The OP commented both in the post and the comments that date syrup would make a suitable alternative. I've kept the leftover soaking water from dates and used it in my muesli (which is obviously neither raw nor vegan but it is very yummy), but I'm not sure how it would work by mixing dates and water together. I guess I'm hesitant because I can't think of how to mix the two without ending up with lumpy mush. I like agave because it's kind of a glue as well as a sweetener. I know that by grinding up flax seed into a powder and then mixing it with water, it can become egg-like and is used in a lot of vegan baking recipes as an egg alternative. Maybe flax-water could be the glue so that we don't end up with crumbles, and the date-water could be the sweetener? Or maybe raisin or fig-water?

Since dried fruit is usually quiet sweet, maybe also something like dried strawberries and water could be mixed if the dish is a strawberry-centred one? Or rasberries? Apricots maybe? Don't think you can dehydrate rockmelon or watermelon, but if you could (and I think I'll have to give it a try sometime), they'd totally be awesome sweeteners.
I don't know, just thinking (typing?) out loud here.

I'm totally intrigued by the maple sugar mentioned in the post, but I'm just wary of all of my food having a maple flavour, because I think my tastebuds would get bored.

I don't know why I feel this way, and it's probably not fair, but I find myself skeeved out by stevia. Mentally I can't help putting it in the same category as Nutra-sweet and those other chemicals masquerading as 'sugar', and I'm really seriously anti-fake food.

And I'm totally with you on homemade things being invariably better than pre-made things, both in taste and in health benefits. And I totally enjoy my food SO much more when I know that it was ME that made it!

Hope most of the companies respond -- I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to say.