Vosbor

Vosbor is tackling the antiquated nature of the global agricultural commodities trade by providing the market's first digital trading platform. Founded in 2019 by Maarten Elferink, the Amsterdam-based company aims to transition a sector that still heavily relies on offline methods, like phone and email, to a more efficient, transparent, and secure online environment. The company has successfully secured $7 million in a Seed funding round led by Lux Capital, which underscores investor confidence in its mission.

The firm operates a digital marketplace where trading firms, food manufacturers, and other end-users can connect and trade a variety of bulk agricultural commodities, including corn, wheat, soybean, and palm oil. This platform addresses the significant operational costs and complexities inherent in traditional trading by integrating price discovery, negotiation, risk management, and trade execution into a single interface. By digitizing the workflow, Vosbor reduces risks associated with supply chain disruptions, which have been exacerbated by climate change and geopolitical events. The company is also developing new derivative products to allow for broader participation in commodity markets, including from retail investors, and to offer better hedging tools for industry participants like farmers and millers.

Vosbor's strategic importance is highlighted by the backing of key industry figures, including the former CEOs of Glencore Agriculture and Bunge, who have joined as investors and board members. The platform is built to handle the entire trade lifecycle, from negotiation and execution to post-trade management, such as contract drafting and documentary instructions. It provides key features like real-time market data, secure messaging, perpetual reconciliation of data between counterparties, and accelerated KYC/AML processes. With headquarters in Amsterdam and offices in Singapore and Shanghai, Vosbor is positioned to serve the global nature of the agricultural trade, making markets more accessible and commodity trading more cost-effective.

Keywords: agricultural commodities, agtech, commodity trading platform, digital marketplace, grains and oilseeds trading, physical commodities, supply chain finance, risk management, trade execution, fintech, Amsterdam startup, global trade, food security, derivatives trading, commodity data, market transparency, bulk commodities, soft commodities, agricultural finance, trade logistics