Aflabox raises US$1.58 million to scale AI platform for 90-second mycotoxin testing

Italian agritech startup Aflabox has raised €1.35 million (US$1.58 million) in seed funding to accelerate the commercialization of its AI-powered food safety platform, which enables mycotoxin testing, grain quality assessment and contamination monitoring directly within agricultural supply chains rather than in centralized laboratories.

• Aflabox secured €1.35 million (US$1.58 million) in seed funding to scale its AI-powered platform for rapid mycotoxin testing and food safety monitoring across agricultural supply chains.
• The company reported that its portable system delivered digital test results in less than 90 seconds using UV imaging, white-light imaging, artificial intelligence and cloud-based analytics.
• The funding will support certification, AI development, manufacturing, commercial expansion across Africa and Europe, and the construction of a dedicated micro-factory.

The equity investment was completed through FoodSeed, the agrifood accelerator within CDP Venture Capital's National Accelerator Network managed by Eatable Adventures, with participation from Farming Future, the National Agrifood Tech Technology Transfer Hub promoted by CDP Venture Capital SGR in partnership with ToSeed & Partners.

Founded by Luca Alinovi and Fabrizio Cardillo, Aflabox has developed what it described as a field intelligence platform that combines portable hardware, UV and white-light imaging, artificial intelligence, geolocated data collection and cloud-based dashboards. The company reported that each scan generated a digital, shareable result in less than 90 seconds while contributing to a growing database used to monitor contamination, quality, commercial value and food safety risks across agricultural commodities.

Unlike conventional mycotoxin testing, which often depends on specialized laboratories, benchtop instruments and trained personnel, Aflabox's platform was designed to move testing directly to farms, collection centers, storage facilities, processing plants and export operations. The company said this enabled faster decision-making by farmers, traders, food manufacturers, exporters and public agencies.

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain fungi that can contaminate crops including maize, cereals, flour, seeds, dried fruit and animal-derived products. Among them, aflatoxins are considered one of the most significant global food safety risks because of their impact on human health, commodity quality, trade and market access.

Aflabox said the platform analyzed samples using UV and white-light imaging before processing the data through artificial intelligence models to generate rapid digital results. Beyond individual analyses, each scan became a geolocated data point that could be aggregated over time to produce regional contamination and quality maps, strengthen supply chain traceability, improve export readiness and support national food safety programs.

The company said farmers could use the technology to assess crop quality in the field, while collection centers, commodity aggregators and traders could make more informed purchasing and storage decisions. Food manufacturers and exporters could use the data to strengthen quality control and traceability, while governments, public institutions and international organizations could use the information to identify areas facing the greatest contamination risks and plan food safety interventions.

José Luis Cabañero, CEO and Founder of Eatable Adventures, said: "Aflabox represents a concrete example of how technology and innovation can help make agrifood supply chains safer, more efficient and more transparent. The team has developed a solution with strong potential for growth and impact, capable of addressing a significant need at the international level. We are pleased to support the company in this new phase of development, backing its industrial and commercial journey."

According to the company, the funding will be used to complete validation and certification of the device, strengthen the AI platform, improve detection accuracy and establish a micro-factory dedicated to manufacturing Aflabox systems. The investment will also support commercial expansion in Kenya, Nigeria and Italy, broaden the company's distribution network across Africa and Europe, and expand its team.

Aflabox also disclosed that it had already supplied 20 devices to the World Food Programme in Kenya and had introduced the technology commercially during the Cereal Millers Association Annual Technical Conference in April 2026. The company added that it had completed an initial phase of AI validation and filed a patent covering its technology.

The startup was founded by Alinovi, who has more than 25 years of experience in food safety and international development, including serving as an FAO representative and aflatoxin specialist, and Cardillo, whose background spans international business development and industrial projects across African markets.

Cardillo and Alinovi said: "We created Aflabox based on a concrete problem we observed in the field: when testing is distant, expensive and slow, too many decisions across the supply chain are made without reliable data. We want to build a bridge between Italian technology, African supply chains and international markets, transforming agricultural quality into fast, accessible, geolocated data that can be used by businesses, governments and institutions directly where it is needed."

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