UM6P Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, has joined Cinch Markets, Ltd. as an investor, strengthening the agritech company’s efforts to scale across Africa. The investment marks a vote of confidence in Cinch’s model of transforming idle and underutilized land into productive, income-generating farms for smallholders in Kenya and Ghana. It also deepens UM6P Ventures’ exposure to tech-enabled, sustainable agriculture that supports resilient and future-ready markets on the continent.
Strategic Partnership to Scale Sustainable Agriculture
The partnership follows a detailed due diligence process in which UM6P Ventures assessed Cinch’s business model, operational performance, and growth potential. Cinch emerged as a strong fit with the fund’s mandate to back transformative technologies that can be deployed at scale in key sectors, including agriculture. The deal is framed by both sides as more than a capital injection, since it combines financial backing with strategic guidance and hands-on support for expansion.
Cinch’s Model for Unlocking Smallholder Value
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Nairobi, Cinch Markets focuses on unlocking value in smallholder assets by aggregating fragmented plots into larger, centrally managed “mosaic” farms. Under this model, Cinch assumes the agricultural and operational risk, investing in infrastructure, professional farm management, and modern agronomy to improve productivity and quality. Smallholder landowners receive lease payments, salaries, and dividends that can increase their annual income by three to six times while retaining ownership of their land and the ability to opt out of leases.
Building Inclusive and Sustainable Farming Systems
Cinch’s approach seeks to tackle structural inefficiencies in small-scale farming while improving outcomes for both producers and buyers. By consolidating land and deploying technology, the company is able to secure contracts with large buyers, provide more reliable supply, and enhance traceability and quality control along the value chain. The company also emphasizes inclusivity and rural employment by hiring a high proportion of women, offering training to smallholders, and contributing to food security and stable income for rural families.
UM6P Ventures Ecosystem and Growth Ambitions
UM6P Ventures operates as the investment arm of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and runs two primary vehicles, a Digital Transformation Startup fund and a Deeptech Ventures fund. The firm invests at pre-seed and seed stages, providing capital, access to top talent, specialized laboratories, and advanced infrastructure, with an active portfolio in agriculture, chemicals, greentech, and healthtech. Through this new partnership, Cinch gains access to the broader UM6P ecosystem, supporting the company’s plans to expand geographically, develop new business lines such as agroforestry, and prepare for a future Series A round under the leadership of co-founder and CEO Alexander Fankuchen and co-founder Richard Gadbois.
Both Cinch Markets and UM6P Ventures present the investment as a strategically aligned step toward scaling sustainable, tech-enabled agriculture across Africa. The partnership is expected to help Cinch deepen its presence in Kenya and Ghana, launch new services, and strengthen its value proposition to smallholders and institutional buyers. As the company enters its next phase of growth, the backing and ecosystem support from UM6P Ventures position it to build more productive farms, higher incomes for rural landowners, and a more resilient agricultural landscape on the continent.