Leaps by Bayer

Leaps by Bayer is focused on making transformative advancements in the life sciences, particularly within biotechnology, agriculture, and scientific innovation. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Leverkusen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, the firm aims to invest in groundbreaking technologies that have the potential to significantly improve human life. Leaps by Bayer targets high-impact projects that may currently seem unattainable, acknowledging that setbacks and failures are a natural part of pursuing such ambitious goals. Through sustained investments in disruptive biotechnologies, the organization seeks to drive progress that could fundamentally change the world for the better.

Paimun Amini

Investor

Lee Cooper

Investor

Ruzha Draganova

HR Business Partner Innovation

André Guillaume

VP & Head of Brand & Community Management

Lucio Iannone

vice_president

Derek Norman Ph.D

vice_president

Karyn Riegel

Deputy Director Brand and Community Engagement

Ryan Teksten

Investor

Past deals in AgTech

ChrysaLabs

Series A in 2023
ChrysaLabs develops a portable probe that can measure in real-time soil nutrients and soil health for producers and agronomists. It also develops a management platform which enables workers to access data and take action. The company was founded in 2017 and is based in Montreal, Canada.

Apollo Agriculture

Series B in 2022
Apollo Agriculture, founded in 2015 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, focuses on providing financial and technical support to smallholder farmers in emerging markets. The company offers farming loans to help farmers purchase essential inputs such as fertilizer, seeds, and crop insurance, along with access to expert consultations via mobile technology. By utilizing agronomic machine learning and remote sensing, Apollo tailors its services to individual farmers, assessing credit risk and customizing packages based on satellite and soil data, as well as crop yield models. This approach not only enhances the effectiveness of farming practices but also aims to significantly increase yields and profits for farmers.

GRO Biosciences

Series A in 2021
GRO Biosciences is leveraging breakthrough technologies from computational protein design and synthetic biology to develop best-in-class protein therapeutics with enhanced properties. The company has established multiple genomically recoded strains of bacteria that can incorporate non-standard amino acids into proteins to confer increased potency, stability, and targeted delivery. GRO Biosciences is applying its technology platform to develop improved protein therapeutics for diabetes, growth disorders and autoimmunity. The company, co-founded by Dr. George Church, is located at the Harvard Life Lab, a shared laboratory space for high-potential life sciences and biotechnology startups founded by Harvard faculty, alumni, students, and postdoctoral scholars.

Sound Agriculture

Series C in 2021
Sound Agriculture uses molecular discovery to create climate-resilient crops, enhancing harvest yields for growers. They also use an innovative life science approach to sustainably increase farming productivity. The company was founded in 2013 and headquartered in Emeryville, California.

Andes

Series A in 2021
Andes develops technologies for a more sustainable and efficient agriculture. Our solutions are based on beneficial microbes that have naturally co-evolved through thousands of years with plants. Microbe-based formulations are customized through scientific research and an advanced predictive software using Artificial Intelligence. Our technology will allow farmers to have better yields, grow their crops faster, cultivate on traditionally unsuitable lands, use less fertilizers and pesticides, and successfully face the challenges of global climate change. Microbe-based solutions have the potential to foster a new green revolution in a healthy, responsible and environmentally friendly way, and Andes plays a key role in this transformation.

Guardian Agriculture

Seed Round in 2021
Guardian Agriculture designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with global positioning system (GPS) technology for agricultural applications. Founded in 2017 and based in Malden, Massachusetts, the company offers aerial crop protection and spray services, utilizing its UAVs to apply insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and liquid fertilizers. By leveraging advanced technology, Guardian Agriculture aims to enhance crop protection and improve agricultural efficiency.

eGenesis

Series C in 2021
EGenesis Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an additional office in New York. Founded in 2015, the company specializes in gene editing and genome engineering, focusing on the development of human-compatible organs, tissues, and cells for transplantation. EGenesis employs advanced gene editing techniques to create transplantable cells and solid organs, specifically targeting therapeutic applications in kidney and islet cell transplantation. By leveraging its innovative platform, the company aims to transform the field of organ transplantation, providing safe and effective solutions for patients with life-threatening diseases globally.

Grão Direto

Series A in 2021
Grão Direto LTDA operates a digital trading platform designed for the buying and selling of grains, facilitating interactions between farmers and grain buyers. Founded in 2016 and based in Uberaba, Brazil, the platform enhances market intelligence analysis, enabling users to make informed decisions regarding market rates and grain selection. It supports various trading types, including spot, future, and barter trades, while also streamlining associated processes such as logistics, contract management, and financial products. Grão Direto connects a diverse range of participants in the agricultural sector, including cooperatives, brokers, feed factories, and traders, promoting efficiency and agility in the grain trading process through modern technology.

Amfora

Series B in 2021
Amfora is an emerging leader in the use of biotechnology to address the rapidly growing global demand for protein. Amfora is working to develop nutritionally enhanced forage crops for a market expected to have an annual value of as much as $12 billion a year. The company is based in San Francisco, California and is a portfolio company of Spruce Capital Partners LLC/MLS II Fund.

pairwise, Inc.

Series B in 2021
Pairwise, Inc. is a food and technology company focused on improving the quality of fruits and vegetables through innovative agricultural gene editing techniques. Founded in 2017 and based in San Diego, California, Pairwise collaborates with food and agriculture companies to develop new crop varieties, including leafy greens, berries, and stone fruits. The company utilizes advanced tools and traits licensed from Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital, leveraging expertise from a team with backgrounds in agriculture, consumer packaged goods, and research. With a commitment to fostering a healthier world, Pairwise aims to introduce its first products in the coming years, contributing to advancements in food technology and sustainable agriculture.

Ukko

Series B in 2021
Developer of immunity-boosting proteins designed to improve the lives of people who suffer from food allergies and gluten-related disorders. The company's technology uses artificial intelligence, immunology, computational biology, and protein engineering to make safe proteins that do not trigger an immune response, enabling physicians to prescribe to people products that are safe to consume.

Rantizo

Series A in 2020
Rantizo delivers targeted liquid dry applications for agriculture precisely where and when they are needed in the field.The company's system utilizes an electrostatic spraying technology which reduces problems with uneven coverage and covers crops uniformly, enabling farmers to apply pesticides and chemicals in the farms evenly without a hassle and within a short duration of time.

Unfold

Venture Round in 2020
Unfold focuses on innovating vegetable varieties that deliver optimized quality and sensory experience in the vertical farming industry. They combine leading seed genetics with the agronomic expertise to dramatically advance productivity, flavor, and other consumer preferences. It was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Sacramento, California.

Apollo Agriculture

Series A in 2020
Apollo Agriculture, founded in 2015 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, focuses on providing financial and technical support to smallholder farmers in emerging markets. The company offers farming loans to help farmers purchase essential inputs such as fertilizer, seeds, and crop insurance, along with access to expert consultations via mobile technology. By utilizing agronomic machine learning and remote sensing, Apollo tailors its services to individual farmers, assessing credit risk and customizing packages based on satellite and soil data, as well as crop yield models. This approach not only enhances the effectiveness of farming practices but also aims to significantly increase yields and profits for farmers.

Covercress

Venture Round in 2020
CoverCress is a biotechnology company that focuses on research and development of renewable fuel and livestock feed. It specializes in producing an oilseed crop for food, bioenergy, and cattle feed. It specializes in the fields of agriculture, biotechnology, plants, genetics, cover crop, and precision agriculture. CoverCress was founded in 2013 by Jerry Steiner and Dr. Tim Ulmasov and is headquartered in St. Louis Missouri.

NewLeaf Symbiotics

Series D in 2020
NewLeaf Symbiotics develops and commercializes the bacteria found in Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs. NewLeaf Symbiotics has also filed its own related patents and is actively developing new technologies related to PPFMs. The Company is engaged in laboratory, greenhouse, and field product trials and expects to commercialize and license products beginning in 2014.