Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

H.A.R.V.E.S.T.™ AgTech Launches with First Cohort of Seven Startups Pioneering the Future of Agricultural Biologicals

New global program led by The Yield Lab Institute connects breakthrough agtech startups with world-class research institutions to accelerate commercialization of biological solutions

ST. LOUIS, MO — April 16, 2026 — H.A.R.V.E.S.T. AgTech, a global technology validation platform led by The Yield Lab Institute (YLI), today announced the selection of its inaugural cohort of seven startups developing breakthrough technologies to build more resilient, productive, and climate-ready food systems.

Drawn from a competitive, global selection process led by YLI’s network of technical experts and ecosystem partners, the companies will collaborate with leading research institutions including the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI) at North Carolina State University and the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Innovate (UC ANR) program, in partnership with Farmhand Ventures, to validate and accelerate their innovations.

H.A.R.V.E.S.T. represents the next evolution of the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator's (IN2) agtech program, a $55 million initiative that has supported 77 startups, catalyzed more than $3 billion in follow-on funding, generated 18 successful exits, and achieved a 136:1 leverage ratio. The new program builds on this proven foundation while expanding the program’s global reach and technical partnerships.

“The launch of our first H.A.R.V.E.S.T. cohort marks an exciting new chapter for agtech innovation,” said Stephanie Regagnon, executive director of The Yield Lab Institute. “Through this new platform we are bringing together entrepreneurs, scientists, and industry leaders to accelerate the development of next-generation tools and technologies that farmers and food systems urgently need. This inaugural cohort focused on biological solutions reflects the extraordinary breadth of innovation emerging across agriculture today.”

The companies were nominated through YLI’s global network of 17 ecosystem partners and selected following an in-depth evaluation by H.A.R.V.E.S.T.’s independent External Advisory Board.

The selected startups will participate in technical validation projects, commercialization support, and ecosystem connections designed to accelerate real-world deployment of their technologies. This means direct lab and research work for some companies while others are engaged in field trials to evaluate their technologies. 

This work has been made possible through the generous philanthropic support of Breakthrough Energy Discovery. 

Technical Collaboration

Central to H.A.R.V.E.S.T. is its partnership with leading research institutions that help startups validate their technologies in real-world agricultural environments.

Through this program, companies will work with faculty, researchers and facilities at both N.C. PSI and UC ANR to advance their innovations.

“The companies selected for the first H.A.R.V.E.S.T cohort are pursuing technologies that show promise for solving some of the most pressing agricultural challenges our world is experiencing. We are excited about working with them to leverage our faculty’s broad and deep expertise, across an array of disciplines, to accelerate these solutions for a more secure and prosperous future.”

Adrian Percy, Ph.D., Executive Director, North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative

“UC ANR Innovate is excited to collaborate with H.A.R.V.E.S.T. to support innovative biological companies that may contribute to future solutions for California agriculture. Engaging UC ANR’s Research and Extension Centers and advisors adds strong expertise and practical knowledge to help move promising innovations forward.”

Helle Petersen, Interim Director, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Innovate

H.A.R.V.E.S.T. AgTech Inaugural Cohort

The seven companies selected for the inaugural H.A.R.V.E.S.T. AgTech cohort represent a diverse range of technologies addressing some of agriculture’s most pressing challenges:

Agragene

Agragene is an agricultural biotechnology company pioneering sustainable pest control solutions built on its proprietary Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology™ (pgSIT). Agragene’s pgSIT platform, powered by cutting-edge CRISPR-based gene editing to produce sterile male insects, offers growers a cost-effective, environmentally safe alternative to synthetic insecticides.

Impetus Agriculture

Impetus Agriculture has developed two platforms that restore and dramatically enhance the performance of Bt biopesticides, creating novel approaches that overcome insect resistance and broaden the spectrum of biological insect control. The technology enables both topical spray and transgenic applications for major row crops.

Invasive Species Corporation

Invasive Species Corporation discovers and deploys bio-based solutions to control destructive invasive species in water, forestry, and agriculture. The company’s pipeline includes commercial products for invasive mussel and fish control and a bioherbicide platform targeting glyphosate-resistant weeds.

NewLeaf Symbiotics

NewLeaf Symbiotics is a biological technology provider known as the pioneer and global leader of Pink-Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFMs) and methanotrophs, a closely related microbe. NewLeaf has nine technologies on ten crops developed over the last decade and a pipeline backed by more than 250 patents focused on sustainable and yield-based outcomes in crop production. Ranging from row crops to specialty operations, NewLeaf is dedicated to a science-led, performance-driven and data-backed approach that delivers results to its partners and the growers they support.

Pluton Biosciences

Pluton Biosciences is developing a new biological nutrient pathway for agriculture. Its sun-powered microbial systems deliver agronomically relevant amounts of nitrogen and improve phosphorus availability, helping growers strengthen nutrient programs through better timing, retention, and productivity. Designed to integrate with existing practices, Pluton’s solutions support resilient crop production and reduce dependence on volatile global input supply chains.

Prospect Growth

Prospect Growth uses material engineering at the nanoscale to develop and manufacture more efficient fertilizers, with the goal of helping growers increase farm profitability and reduce nutrient inputs. While our modern world depends on synthetic fertilizers, most formulations have seen little change in decades, and we aim to change that.

SugaROx

SugaROx develops next-generation biostimulants based on caged versions of bioactivators that control key metabolic pathways and stress responses within plant cells. Its first product is based on a caged version of trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), a natural sugar that inhibits a famine-signalling enzyme in plants. Field trials have demonstrated that SugaROx’s patented T6P has potential to deliver yield increases of up to 20% in wheat and significant drought-resilience benefits across multiple crops.

About H.A.R.V.E.S.T. AgTech

H.A.R.V.E.S.T. AgTech is a program of The Yield Lab Institute, designed to accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough agricultural technologies. Through partnerships with leading research institutions, global ecosystem partners, and industry stakeholders, H.A.R.V.E.S.T. connects startups with the scientific validation, market insight, and networks needed to bring transformative innovations to agriculture.

About The Yield Lab Institute

The Yield Lab Institute (YLI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization advancing agricultural productivity, resilience, and sustainability by supporting early-stage agtech companies and the ecosystems that enable them. Through open innovation and global ecosystem connectivity, YLI accelerates the development and deployment of solutions across the food and agriculture value chain. YLI is the non-profit affiliate of The Yield Lab Group, a global family of venture capital funds investing in early-stage agtech across the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Learn more: www.theyieldlabinstitute.org

About Breakthrough Energy Discovery

Breakthrough Energy Discovery is the philanthropic innovation arm of Breakthrough Energy, focusing on advancing emerging climate technologies at the earliest stages. Through its three core programs—Workshops, Ecosystem Grants, and the global Fellows program—BE Discovery provides funding, tailored support, and connections to help innovators turn bold ideas into scalable solutions.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Stephanie Regagnon, 

Executive Director, The Yield Lab Institute

(314) 471-8408

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