
EXCLUSIVE: Boost Biomes nabs $5m Series A to tap into ecology of microbes
Instead of just identifying helpful microbes, Boost wants to explore how microbe ecology may unlock even more benefits for farmers
Instead of just identifying helpful microbes, Boost wants to explore how microbe ecology may unlock even more benefits for farmers
You’ve probably heard of microbials used as seed coating and soil amendments but what about incorporating them directly into seeds?
Although microbe-based feed additives are nothing new in animal feed, the space has fallen behind on innovating new solutions.
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.
We’ve seen microbes for crop health but what if they can help prevent dangerous heavy metals from entering food, too?
There’s been talk about incentivizing grazing management to sequester carbon but Nori is targeting crop growers through approved practices like Locus’ microbial input
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.
From traceability to hemp to robots, if Barnes is right, 2020 is going to be a blockbuster year across the agricultural board.
Indigo says the new capital will support the continued global development of Indigo Grain Marketplace, as well as Indigo Carbon.
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 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.
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.
Kaspera is focused on the microbe-based biofertilizer and biopesticide markets with patented technology enabling the encapsulation of the microbes.
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.
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 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.
ADM Ventures is purposeful about the types of companies it considers investing in.
As the cannabis industry continues to expand, growers are looking for ways to increase crop yield and quality.
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.
“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.
Biological innovation is key to the economic & environmental sustainability of CEA