilizer-specific commodity trading and risk-management system. It plans to launch a redeveloped version across North America in the first quarter of 2027.
Why it matters: "Fertilizer is a global commodity that trades in the dark. It deserves a better venue," said chief executive Keith Busch. The pitch: give buyers and sellers tools to manage transaction risk and rein in input costs.
Who's steering it? ClearCost has appointed Ricky Lai as chief technology officer and David Pupo as chief commercial officer ahead of the relaunch. Jeff Linner, chief investment officer at PFM CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which manages SaskWorks, said the team has "a clear vision and roadmap to disrupt the way bulk fertilizer is purchased."
Why now? The round lands amid turbulent fertilizer markets. Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in 2026 pushed prices sharply higher, while later easing in urea prices left buyers facing a mixed, uncertain picture — strengthening the case for price visibility and logistics tracking.
What could go wrong? The funding alone does not prove the platform can improve farmers' purchasing terms at scale. ClearCost still has to execute its 2027 relaunch and win over a market long accustomed to opaque, relationship-driven trading.
The signal: Investors are betting that one of agriculture's largest, least transparent input markets is ready for modern infrastructure. Motiv chief executive Clark Lai framed the opportunity around "transparency, efficiency, and trust" — the same qualities commodity software has already brought to energy and metals.
Read more: fertilizerdaily.com
Image credit: eutrophication&hypoxia
