Tag: microbes

EXCLUSIVE: Boost Biomes nabs $5m Series A to tap into ecology of microbes

June 25, 2020

Instead of just identifying helpful microbes, Boost wants to explore how microbe ecology may unlock even more benefits for farmers

Andes Ag is integrating seeds with beneficial microbes to combat inherent delivery challenges for biologics

June 9, 2020

You’ve probably heard of microbials used as seed coating and soil amendments but what about incorporating them directly into seeds?

Temasek leads $46m Series B for Ascus Bio’s microbe-based animal feed additives

June 8, 2020

Although microbe-based feed additives are nothing new in animal feed, the space has fallen behind on innovating new solutions.

Pivot Bio raises $100m Series C to meet demand for sold-out nitrogen-fixing microbe product

April 30, 2020

Farmers have been so hungry for the corn and wheat amendments that the startup has sold out multiple times flying in the face of skepticism over microbes’ efficacy.

EXCLUSIVE: MicroGen Biotech raises $3.8m Series A to take heavy metals out of food

April 29, 2020

We’ve seen microbes for crop health but what if they can help prevent dangerous heavy metals from entering food, too?

Carbon marketplace Nori and LocusAg partner to attempt Co2 drawdown on croplands

February 26, 2020

There’s been talk about incentivizing grazing management to sequester carbon but Nori is targeting crop growers through approved practices like Locus’ microbial input

NewLeaf Symbiotics raises $20m Series D to expand offerings to broadacre row crops

February 24, 2020

It also announced some changes to its executive leadership with CEO Tom Laurita stepping down in what it described as a streamlined approach towards advancing commercialization.

Robots, hemp, drastic weather: Farmers Edge’s Wade Barnes shares 2020 ag predictions

January 14, 2020

From traceability to hemp to robots, if Barnes is right, 2020 is going to be a blockbuster year across the agricultural board.

Indigo Ag closes $200m debt round with FedEx, a potential buyer of its carbon credits

January 6, 2020

Indigo says the new capital will support the continued global development of Indigo Grain Marketplace, as well as Indigo Carbon.

SynBio startup Carverr raises $1.9m for microbe-based traceability tech

November 21, 2019

The Brooklyn-based startup will use the funding to test its microbial traceability prototype in a number of pilot projects starting next year.

Plant Response Biotech merges with Koch spin-out in first move of biologicals roll-up

November 18, 2019

Plant Response Biotech has merged with Koch Biological Solutions in the first of a planned series of “rollup” deals for the biological crop input category, AFN can exclusively reveal. Read on to get the scoop on how this deal came about.

NewLeaf & Joyn Bio are Latest Biologics Startups to Partner on Microbes

July 22, 2019

Biologics hold substantial promise for a more sustainable food system, but with millions of microbes to sort through, startups are turning to partnerships to hunt for the most promising strains in the bacterial haystack.

Kapsera Raises €700k for Microbe Encapsulation Technology in Agrinnovation Fund’s 1st Investment

March 26, 2019

Kaspera is focused on the microbe-based biofertilizer and biopesticide markets with patented technology enabling the encapsulation of the microbes.

3Bar Biologics and Pivot Bio Team Up to Crack One of the Biggest Barriers to the Adoption of Biologicals

March 20, 2019

The duo is hoping to smash one of the biggest barriers to biologics adoption by providing farmers with a way to cultivate living microbial inputs on the farm that cannot survive in the current supply chain without cold storage.

Big Food & Beverage Companies Beef up Sustainability Initiatives. Just Marketing? We’ll Find Out

March 15, 2019

General Mills, Anheuser-Busch, and Tyson have announced major sustainability initiatives in recent weeks aimed at encouraging producers to adopt different farming practices while increasing consumer education.

Motif Ingredients Raises $90m Series A to Engineer Alternative Proteins in Ginkgo Bioworks Spin-Out

February 26, 2019

Motif will focus on providing food companies with ingredients for their growing alternative protein product lines in the plant-based and meat alternative space. It will also use Ginkgo’s science and technology to design and engineer new cells to develop other new food formats.

Why did global food giant ADM invest in volcanic microbes?

February 13, 2019

ADM Ventures is purposeful about the types of companies it considers investing in.

How Filament Science is Serving Cannabis’ Budding Microbial Sciences Sector

January 23, 2019

As the cannabis industry continues to expand, growers are looking for ways to increase crop yield and quality.

Zymergen Raises $400m Series C in Largest Ever Upstream AgriFood Tech Deal in US

December 13, 2018

Zymergen is not wholly focused on agriculture but it’s a significant part of its business and drove early demand for its molecular products that aim to replace petroleum-based products and other environmentally-damaging ingredients with a biological alternative.

Billionaire-Backed Fund Invests in Pivot Bio’s $70m Series B to Address ‘One of Largest Sources of GHGs on Planet’

October 2, 2018

“Pivot Bio is addressing one of the largest sources of GHGs on the planet – the potent nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions associated with the use of synthetic fertilizers,” said Carmichael Roberts of Breakthrough Energy Ventures.