BetterSeeds

The core of BetterSeeds' operation is its proprietary EDGE™ (Efficient Delivery of Gene Editing) platform, which expands the application of CRISPR technology. While first-generation CRISPR systems are limited to a small number of crops, EDGE™ is designed to make gene editing accessible across a much wider spectrum of plants, including legumes, cereals, and vegetables. This technology dramatically reduces the development time for new traits, enabling the company to enhance crop resilience against climate-related stressors like drought and heat. One of the company's key value propositions is that its methods are non-GMO, as they unlock a plant's inherent traits without introducing foreign genes.

The company's business model is B2B, serving the global seed industry. BetterSeeds generates revenue through its “Breeding by Editing” service, which provides seed companies of all sizes with access to its CRISPR expertise and facilities. This allows clients to integrate desired traits, such as disease and pest resistance, into their own seeds without the need for substantial in-house investment. A significant milestone was achieved in February 2025, when its ROP9 trait for drought resiliency in processing tomatoes received commercialization approval from the USDA. The company has raised a total of $15.6 million in funding from investors including OurCrowd, Smart Agro Fund, and JITO Incubation & Innovation Foundation.

The leadership team combines deep industry and scientific experience. CEO and co-founder Ido Margalit brings over 20 years of management in the life science sector, including roles at Syngenta Group. Co-founder Tal Sherman serves as CIO & CTO. The R&D is led by Dr. Shira Corem, who has extensive research experience in genome editing from her time as a senior researcher at the Volcani Institute. In a strategic move to bolster its scientific prowess, BetterSeeds appointed Professor Virginius Šikšnys, a recognized pioneer in CRISPR-Cas9 development, to its Scientific Advisory Board in March 2025. Keywords: gene editing, CRISPR, ag-tech, crop genetics, seed industry, climate resilience, drought tolerance, heat tolerance, sustainable agriculture, EDGE platform, non-GMO, plant breeding, crop improvement, agricultural biotechnology, food security, Ido Margalit, Tal Sherman, Breeding by Editing, YieldMax, advanced agriculture