Toronto-based Round13 Capital co-founder John Eckert, who will join the company’s board, said he will work with TradeCafe to help digitize the trading of physical protein commodities. (The Logic)

Talking point: TradeCafe was founded in 2015 and has raised $43.5 million so far. It offers global protein producers, processors and distributors a cloud-based platform that conducts, finances and fulfills trades in the industry. The company has conducted more than $1.5 billion in transactions, according to its website. TradeCafe said it plans to use its latest investment to support its global expansion and ongoing research and development. Statistics Canada data released this week found that traditional sectors, such as agriculture, “started out low” in their use of technology and have digitized relatively slowly. The study looked at 2000 to 2002 and 2013 to 2015. Eckert said in a statement TradeCafe “is driving a significant transformation” in an industry where digitization “is long overdue.”