Rosy Soil raises $3.6 million to create gardening soil from captured CO2

Sustainable soil company Rosy Soil has announced the closing of a $3.6 million seed round that will fuel the company's mission to transform the horticulture industry by creating high-performance soils that capture CO₂.

A news release stated the company was founded in 2022 "to offset the negative environmental impact of producing traditional peat-based potting mixes."

Rosy Soil has rapidly expanded its reach, scaling direct-to-consumer and partnering with major retailers like Target, as well as hundreds of independent plant shops and nurseries across the U.S. The company has a team of researchers, Ph.D. advisers and an in-house soil lab conducting hundreds of plant trials.

With the new funding, Rosy Soil will accelerate its product development efforts, expand its retail footprint and grow its team.

Rosy Soil's investors include Draper Associates, Superorganism, Climate Capital and Boost VC. Rosy Soil is also backed by Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea; Brandin Cohen, founder of LiquidIV; and Ben Chesler, co-founder of Imperfect Foods.

Rosy Soil's alternative to peat-based soil mixes is biochar, a carbon-negative charcoal-like substance created through pyrolysis that enhances plant growth and performance.

"By replacing peat with biochar, Rosy Soil is able to sequester CO₂, mitigating climate change and making it carbon negative," the company said in the news release.

"We're thrilled to announce this significant funding round, which will allow us to scale our operations and bring our sustainable soil solutions to a wider audience," said Chad Massura, founder of Rosy Soil. "By using the power of biochar, we can create healthier plants, healthier soil and a healthier planet."