Leaps by Bayer’s PJ Amini pushes back after critics say new Playbook alienates early‑stage innovators
VP PJ Amini says the updated Ag Playbook 2.0 framework is meant to equip founders, not deter them, with clearer data on timelines, costs and development hurdles
Leaps by Bayer has released the Ag Playbook 2.0, expanding the attempt to bring greater transparency to the realities of agtech product development, whilst addressing criticism that last year’s inaugural edition unintentionally sent a harsh message to early-stage innovators.
One venture capitalist’s blunt reaction to the first Playbook: “This space isn’t for you unless you’re prepared to spend $1B” has lingered in the industry. But PJ Amini, VP of Agriculture Venture Investments at Leaps by Bayer and editor of the Playbook, says that interpretation misses the point.
Trump announces biofuel, DEF changes at White House event attended by John Deere, AGCO, Farm Bureau
President Donald Trump revealed changes to biofuel blending and diesel exhaust fluid system sensor requirements at the Great American Agriculture Celebration — all designed to help farmers save money.
The Trump administration hosted a meeting of agricultural stakeholders — including John Deere, AGCO, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), and others — to share several policy changes and advocate for additional support for farmers and the passage of the Farm Bill.
At the Great American Agriculture Celebration, President Trump outlined several initiatives to lower costs for farmers, including removing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) sensors in equipment, and increasing ethanol blending nationwide this summer.
From tomatoes to tech: How Kraft Heinz uses regen ag, AI to secure its supply chain
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) company Kraft Heinz works with farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices and deploy digital farming technologies
Kraft Heinz is known for its iconic ketchup bottles and its blue-and-yellow macaroni and cheese boxes. Those products would not be on store shelves ready for consumers to enjoy without the hard work of farmers, and increasingly, technological investments that are making the CPG giant’s supply chain more efficient and sustainable.
Patrick Sheridan, Kraft Heinz’s, VP global agriculture and seeds, drives the CPG company’s long-term vision for agriculture and the supply chain. Kraft Heinz is not only making its supply chain more efficient but also doing so by helping its farmer partners be more sustainable, Sheridan told AgTechNavigator.
Nematode protection: PI AgSciences receives EPA approval for biochemical, readies U.S. launch
PI AgSciences is expanding the availability of its biochemical for parasitic nematodes from Mexico and Brazil to the North American market.
Ag biological supplier PI AgSciences received EPA approval for its PHC68949 to treat parasitic nematodes, which is expected to launch in time for the 2026 season in the U.S., following state approval, Wes Hays, North America commercial lead for PI AgSciences, told AgTechNavigator.
Initially launched in Brazil and Mexico, PHC68949 is a biochemical designed to protect crops — including corn, cotton, soybeans, potatoes, tree fruits and nuts, and vines — from parasitic nematodes, the company shared. The biological does not actually kill a nematode, but instead, triggers the plant “to turn on all of its defense mechanisms and immune response” to protect against nematodes, Hays explained.
Robotic weeding start-up AgriPass raises $7.5m seed round, partners with Fyeld to expand tech
Agtech start-up AgriPass is gaining commercial traction with its weeding robot, with $1 million in projected revenues for 2026
Israeli agtech start-up AgriPass Robotics completed its seed round with $7.5 million in funding, led by Harbor Venture Consulting and existing investor E44 Climate Ventures, as the company works towards commercialising its robots, including through strategic partners with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Fyled.
Founded in 2023, AgriPass offers mechanized weeders, called Robot of Human Inspired Cultivation (RHIC), which use computer vision coupled with contextual AI to detect and remove weeds at the root level, the company shared. AgriPass’ AI is based on proprietary data, including soil, crop, and agronomy insights, and calculates how best to remove weeds without the use of chemicals, Liron Yanay, CEO of AgriPass, told AgTechNavigator.
UK start-up raises $3.8m to develop safer, next‑gen herbicide to replace glyphosate
Bindbridge aims to commercialise AI‑designed molecular glues that could unlock entirely new herbicide modes of action, with US and Brazil markets seen as the fastest near‑term opportunities
Bindbridge, a Cambridge-based ag‑biotech company, has raised $3.8 million in early-stage funding to accelerate the development of what it claims could become a safer, more effective broad‑spectrum herbicide to replace glyphosate. The start-up uses AI to design “agricultural molecular glues” – small molecules that induce targeted protein degradation in weeds – offering a new mode of action for an industry struggling with resistance, regulatory pressure, and a 30‑year drought in herbicide innovation.
The round was led by Speedinvest and Nucleus Capital, giving the company capital and specialist networks to expand its eight‑person team and scale its discovery platform.
Iran war: Middle East conflict kicks up more uncertainty for 2026 growing season
All eyes are on the Strait of Hormuz, as an ongoing war in the Middle East is putting the agriculture supply chain on edge, with fertiliser supply concerns rising
The agriculture industry is bracing for the potential of supply chain disruptions as the Iran war stretches into its second week, which comes at a crucial time for U.S. growers who are preparing for the 2026 planting season.
The U.S. and Israel bombed Iran in a joint military operation, hitting Tehran and other cities and killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28. The conflict has thus spread to the surrounding region, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey and other countries.
Resurrect Bio brings plant immunity back to life with AI‑driven gene editing
UK start‑up claims competitive edge in race for sustainable crop protection as it accelerates gene‑edited traits for soy, corn, wheat, potato, tomato, spinach – and soon cotton and canola
Resurrect Bio, a Norwich‑based ag‑biotech spun out of The Sainsbury Laboratory, is developing disease‑resistant crops by “resurrecting” native plant immune genes that have been suppressed over time by pathogens. Using gene editing and its proprietary AI platform, FloraFold®, the company aims to offer seed firms a sustainable alternative to chemical crop protection by enabling crops to defend themselves naturally.
Living Models emerges from stealth with $7m to build AI ‘foundation models’ for plant genomics
Paris-Berkeley-based start-up unveils BOTANIC, an open‑weight genomic transformer trained on 43 plant species, and says its approach could cut years from the seed development cycle
Living Models has exited stealth mode with $7 million in seed funding to accelerate the development of AI foundation models for plant genomics, technology it claims could meaningfully shorten crop breeding timelines and expand access to genomic selection far beyond today’s largest seed companies.
The round was co‑led by Asterion Ventures and The Galion Project, joined by Kima Ventures, STATION F and several strategic investors. The Franco‑American company also released its first technical report, published research findings, and made its BOTANIC foundation model openly available on Hugging Face for the scientific community.
Gene‑edited crops draw record investor backing as Tropic lands $105m to scale climate‑resilient bananas and rice
UK agri‑biotech Tropic has closed an oversubscribed $105m Series C, the biggest raise yet for a gene‑edited tropical crops company, as investors double down on CRISPR‑enabled tools to boost yield, fight disease and strengthen climate resilience across food systems
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.
