TEDCO Invests in UfarmX

Maryland-based company uses AI and data analytics to help smallholder farmers access financing, inputs, and markets

COLUMBIA, Md. (November 9, 2026) —TEDCO, Maryland's economic engine for technology companies, announced a $250,000 investment in UfarmX, a Maryland-based agricultural technology and fintech company that uses artificial intelligence and data analytics to expand access to financing, agricultural inputs and market opportunities for smallholder farmers. The investment was made through TEDCO's Pre-Seed Builder Fund, housed under the organization’s Social Impact Funds, which pairs capital with hands-on support. 

“Smallholder farmers were never the risk the system assumed they were. What they lacked was not creditworthiness but visibility, and we built UfarmX to fix exactly that,” said Alexander Zanders, founder and CEO of UfarmX. “Our platform has now individually scored more than 18,000 farmers, and they have repaid at rates most consumer lenders would envy. TEDCO believed in us before the results existed, and their continued backing means a Maryland company is building a financial infrastructure that lets the world finally see its farmers. One farmer, one harvest, one credit score at a time."

Headquartered in Columbia, Md., UfarmxX was founded to address barriers that limit growth for underserved agricultural communities. Through its proprietary platform, the company aims to help financial institutions, suppliers and agricultural partners make more informed lending and procurement decisions, seeking to create pathways for farmers to access resources and participate more fully in local and regional markets.

“The Pre-Seed Builder Fund is designed to support founders developing solutions to challenges that have historically limited access and opportunity,” said Jean-Luc Park, deputy chief investment officer & senior director of TEDCO’s Social Impact Funds. “UfarmX's data-driven approach to agricultural finance aligns with the fund's mission to back investment grade early-stage companies. This is an embodiment of Maryland companies leading the world in innovation.”

TEDCO’s Social Impact Funds are one of several investment opportunities TEDCO offers to qualify technology-focused startups and small businesses across Maryland. For more information, visit our page at www.tedcomd.com/funding.

“Maryland continues to be a leader in fostering innovation across industries, including agriculture and food systems,” said Troy LeMaile-Stovall,  CEO of TEDCO. “The state's ecosystem of entrepreneurs, research institutions, investors and business support organizations creates opportunities for companies like UfarmX to develop technologies that address important challenges and serve communities both locally and globally.”