PlantResponse Biotech, a CBGP spin-off, named Top 50 Agtech companies of 2019 by THRIVE
PlantResponse, a UPM spin-off company founded by CBGP researchers and a CBGP strategic partner, was named one of the 50 best agtech companies in 2019 by SGV Venture-THRIVE, a global AgTech innovation platform based in Silicon Valley, California (USA).
16.05.19
PlantResponse Biotech (PRB), a plant biotechnology spin-off company of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), was founded in 2008 by CBGP Researchers after PRB business idea was awarded in the Actua-UPM entrepreneurship program. PlantResponse is currently based in the Centro de Empresas of UPM Montegancedo Campus (Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid), and since 2011 it is a strategic collaborator and scientific partner of the CBGP (UPM-INIA).
In the recent announcement SGV-THRIVE published a THRIVE Top 50 Report, an annual ranking of 50 leading global AgTech companies from around the world, exemplifying the best in agriculture and food-focused innovation. PlantResponse has been listed as one of these 50 companies which are considered by the authors as «critical assets to the industry» and seen as a company’s pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology in agriculture. PlantResponse develops technologies and products of natural origin that enhance crop performance, improve crop quality and promote yield potential. PlantResponse is one of the few European companies in THRIVE list that is dominated by USA based enterprises.
The THRIVE Top 50 Report recognizes companies across six main technology categories, such as biotechnology where PlantResponse is represented, and seven problem areas like health & nutrition and environmental sustainability, among others. The 2019 report uses data from SVG Ventures’ startup database and supplementary industry data to identify 50 companies that are series A funded and have recently fundraised as well as have a product in market. The final fifty companies reflected in this year’s report were then categorized into six main technology categories- Biotechnology, Connected Devices, Cloud Services/Saas, Robotics & Automation, Next-Gen Farms, and Big Data & Analytics- and seven problem areas- Health & Nutrition, Labor, Farm Management, Environmental Sustainability, Food Safety, Traceability, And E-Commerce.
“It is an honor to have a CBGP (UPM-INIA) spin-off company included in this prestigious group of companies and to be the only Spanish company in the list”, declares Antonio Molina, CBGP (UPM-INIA) Director, PlantResponse founder and Chair of its Scientific Advisory Board. Molina remarked that “PlantResponse is an example of the potential that the Spanish AgBio science and technology could have in providing agriculture solutions”. Molina also adds that “the strategic CBGP-PlantResponse partnership is an example of technology transfer acceleration and innovation, and a key example of our Translational Biology Action (TBA) of the Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence program, that aims to promote the innovation and tech-transfer through the foundation of novel spin-off companies”.
CBGP and our institutions (UPM and INIA) are proud to partner with such an innovative and highly recognized company, which is a leader in the large and growing agricultural biotech market. This recognition reinforces the philosophy and working efforts of PlantResponse towards an innovative, efficient and sustainable agriculture, and the strategy of innovation and technology transfer of the CBGP (UPM-INIA).
About PlantResponse Biotech
PlantResponse Biotech is a plant biotechnology company specializing in plant innate immunity, drought and stress tolerance, and nutrient use efficiency. PlantResponse utilizes their expertise in the science of plants to understand key crop challenges and develop sustainable solutions to address those challenges. Aiming to bring solutions efficiently to farmers by bridging the gap between pioneering research and the current market, PlantResponse develops and commercializes highly innovative products.
To learn more, visit http://plantresponse.com/
About SVG Ventures-THRIVE
SVG-THRIVE is the leading agri-food innovation ecosystem, comprised of top agriculture, food & technology corporations, universities and investors. With a community of over 1,500 startups from 67 countries, the THRIVE platform invests, accelerates and creates unparalleled access for entrepreneurs to scale globally. SVG Ventures-THRIVE is based in Silicon Valley, California. To learn more, visit https://thriveagtech.com/
About CBGP (UPM-INIA)
The mission of the CBGP (UPM-INIA) is to carry out fundamental and strategic research in plant science and in microorganisms interacting with plants. The research is focused in understanding important biological process such as plant development, the interaction of plants with the environment and the mechanisms of plant nutrition. Additionally, the CBGP is interested in developing and using computational biology tools to achieve its goals. The acquired knowledge is used to tackle major problems of the agriculture and forestry, and to develop novel technological solutions. CBGP (UPM-INIA) has been recognized by the Spanish Research Agency as Centre of Excellence Severo Ochoa, the highest institutional recognition of scientific research excellence in Spain CBGP (UPM-INIA).
To learn more, visit http://www.cbgp.upm.es/