PowerPollen is starting the new year off strong, revealing a partnership with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Oxbo to bring its pollination storage and application technology to more growers in 2026, following a year of commercial growth and technological advancements.
Launched in 2015, PowerPollen offers patented pollen storage devices for corn, wheat, and rice, and expanded its technology with a prototype drone system for autonomous pollination last year, as AgTechNavigator previously reported.
Current PowerPollen license holders can purchase pollination units integrated into Oxbo’s 5180 corn detasseler, which are supported by the OEM’s sales, service, and technical support teams, as shared in a press release.
“We are very much a company that is focused on the science of pollen storage and the biology associated with that, but what we are not is an equipment company. So, while we have prototyped all the equipment that has been designed internally, tested, and scaled, we really needed an equipment partner to go commercial with — to actually produce at mass scale — and then support that technology in the field,” Jason Cope, co-founder and chief intellectual property officer for PowerPollen, told AgTechNavigator.
He added, “Oxbo was a very logical partner. They have a worldwide presence and footprint already in seed production. They are highly thought of by our customers ... and other aspects of seed production, and they have a similar mindset to PowerPollen, and they are pretty aggressive with cutting-edge technology.”
PowerPollen partners for growth inside, outside the U.S.
Building off the early win in 2026, PowerPollen plans to capitalize on commercial progress made in 2025, while also developing new technologies, Cope explained.
On top of the drone system, the agtech company launched a commercial long-term pollen storage product, he noted.
“We were active with a good percent of the market share in corn seed production in North America. When I say a good percent, you are looking at 85% of the market share, and a lot of that entails commercial production work helping to improve the cost effectiveness and reliability of seed production,” Cope elaborated.
The Oxbo partnership not only brings opportunity to expand in North America, but also in countries like Brazil, where PowerPollen wants to gain more expertise before expanding into, Cope explained.
“Brazil is a very different market than North America. [Oxbo has] had a presence in Brazil for quite some time now. So that will help us to not only establish but [also] really accelerate the presence of our technology within these markets,” he added.
Is there opportunities amid the VC slowdown?
Agtech companies rely on partnerships like Oxbo to generate revenue, at a time of sluggish venture capital (VC) funding in the space, Cope explained. PowerPollen closed its Series B round in 2021, raising $7 million to support the commercial launch of its technology.
“Funding continues to be a challenge, so you have to look at different ways to run your business cost-effectively. Partnerships are an important part of that equation, working with other established businesses and really generating synergy between both businesses, which helps you both make it through difficult times,” Cope explained.
Agtech companies that can survive the current funding downturn will be positioned to take advantage when funding and exits resume, Cope noted. Additionally, robotics and automation are gaining investors’ interest due to their AI association, as reported in AgTechNavigator’s 2026 State of VC report.
“There are a lot of companies that are not going to make it through this period,” Cope admitted.
However, “there is going to be a real opportunity, whether you are acquired by a seed company or by private equity, depending on what your business model is. There are some real upsides as well,” he added.
