As the investment community emerges from a period of market correction, appetite for gene‑edited crops is accelerating, underscored by UK‑based Tropic’s announcement that it has raised $105 million in an oversubscribed Series C round. The company, a pioneer in deploying CRISPR‑like editing tools for tropical crops, said the capital will fund the commercial expansion of its banana and rice product lines and advance a broader pipeline of climate‑resilient varieties.
The round was co‑led by Forbion’s Bioeconomy Fund and Corteva, via its Corteva Catalyst investment platform, with backing from Just Climate, IQ Capital, ABN Amro and Invest International, alongside existing investors including Temasek, Five Seasons Ventures, Sucden Ventures, Genoa Ventures, and Polaris Partners. New board members from Forbion, Corteva, and Just Climate will join Tropic to support its next phase of growth.
The raise comes as many governments around the world are actively updating their regulatory frameworks to accelerate gene-edited crop deployment.
Gene‑edited bananas reach commercial markets as demand outstrips supply
Tropic’s breakthrough year in 2025 laid the groundwork for the raise. The company launched the first new commercial banana varieties in more than 75 years, including its non‑browning banana – named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025 – and an extended shelf‑life banana that prolongs green life by 12 days. Demand for both varieties has exceeded available supply, the company said.
Tropic also advanced its programme targeting Panama Disease Tropical Race 4 (TR4), a fungal disease threatening the $25bn global banana industry. Shipments have already begun to establish commercial mother plantations, enabling deployment from 2027 onwards.
The Series C funding will accelerate high‑volume plant production, bolster global supply chains, and expand strategic partnerships across export markets.
CRISPR‑enabled crops emerge as a magnet for climate‑tech capital
Tropic’s platform builds on a suite of advanced genetic tools, including CRISPR‑based editing and its proprietary GEiGS® technology, enabling precise modifications without introducing foreign DNA. The company aims to use these tools to reduce waste, improve disease resistance, and enhance the climate resilience of staple tropical crops.
Investors say the attraction is clear: gene editing allows crops that were historically difficult, if not impossible, to breed conventionally to be rapidly improved for sustainability, resilience, and quality traits.
“We are entering a new era, one where gene‑edited crops will significantly enhance food security and sustainability,” said Tropic CEO Gilad Gershon.
Forbion’s Joy Faucher said Tropic demonstrates how advanced biotechnology can be applied with precision to planetary health challenges, particularly rising disease pressures and environmental threats too great for conventional breeding to address.
Corteva emphasised the consumer‑facing impact of gene editing, calling Tropic’s non‑browning bananas “a promising example” of innovation reshaping crop options for growers and shoppers alike.
A growing field: gene‑edited agri‑biotech gathers momentum
The Tropic raise is part of a wider trend: investors are looking to agri‑biotech startups using gene editing, CRISPR‑derived tools and other precision breeding techniques to solve bottlenecks in yield, disease resistance, and climate adaptation.
As climate extremes intensify, the capacity to rapidly develop improved seed varieties is seen as critical to global food system resilience. That’s helping drive more capital into companies that can commercialise gene‑edited crops – particularly those targeting high‑value crops such as bananas, rice, coffee and cocoa.
For impact‑driven investors, Tropic’s dual focus on farmer resilience and supply chain efficiency is especially compelling. Just Climate highlighted the environmental benefits: disease‑resistant and longer‑lasting produce reduces waste, cuts methane‑contributing spoilage, and lowers the carbon footprint of transport.
A category‑defining moment for tropical crop genomics
With two commercial products already on the market, expanding demand, and a globally relevant pipeline, Tropic’s raise positions the company as a frontrunner in gene‑edited tropical crops, and signals a broader shift in investor priorities toward climate‑smart crop innovation.
As IQ Capital’s Alex Wilson noted, gene editing is unlocking improvement in crops previously considered “essentially unimprovable,” and the urgency created by threats such as TR4 is only sharpening the industry’s focus.
Tropic’s Series C is one of the strongest signals yet that gene‑edited crops have entered their commercial era.
As part of the financing, Joy Faucher, General Partner at Forbion, Tom Greene, senior director at Corteva, and Siddarth Shrikanth, director at Just Climate, will join Tropic’s board of directors.
Tom Greene, Senior Director at Corteva, said: “Tropic’s non-browning banana varieties are a promising example of how the agriculture industry is leveraging innovation to deliver new and improved choices for farmers and consumers worldwide,” Greene said.
