Robigo and Leaps by Bayer Announce Series A Financing to Advance Engineered Biologicals That Protect Yields and Reduce Costs
Robigo’s engineered microbes for combatting Sudden Death Syndrome in soybeans match the performance of commercially
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Robigo, a biotechnology company engineering no-compromise biological solutions for crop protection, today announced a Series A funding led by Leaps by Bayer with participation from Illumina Ventures, SVG Thrive, Congruent Ventures, and Endeavor8. The round will accelerate the commercial launch of engineered microbial biopesticides combatting fungal diseases in soybeans and specialty crops in the United States, making these biologicals economically viable without sacrificing performance. The round will also support Robigo’s pipeline expansion to target additional soil-borne pathogens in broadacre crops, tapping into an addressable market of $10 billion.
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A comparison of a Robigo-treated crop and a standard commercial crop.
Biologicals, which have long been hailed as the next frontier in agriculture, add another tool to expand the farmer’s arsenal of technologies for targeted pest and disease control. The economic toll of crop disease is staggering, and new solutions to combat this are needed. Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soybeans alone causes an estimated $200–$500 million in annual losses for U.S. soybean farmers, and effective chemistries are costly and limited. Meanwhile, fusarium wilt is currently the #1 disease problem for lettuce and berry growers, making Robigo’s solution an excellent addition to their crop protection toolbox.
Robigo’s solutions to address crop diseases are rooted in a fundamentally new approach that leverages synthetic biology to precisely engineer the genetics of living microbes, giving them the traits needed to consistently control pests and disease. The company’s ARGO™ platform delivers rapid programmability with computationally designed active ingredients, enabling novel modes of action that silence the pathogen’s essential genes. The platform delivers unparalleled speed, shortening development from computational design through microbe engineering, lead validation, and field testing to under 20 months, compared with an industry norm of three to five years.
Robigo’s engineered microbes are applied as a one-time treatment and continuously produce and deliver ARGO™-designed active ingredients where the plant needs them most. This approach provides season-long protection with no change to grower practices.
“At Robigo, we believe in building on nature’s foundation to engineer biological products that match or exceed the performance of today’s chemistries. Growers shouldn’t have to choose between a product that works and one that’s affordable or sustainable,” said Dr. Andee Wallace, Founder & CEO of Robigo.
“The scalability of the ARGO™ platform is what sets Robigo apart,” said Dr. Juergen Eckhardt, EVP and Head of Leaps by Bayer. “They are not just developing a single product but rather building an engine that can rapidly address diverse soil-borne pathogens across broadacre crops. Robigo’s pipeline of crop protection programs targets urgent, devastating diseases and offers a strong complement to Bayer’s crop protection portfolio. Robigo is moving quickly to provide farmers with the tools they need to protect their livelihoods, reduce environmental impact, and ensure a more resilient food system.”
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About Robigo:
Robigo is crop protection without compromise. Powered by its proprietary ARGO™ platform, Robigo engineers biological solutions that outperform synthetic chemistries while delivering healthier soils and supporting a more resilient food system.
www.robigo.bio
About Leaps by Bayer:
Leaps by Bayer aims to solve ten huge challenges or ‘Leaps’ through scientific breakthroughs. As the strategic investment unit of Bayer, Leaps has invested over $2.1 billion in more than 65 companies innovating emerging platforms and technologies in health and agriculture. www.leaps.bayer.com
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