Zebra Impact Ventures

Happy Thanksgiving to our US Portfolio companies AgroSpheres & Micropep Technologies!!!! Enjoy the holiday!

Corteva Agriscience Announces Breakthrough Hybrid Wheat Technology Corteva has announced a breakthrough in wheat production, unveiling a new non-GMO hybrid wheat technology that overcomes challenges previously limiting the adoption of hybridization in wheat. While hybrid technology has been transformative in crops like corn, wheat production systems have faced barriers to its consistent and cost-effective use. Corteva’s hybrid wheat technology would offer several advantages: -> Higher Yields: Trials indicate a 10% increase in yield potential, helping farmers optimize productivity on existing farmland. -> Drought Resistance: In water-stressed environments, the hybrid wheat yielded 20% more than elite varieties, offering resilience amid changing climate conditions. -> Faster Germplasm Development: The technology enables the scale-up of parent seed production, accelerating the release of elite varieties. Sam Eathington, Corteva’s Chief Technology and Digital Officer, stated: “Pioneer introduced hybrid corn in the 1920s, driving a 600% increase in average yields. With this new technology for wheat, we’re poised to bring similar benefits to another core crop.” Read more here -> https://lnkd.in/gR-kF4EF *************** 🌟 Follow us for daily AgTech updates 📬 Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly insights: agtechdigest.com

AgroSpheres, one of C&EN's #10StartUpsToWatch, engineers microbes to produce a small, spherical shell that encapsulates biomolecules such as proteins, metabolites, and RNA.

Many thanks to Adrian Percy for the fruitful discussion & great visit around North Carolina State University PSI as a nexus for unbridled innovations in plant sciences & Agriculture more globally. NC State is taking on these and other grand challenges for agriculture and society through the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI): a massive research effort that puts experts from across university’s disciplines like engineering, bioinformatics, the plant sciences together in a team-based environment. Growers and big Ag corporates are also closely consulted along the way as NC PSI deliver innovations they request and need to improve their business and PSI researchers develop the never-before-seen technologies, crop varieties, management practices and other innovations meant to supercharge the world’s agricultural productivity. So much synergies with Zebra Impact Ventures….can’t wait to build on! #agribusiness #agriculture #innovation Mirabaud Asset Management.

While other less mature markets around the globe may be growing at a faster pace, there’s no denying that the U.S. remains a highly appealing market for biologicals companies. Richard Jones, Vice President, Content and Client Engagement for DunhamTrimmer, an AgriBusiness Global contributor, asked DunhamTrimmer’s Mark Trimmer, President and Founding Partner, and Manel Cervera, Managing Partner and Chief Commercial Officer, to offer their insights on the U.S. market and discuss opportunities this region offers for companies looking to market biocontrol and biostimulant products: #agriculture #sustainableagriculture #biocontrol #agribusiness Zebra Impact Ventures Mirabaud Asset Management Micropep Technologies AgroSpheres https://lnkd.in/e9kDsuRq

From first joining #WorldAgriTech as a delegate, to being a featured start-up in 2019 and now partnering with us in 2025, Micropep Technologies’ success has skyrocketed to new heights. The company made headlines this year after closing $29M Series B and unveiling its discovery platform, which increased to $40M following investment from Corteva Agriscience. Hear from Founder & CEO, Thomas LAURENT as he shares recent key milestones, commercialization, and how to navigate the challenging economic landscape.

The discovery of microRNA by Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun earned them this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. This groundbreaking discovery has been pivotal in shaping new approaches to gene regulation and has inspired a new breed of innovative projects—Micropep Technologies, one of our portfolio companies, is a prime example. At Micropep, their pioneering work with microRNA and micropeptides is driving the development of sustainable solutions for agriculture. This cutting-edge technology, led by Jean-Philippe combier, is poised to revolutionize plant health and crop resilience. As investors, we are proud to support Micropep in their journey to reshape the future of farming. 🌍✨ #SustainableAgriculture #NobelPrize #MicroRNA #Sparkfood #Innovation

Our Investment Manager Pierre Jouve Chergui will attend the Norrsken impact week in Barcelona next week 🇪🇸 . Impact Week is an annual summit dedicated to defining the critical problems of our time and enabling solutions to them.  This November, the event will gathering 1000+ of the world’s top founders, investors, business leaders and policymakers, for Impact Week #5. We are exciting to bring our views on #agritech investments trends! Let's keep in touch 🌾 🚜 👨🌾 #sustainableagriculture #agriculture #impactinvesting Zebra Impact Ventures Mirabaud Asset Management Norrsken Barcelona

Portfolio insights: Novel biomolecule companies, like AgroSpheres, can be the segment that sets the new bar in terms of agtech exits. Insightful article from Shane Thomas AgroSpheres, a biotechnology leader in sustainable crop protection and crop health, and BASF, a global leader in agricultural solutions, are excited to announce their strategic partnership on a category defining novel bioinsecticide. The companies are working together to develop biological crop protection products leveraging AgroSpheres AgriCell-powered biomolecules. Both companies are encouraged by the levels of efficacy that have been demonstrated at low dose rates to control key agricultural lepidopteran pests. AgroSpheres announced a partnership with strategic investor FMC earlier this year on a bioinsecticide. AgroSpheres also has biofungicide molecules, which just received EPA registration in September. AgroSpheres started with and has encapsulation technology that helps formulate and deliver novel biomolecules, like RNA or proteins in products known as AgriCell. I reached out to AgroSpheres CEO Payam Pourtaheri and CTO Ameer Shakeel to ask a few questions about the agreement and they shared that the decision was made by BASF after rigorous internal testing and that the results showed two key things: 1. The AgriCell is essential to realize the performance AgroSpheres molecules can deliver. 2. AgriCell-biomolecules outperformed the best bioinsecticide in the world for one particular subclass of Lepidoptera pests at low use rates. When I asked them whether this announcement has applications from both a performance and economic viability perspective to commodity row crops the answer was yes. BASF is likely better described as patient and calculated rather than as a laggard in the biomolecule space and my expectation is that they do acquire someone eventually, or multiple companies, in this realm as they better understand performance, potential etc. That’s what piques my interest around whether novel biomolecule companies, like AgroSpheres, can be the segment that sets the new bar in terms of agtech exits. AgroSpheres recently completed an extended Series B, that according to Mergermarket valued the company at $140 million USD. Within that article it was stated that AgroSpheres expects their EPA registered biofungicide line alone to produce annual revenue of $8 - $10 million in “three years or so” which doesn’t include additional products that might be introduced or the revenue from agreements with companies like BASF Agricultural Solutions and FMC Corporation. Their formulation and molecule IP, high efficacy, partnerships and real revenue can tip the scales and make them an exit unicorn (or close to) in the future? #sustainableagriculture #agriculture #biomolecules Mirabaud Group Mirabaud Asset Management Zebra Impact Ventures

Congrats to our portfolio company AgroSpheres and fantastic team Ameer Shakeel & Payam Pourtaheri: "AgroSpheres, a biotechnology leader in sustainable crop protection and crop health, and BASF Agricultural Solutions, a global leader in agricultural solutions, are excited to announce their strategic partnership on a category defining novel bioinsecticide. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in sustainable agriculture solutions aimed at enhancing crop protection. The companies are working together to develop biological crop protection products leveraging AgroSpheres AgriCell-powered biomolecules. Both companies are encouraged by the levels of efficacy that have been demonstrated at low dose rates to control key agricultural lepidopteran pests. Both companies are committed to working together to develop innovative and sustainable crop protection products that will increase the choices available to farmers to manage pests and support optimal productivity." #sustainableagriculture #agriculture #bioinsecticide Zebra Impact Ventures Mirabaud Asset Management Mirabaud Group