a plant’s natural immunity. The Ithaca, NY, company aims to use those molecules to develop crop protection products. Ascribe’s first product is a seed treatment developed to combat Rhizoctonia, a soil-borne fungus that causes roots to rot. Ascribe is trying to raise $1.7 million to continue its work.
—Beonics Feed Supplements. As pressure mounts to reduce the use of antibiotics in farm animals, Beonics Feed Supplements is trying to improve animal health with a supplement that’s added to a chicken’s diet. The South Africa-based company says its product, Vivocare, suppresses growth of gram-negative bacteria—which are hard to treat because of a tough cellular wall that resists antibiotics, reduces opportunities for infection, and enhances the immune system. Though Beonics targeted chickens first, CEO Ernst Thompson says his company is also testing its product in swine and fish. Beonics is raising $1 million as it prepares to enter the U.S. market.
—Epicrop Technologies. Lincoln, NE-based Epicrop Technologies aims to improve crop yields through epigenetics, turning genes on or off without altering DNA. The company says its technology can create more epigenetic diversity compared to traditional breeding techniques. As an example, CEO Mike Fromm cited tomato plants epigenetically improved to tolerate heat. In field trials, those plants showed more stress tolerance and produced higher yields. Epicrop is preparing for field trials with the goal of parlaying the data into partnerships with seed companies.
—Glean. Snow Hill, NC-based Glean is targeting the segment of consumers who have allergies to wheat or gluten. The startup uses dehydration techniques to produce flours made from vegetables. The vegetables Glean uses are ones that never make it to the market due to their odd size and shape. Its products include flours made from sweet potatoes and pumpkins. Glean is selling direct to consumers but is also pursuing contracts with grocery stores and food service companies.
—Pheronym. San Francisco and Gainesville, FL-based Pheronym is developing products that use pheromones to control crop pests. Co-founder and chief operating officer Karl Schiller says that his company’s pheromones direct nematodes to target insects rather than plants. Pheronym has completed greenhouse trials and the company is now raising $750,000 to scale up its production.
—Rx Maker. Even in 2018, the way that many farmers get information about the soil and topography of land is from old soil survey maps that predate the digital age. Durham, NC-based Rx Maker has developed software that uses machine-learning techniques to classify soils by type. That information can be used to help make decisions about how to manage a farm. Rx Maker is a spinout of Ag TechInventures, a Durham agtech lab for startups.
—Induction Food Systems. Facilities that process large batches of food use heating systems to kill pathogens that could cause spoilage. But these heating systems are energy intensive and inefficient. Durham-based Induction Food Systems has developed a system that uses an induction heating coil bring a food or liquid to a hot temperature more quickly and evenly. IFS’s early funding came from NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which were interested in finding ways to make food processing more efficient while also taking up a smaller footprint.
—Innate Immunity. Santa Fe, NM-based Innate Immunity is developing therapies for diseases affecting both plants and humans. Co-founder and chief scientific officer Goutam Gupta says that his company’s treatments are intended to strengthen a host’s immunity in order to counter a pathogen. Innate’s first targets are high-value crops, including grapes, tomatoes, and pears. The company is conducting field trials in partnership with wine companies.
—Vermont Energy Control Systems. In food operations, proper humidity can preserve quality and help avoid spoilage of food. But sensors fail in high humidity and controls of any kind can be too expensive for small food operations, says Bill Kuhns, director of product development for Vermont Energy Control Systems. The company’s sensors, controllers, and other equipment were developed to give food companies precise control over the humidity conditions in a facility.
Public domain photo by Flickr user U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
