Muju Earth began as a research project in the Innovation Design Engineering program at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art’s Innovation Design Engineering programme. For co-founder Ifeoluwa Afolayan, the turning point was learning about the scale of global soil degradation.
“Aeropod began as a thesis,” Afolayan tells AgTechNavigator. “But learning about globally degrading soils changed the trajectory of my life. We didn’t start with a solution – we started with farmers.”
Many told her that while regenerative farming can be more profitable long term, the short-term transition is financially risky. She wanted to help farmers farm more regeneratively without sacrificing yields.
The problem: Soil health vs. farmer economics
Compaction and waterlogging are major barriers to regenerative farming. Heavy machinery and drainage systems can temporarily relieve symptoms but often worsen soil structure and increase costs. Farmers face pressure to adopt regenerative practices, yet abrupt changes – like going fully no-till – can feel financially risky.
Muju Earth’s insight was to prioritise soil physical and biological health first. By restoring pore spaces, oxygen flow, and microbial communities, farmers can maintain yields while reducing costs and inputs, making the transition economically viable.
Nature-triggered soil aeration
The Aeropod is a biodegradable capsule planted alongside seeds. It activates under natural stressors like rainfall and soil pressure triggering a gentle mechanical response that breaks compaction and creates microchannels for oxygen and water flow.
As the Aeropods decompose, they release beneficial microbes and materials that support soil biology, reducing fertiliser dependence and improving long-term soil health. They also act as a delivery platform for biological treatments, nutrients, or even seeds directly into the root zone.
Designed for seamless integration, Aeropods can be placed during transplanting and are being miniaturised for use with standard seed drills.
Cost savings and climate resilience
Aeropods aim to offer a low-cost, scalable alternative to heavy machinery and drainage systems, cutting diesel, labour, and equipment costs. They support non-destructive soil handling, similar to no-till benefits, while gradually rebuilding soil structure and organic matter.
Lab tests have shown 20-40% improvements in aeration and yield in severely compacted soils. Muju Earth estimates up to 60% lower operating costs by reducing machinery passes, fuel use, and inputs. The capsules also help cut emissions from diesel and fertiliser production, while reducing soil carbon losses.
Farmer-led design
Muju Earth’s co-creation approach aims to ensure Aeropods fit real-world workflows. “Aeropods are especially suited for soil types like clay prone to suffocating crops and for sensitive crops like lettuce that are prone to rotting and suffocation,” says Afolayan. The sweet spot is where these two challenges intersect. Some farmers have even suggested Aeropods might allow them to grow high-value crops they’ve never been able to grow before due to soil limitations.”
Next steps: Trials and scale-up
Muju Earth also among the early-stage start-ups showcasing their solutions at REAP 2025, the annual conference of Agri-TechE, the not-for-profit connecting farmers, researchers, technologists, and entrepreneurs to stimulate innovation in agriculture.
It will now conduct UK on-farm trials over the next year to validate commercial performance. Its go-to-market strategy is per-hectare sales through agricultural networks, with plans to license globally to agrochemical manufacturers and partner with governments for large-scale soil regeneration.
The company is also exploring manufacturing partnerships to scale production and keep costs competitive.
A piece of the regenerative puzzle
Aeropod is designed as a bridge technology—helping farmers transition to regenerative practices without sacrificing immediate yields. Muju Earth sees convergence as the future: materials science, biology, and farmer insight working together to heal soils.
“We’re excited by innovations in bio-based solutions and microbial inputs,” says Afolayan. “But these can be slow to act and don’t mitigate short-term risks. Integrating them with our nature-triggered solution could be transformational.”
The bigger vision
Muju Earth’s mission goes beyond one product. It aims to enable economic and ecological sustainability for farmers worldwide. “Anything that places a focus on and strengthens soil structure and biology, reducing dependence on chemicals and heavy machinery, captures our attention, as it has the potential to fundamentally flip the paradigm of farming,” Afolayan concludes.
With trials imminent and partnerships in motion, Muju Earth is positioning Aeropod as a practical lever for regenerative agriculture – not a silver bullet, but a smart, soil-first tool designed to make better farming economically achievable, one season at a time.
Around 40% of the earth’s soil has been degraded, with a track to degrading 90%, warns. Afolayan. “We’re hoping the future of farming will come from convergence,” she explains. “Researchers, contextualising their research and working alongside farmers; bio-smart innovations with the potential to transform farming like Aeropod, where materials science, biology, and data work together to help soils heal themselves.”
