CroBio

The core of CroBio's business is a living soil amendment designed to help farmers combat drought and reduce the need for fertilizers. The product is a liquid formulation of enhanced microbes applied once per growing season. These microbes colonize the crop's root system and consume plant-secreted sugars (root exudates) to produce bacterial cellulose. This process creates a sponge-like, biodegradable material around the roots that can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. This 'bio-scaffold' not only improves water retention but also captures vital nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, minimizing runoff and ensuring they are available to the plant when needed. In greenhouse trials, this technology has been shown to improve water retention in sandy soil by 200%. Over time, the bacterial cellulose breaks down, increasing the organic carbon in the soil and enhancing overall soil health and biodiversity.

CroBio operates in the AgTech market, providing solutions directly to farmers. The business model centers on the sale of its microbial soil amendment, which is compatible with standard farming equipment and processes. The company has secured significant funding to advance its research and commercialization efforts. After an initial bootstrap round, CroBio received investment from the Catapult Ventures GM&C Life Sciences Fund in 2020 for greenhouse trials. In 2023, it secured investment from SOSV and joined the IndieBio accelerator program. A major milestone was achieved in April 2024 with the completion of a $1.55 million (€1.45 million) seed funding round led by The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, with participation from SOSV and Ponderosa Ventures. This funding is directed towards conducting field trials and expanding its geographical reach. Additionally, the company received a grant from the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to further develop the technology for nutrient management.