Aflabox Secures €1.35 Million Funding to Expand AI-Powered Aflatoxin Detection in Africa and Europe

Aflabox, an innovative Italian AgTech startup, has successfully secured €1.35 million in Seed funding to advance its mission of transforming food safety through accessible, affordable, and efficient aflatoxin detection.

This funding round, led by FoodSeed, a program within CDP Venture Capital’s National Accelerator Network focused on agrifood startups and managed by Eatable Adventures, also saw the participation of Farming Future, a National Agrifood Tech Technology Transfer Hub in collaboration with ToSeed & Partners.

Co-founders Fabrizio Cardillo and Luca Alinovi shared their motivation behind creating Aflabox, stating, “We established Aflabox in response to a real-world issue we witnessed firsthand: the lack of timely and cost-effective testing leading to decisions being made without reliable data along the supply chain.”

Their vision is to bridge Italian technology with African supply chains and global markets, converting agricultural quality into fast, accessible, geolocated, and actionable data for businesses, governments, and institutions where it is most needed.

Founded in July 2024 by Alinovi and Cardillo, Aflabox has developed a portable platform that combines UV imaging, artificial intelligence, and geolocated data to detect mycotoxins, evaluate grain quality, and pinpoint risks across agricultural supply chains.

The company emphasizes the harmful effects of mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins, on global food safety, impacting human health, product quality, commodity commercial value, and market access domestically and internationally.

Aflabox aims to address the current limitations in aflatoxin testing, which often require specialized labs, equipment, trained personnel, and extended processing times, hindering effective intervention in high-risk areas like rural regions and collection centers.

The startup differentiates itself by offering a field intelligence platform that integrates portable hardware, UV and white-light imaging, AI, geolocation data collection, and cloud-based dashboards. Each scan generates a digital result in under 90 seconds, contributing to a database for monitoring quality, contamination, risk, and commercial value of agricultural products.

The system utilizes UV and white-light imaging to analyze samples, AI models for processing information, and generates digital outputs useful for various stakeholders including farmers, aggregators, food processors, traders, exporters, public institutions, and international organizations.

Aflabox’s solution enables farmers to assess crop quality on-site, supports purchasing and storage decisions for collection centers and traders, enhances quality controls and market access for food companies and exporters, and assists governments and international organizations in planning food safety programs and monitoring contamination risks.

The company has already deployed 20 devices to the World Food Programme in Kenya and presented its technology at the Cereal Millers Association Annual Technical Conference in April 2026. Aflabox has completed an initial validation phase for its AI technology and filed a patent application for its solution.

José Luis Cabañero, CEO and Founder of Eatable Adventures, praised Aflabox for its potential to enhance agrifood supply chains globally, noting the company’s impactful solution and growth prospects. The support from Eatable Adventures will help Aflabox in its industrial and commercial expansion.

Headquartered in Italy and operating in Nairobi through Aflazero Ltd, Aflabox serves Africa and Europe, with plans to utilize the funding to transition from technological validation to industrial and commercial development. The capital will facilitate device validation, enhance commercial presence in Kenya, Nigeria, and Italy, and establish a micro-factory for device production.

Additionally, the funding will be allocated to improve the AI platform, enhance detection accuracy, expand the distribution network across Africa and Europe, and strengthen the team.

In summary, Aflabox’s innovative approach to aflatoxin detection and food safety holds significant promise for transforming agricultural supply chains, ensuring safety, efficiency, and transparency. With a focus on technological advancement and market expansion, Aflabox is poised to make a meaningful impact in the global agrifood industry.