Who we are
About us
We're cultivating the future of food and fibre. Dedicated to getting the next generation of farmers into the next generation of farming.
Founding Story
Where it all began
Roots in the Horowhenua
Seb Chapman was born into a farming family from Manakau. Early farm life revolved around feeding grandad's calves, helping out fencing and starting early ventures selling pine cones, fruit, and anything else he could get his hands on.
Life on the dairy farm
After high school Seb took a job on Easton's Dairy Farm out Waitarere Beach. He loved every bit of it: animals, tractors, motorbikes. However looking at the existing pathways having zero exposure to the land asset, the maths to owning a farm just never stacked up.
Sowing the seed in the tractor
With hours to think sitting in the tractor, an idea formed: use an investment vehicle to bundle the whole farm, land and ops under one umbrella and let next generation of farmers join on an equity partnership and buy back shares over time. It meant fully aligned incentives.
Back to school
Seb studied Software Engineering and Economics, the two technical skills needed to execute his vision. He also won the Techstars Startup Weekend overall and design prize.
Seedling is born
Seedling launched its Next Gen Agri LP, actively investing in the next generation of farmers and proving the model that started in a tractor.
"No matter how he did the math, the pathways to farm ownership did not make sense. So he decided to change the math."
Family farm, Corberts Road, Manakau
What drives us
Our Values
Service
We put farmers first. Removing traditional barriers to entry, offering guidance and resources to build successful agricultural careers, and for investors, delivering transparency, communication and value.
Ownership
We believe in the power of skin in the game. Our next gen equity partnerships aren't just a run of the mill EP, they're about leveraging opportunity and aligning incentives between investors and farmers.
Trust
We earn trust by measuring and sharing what truly matters: farm profitability, return on capital, soil health, water, animals, and people. Quality over quantity in transparency.
Holistic
We connect the dots between soil health and farm productivity, clean energy and efficiency, and farmer success and investor returns. Healthy soil leads to better yields. Happy farmers build more productive farms.
The people
Our Team
Craig Palmer
CFO
Cheyne Gillooly
Board | CEO of NZYF - Ex MPI, MBIE and NZX
Seb Chapman
Exec | Founder
Tracy Atkin
Advisor | Finance
Aimee Blake
Advisor | ESG
Jackson Hapeta
Advisor | Banking
Mike Casey
Advisor | Electrification Specialist
Findal Proebst
Advisor | Soil Specialist
Ready to be part of the story?
Join the investors and farmers building the next generation of New Zealand agriculture.