Sand to Green, a Moroccan agrotechnology startup that turns degraded land into productive farmland, has won a $50,000 grant at the DeepTech Summit 2025, unlocking new funding to expand operations across Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. The company was awarded the prize in the Green Economy category at the summit held on May 8–9 and organised by the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir, Morocco.
The grant highlights the growing investor interest in the agriculture technology-as-a-service (AaaS) sector in Africa. Similar businesses, including South Africa’s Aerobotics, have received similar attention after raising a total of $26.8 million in funding.
The interest in Sand to Green also comes at a time when the Moroccan government and the World Bank, through its Morocco Digital and Climate Smart Agriculture programme and other related ventures, are investing in agrotechnology. By providing much-needed technology to scale farming, investors are buying into startups that can tap into Morocco’s $12.39 billion agriculture market, while still backing technology.
Sand to Green’s model blends satellite-driven land analysis, solar-powered desalination, and regenerative agroforestry to transform arid zones into fertile, sustainable farmlands. The company says the grant will fast-track its expansion plans and deepen its reach in markets highly vulnerable to desertification and climate-driven food insecurity.
“This international recognition is a turning point for us,” said Benjamin Rombaut, CEO and co-founder of Sand to Green. “It confirms that Deep Tech can be a powerful lever for restoring ecosystems, fighting desertification, and offering sustainable economic prospects to vulnerable territories in cooperation with all local actors.”
Founded in 2021 by Rombaut, Gautier de Carcouët, and Wissal Ben Moussa, Sand to Green has raised $1 million in seed funding from investors including Norway’s Katapult and the Catalyst Fund.
The company operates at the intersection of two rising global priorities: climate resilience and food security. According to the United Nations (UN), over 40% of the world’s land is already degraded, affecting half of the global population and costing the world economy up to $6 trillion annually. Due to desertification, Africa loses roughly 3 million hectares of forest and arable land each year. This translates to nearly 3% of Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth being lost yearly from soil and nutrient depletion, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), forcing the continent to spend more than $35 billion on food imports.
Sand to Green’s approach integrates environmental data—soil type, climate patterns, topography—with local agricultural practices to develop customised agroecological systems. Projects are co-developed with rural communities, farmers, and local institutions, a strategy the company says ensures long-term viability and community buy-in.
The company makes money by designing and managing sustainable farms that grow high-value crops like nuts, grains, and herbs. It also earns revenue through consulting, land development, and by generating carbon credits, which it can sell to businesses looking to offset emissions.
Sand to Green operates in Morocco and plans to expand locally in the Tan-Tan region. The agrotechnology startup is backed by NextAfrica, a trans-continental accelerator run by UM6P and Paris-based STATION F, providing strategic support, mentorship, and investor access to startups.
By marrying traditional land stewardship with advanced satellite and water technology, Sand to Green is betting on a model it believes can scale—both economically and ecologically—to meet one of the planet’s most pressing challenges.
Emmanuel Nwosu
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