Biographica’s ‘pharma playbook’ for crops draws seed funding and BASF | Nunhems tie-up
From drought tolerance to disease resistance, Biographica says its AI can slash crop development timelines by five years. Investors and seed giants are buying in
Genomics
Investor profile
Turning agriculture into healthcare: Why The First Thirty is betting €100m on soil-to-health links
Investor Naeem Lakhani believes fixing human health starts with fixing soils. His agtech fund, The First Thirty, is raising €100m to back companies connecting soil biology, food quality, and human health – powered by AI and collapsing genomics costs
Lighting up LatAm: Seed trait company BioLumic takes UV tech to Brazil, Chile
UV-based seed trait company BioLumic is taking advantage of Brazil’s growing seasons to speed up developing new crop traits and hybrids
Biocentis secures $19M to reinvent insect control with ‘biology-first’ approach
Imperial College London spin-out Biocentis is betting on programmable biology and AI to tackle the global threats posed by insects. It believes its genome engineering platform promises a safer, more sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides and...
Ginkgo and Bayer double down on microbial nitrogen fixation in renewed alliance
Ginkgo Bioworks and Bayer have extended their multi-year partnership to develop microbial nitrogen fixation technology that could reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers
Wild Bio raises $60m to supercharge photosynthesis with AI-powered precision breeding
UK start-up says its breakthrough platform could unlock yield gains in major crops by mimicking evolution and enhancing photosynthesis – now the challenge is scaling it for global seed partners
Genomines raises $45M to grow nickel from plants, not mines
French start-up Genomines has raised an oversubscribed $45 million Series A to scale its groundbreaking approach to metal extraction
Solving clubroot with AI? NRGene Green shares field test data on seed breeding tech
NRGene Green is using AI-based crop genomics to discover traits to address a persistent problem for Canadian canola farmers – clubroot disease
‘I was thinking this is old stuff’... Going retro could be key to the future of food, says plant scientist Mark Tester
Professor Mark Tester has spent the last decade on a quest to engineer crops to grow in the harshest of circumstances. A breakthrough has unlikely roots in decades-old science, he tells Harry Holmes
Pairwise licenses gene-editing platform to Mars to bolster cacao R&D
Cocoa market volatility is making major food producers like Mars rethink their supply chain with the help of agtech
2026 Canola season: Nutrien Ag releases 4 seed hybrids for Western Canadian farmers
Canadian canola farmers grapple with the threat of two serious diseases — blackleg and clubroot — but now have four more seed options to circumvent these challenges
Crop genome start-up Spearhead Bio receives US NSF grant to create corn varieties
Spearhead Bio is taking a glue-and-scissor approach to gene-editing with its proprietary TAHITI technology
Sector crises illustrate curse of ‘tech looking for the problem’
What explains the troubles facing Dutch plant health start-up Plense Technologies, which is winding down, and French robotics firm Naïo Technologies, which has entered receivership?
Solynta unpeels the transformative potential of hybrid potato tech
A year on from the commercial release of its hybrid true potato seed varieties in Kenya, trials have delivered 3-4x the yield of local varieties. It is now eying other markets, it tells AgTechNavigator. But it’s a slow business to bake
Combatting citrus greening: Triple Helix advocates for agtech innovation, government support
Triple Helix’s latest report advocates for government action to spearhead agtech innovation and investment to tackle a host of agriculture challenges, including citrus greening
‘There are so many things we can do with this’... Terrana Biosciences to unleash RNA-based crop protection
Flagship Pioneering – the US company behind RNA-based vaccine maker Moderna and ag trailblazers Indigo and Inari – has unveiled Terrana Biosciences after four years in stealth. Its RNA platform has a host of potential applications in agriculture, Terrana...
5 agri-food start-ups selected for Eatable Adventures’ Raíces accelerator
Agri-food accelerator Eatable Adventures selected Nunatak, Sciphage, The Food Chainers, Bee Technology and Koji to join its inaugural Raíces programme, which is supporting the growth of Latin American and Spanish start-ups
CropLife CEO demands ‘consistent’ policy on genome editing to boost productivity
CropLife International President and CEO Emily Rees wants improved global value-chain cooperation to address geopolitical volatility and ensure future food productivity
Debate over gene editing in organic farming intensifies
Researchers have called for the EU to allow new genomic techniques (NGTs), such as gene editing, in organic farming. They argue this could help achieve the European Green Deal’s target of 25% organic agriculture by 2030, sparking renewed policy debate...
Can an engineered probiotic tackle necrotic enteritis? Yes, says BiomEdit
Company looks to neutralize key toxins produced by C. perfringens
Does US approval of PRRS-resistant pigs signal a new era for livestock innovation?
‘Beyond disease resistance, the technology also reduces the susceptibility of pigs to secondary bacterial infections’
Cobb-Vantress ramps up R&D investment to fast-track genetic gains
Cobb leveraging precision data collection, and improved prediction models to stay ahead in broiler performance
Genus PIC awaits FDA OK as global approval push for PRRS-resistant pigs intensifies
Disease continues to cause significant economic losses across global pork production systems
WATCH: David Friedberg – ‘Ignore the downturn, transformative tech will always make returns’
The agtech pioneer – now CEO of Ohalo Genetics – tells us why he’s relaxed about the tougher funding environment; why he fears ‘someone’s gonna get hurt’ by the Trump tariffs; and why he’s ‘all in’ on his seed breeding start-up.
AI and gene editing poised to boost ‘stagnating’ corn yields: Inari
With cumulative equity raised of more than $720 million, seed design start-up Inari is attracting significant support from investors. We caught up with Inari CFO Lara Smith Weber to learn more about the company’s innovative technology and asset-light...
Iyris on the plant science innovation helping to combat climate change
Iyris, a Saudi-based start-up, discusses a polyploid grafting technique that it believes could open up new possibilities for farming in hot climates, making crops such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers more resilient to challenging environmental conditions.
BetterSeeds appoints CRISPR pioneer to address ‘critical bottleneck’ in crop gene editing
Israel-based BetterSeeds, which uses CRISPR gene-editing technology to genetically improve crops and design better seeds, has appointed Professor Virginius Šikšnys to its Scientific Advisory Board to ‘unlock CRISPR’s full potential’.
Google spinout Heritable Agriculture brings AI to crop breeding
Heritable Agriculture, an idea conceived inside Alphabet’s semi-secret research and development ‘moonshot’ facility (or Google X), has emerged from stealth to focus on advancing plant breeding and biotechnology.
Public ‘largely supportive’ of new genomic techniques in ag, claims Leaps by Bayer
Bayer’s impact investment unit has announced the results of one of the largest global surveys of society’s attitudes toward new technologies, including NGTs.
Can upcycled poultry wastewater be used in yeast production?
Study shows potential route to nutrient recovery from poultry processing waste
The challenges genomic selection has to overcome to revolutionise fruit, vegetable crop breeding
Genomic selection (GS) has shown promise in enhancing fruit and vegetable crops but significant challenges remain, limiting its full potential in the sector, says new research.
Gene editing promises to futureproof the wine sector
Gene editing technology could help the global wine industry combat the effects of climate change, says Lithuanian specialist Caszyme.
Watch: Farms are crying out for innovation, says UK-Agri-Tech Centre CEO
Farmers are not resistant change, says Phil Bicknell, CEO at the newly merged UK-Agri-Tech Centre. But the “three Cs” of communication, collaboration and cash are needed to help them adopt newer sustainable practices.
Watch: BASF on innovation, regulation and collaboration
Progressive regulatory frameworks, together with more collaboration with data, are needed to scale effective innovation, says BASF’s Neil Key.
Watch: Gates Ag One discusses the tech solutions on its radar
The innovation being eyed by Gates Foundation's agtech arm has potential to be deployed in richer nations, says Trey Key, its director of business development. But he warns that ag requires more time for technology integration compared to other sectors.
Last chance to register for FREE webinar dissecting Asia’s growing agri-food ecosystem
AgTechNavigator's FREE AgTech Innovation and Investment – APAC editorial webinar takes place on November 6. Register your attendance today so you don’t miss out. The event will start on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 5:00 PM SGT (Singapore).
Gene editing set to boost Africa’s pressured yam production
A project by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, in partnership with US tech company Pairwise, will employ gene editing to support the yam in industry in Nigeria and wider region.
Overheard at World Agri-Tech – 11 talking points for the sector to ponder
From regen ag to AI and biologicals… what’s hot and what’s not in agtech? This and much more was discussed at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London.
Plant breeders want unified global policy on genome-edited crops to boost food security
International Seed Federation members are calling for harmonised regulations on new breeding technologies such as genome editing to accelerate impactful innovation.
Pairwise gets new investment to accelerate crop breeding with gene editing
Pairwise, the US technology company using gene editing to improve plant breeding in specialty and commodity crops, has closed a $40M Series C funding.
'Seasonality can kill you as a company': Can a new standards framework help bring successful products to market quicker?
A new standard-setting playbook edited by Leaps By Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer, aims to spur innovation and investment across the sector.
Innovation Insider Country profile
India: Are the bets back on?
After the crisis in funding in 2023, India’s agtech landscape is adjusting. But can investment be directed to the right places? Harry Holmes investigates.
First plant sustainability index launched to cut environmental impact of growing crops
Global genetic improvement consultancy AbacusBio has launched what it calls the world’s first sustainability index for plants to help reduce the environmental impact of growing crops.
BioLumic sheds light on its UV tech as it partners with seed majors
BioLumic is partnering with seed companies including Beck's Hybrids, Peterson Corn Genetics, Peterson Farms Seed, Breeder Direct to use its light-activated technology on a wide range of inbred and hybrid corn lines aiming to enhance their productivity....
EU food industry pushes for transparency in gene editing regulations
Over 370 food companies and retailers from 16 countries are urging the EU Agriculture Council to prioritize transparency, labelling, and fair competition in the forthcoming regulations on NGTs.
Can a cacao gene atlas help solve the cocoa crisis?
Mapping the genome of every cacao tree on the planet is the first step to developing elite high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties say researchers
Startup modulating the rumen microbiome to suppress methane
Australian company Bovotica is pioneering technology aimed at modulating the rumen microbiome to reduce methane emissions in cows while simultaneously boosting production efficiency.
Potato innovation’s ‘golden age’ reveals latest breakthrough
Scientists claim to have made a significant breakthrough in agricultural biotechnology by using CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the potato genome, resulting in plants with increased resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses.
Inside a billion dollar deal: Why Merck acquired Elanco aqua health
Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside North America, has completed its acquisition of Elanco's aqua business, a deal it claims will bolster its leadership within that sector.
Climate resilient crops: Scientists hail benefits of zinc, while ‘world's first’ gene-edited cowpea gets US approval
Zinc can make crop yields more climate-resilient, particularly for legume crops, according to new research. Separately, Israeli BetterSeeds has achieved USDA approval for the world's first gene-edited cowpea.