PLANeT Biotech Startup Develops Technology for Crops Facing Climate Stress

Catalan startup PLANeT Biotech has developed an innovative technology that helps crops survive extreme conditions linked to climate change. The biotech startup has identified a series of bioactive molecules that protect plants from episodes of drought or extreme heat, among others linked to climate change, so that they can adapt to these conditions.

To develop its technology, PLANeT Biotech has received support from the Government, through Acció – the agency for business competitiveness of the Department of Business and Employment -, with a grant of 100,000 euros from the Startup Capital programme, aimed at promoting the growth of emerging technology and deep tech companies in the initial stages of their business model.

PLANeT Biotech has received support from the Government, through Acció, with a grant of 100,000 euros from the Startup Capital program

According to PLANeT Biotech CEO and co-founder, Dr. Ana I. Caño-Delgado , the company’s goal “is to maximize crop yield despite the effects of climate change, offering effective, sustainable and profitable solutions that provide a real response to the problem of production losses as a result of climate stress.” In the words of the researcher, her startup is “capable of leading the solution to the biggest problem in agriculture, ensuring food security and social well-being for the planet.”

Specifically, the start-up has created a technological platform (called EARTH) capable of developing new compounds that help plants maintain their production under abiotic stress conditions, that is, a situation in which external factors alter their natural physiological processes, such as drought or extreme heat, among other situations linked to climate change. In this way, they manage to improve the quality of crops and reduce water consumption.

“The market is full of biostimulants that perform well against abiotic stress, but so far there are no effective solutions to address the fight against agricultural losses caused by climate change; our solution does not penalize crop yield, but rather increases it,” explained the CEO of PLANeT Biotech.

The idea behind this project arose “after more than 20 years of research investigating the mechanisms of adaptation of plants to abiotic stress,” explains Dr. Caño-Delgado, who decided to “transfer all the knowledge to the market” and thus decided to create PLANeT Biotech. Behind the founding team of the startup are the researchers who have led the previous research, “a fact that guarantees a high scientific level and experience in the development of innovative solutions for agriculture,” she highlights.

In the words of the researcher, her startup is “capable of leading the solution to the biggest problem in agriculture, ensuring food security and social well-being for the planet.”

The company’s technology is currently in the final stages of development with industrial partners, with the aim of reaching the market in the next two years. They have carried out field trials with the main fruit and vegetable producers in Catalonia and throughout Spain.

Founded in 2023 as a spin-off of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), the startup is the first technology-based company of the Centre for Research in Agrigenomics (CRAG). PLANet Biotech currently has a team of seven people between the company’s management and the laboratory team, as well as external advisors in the legal and financial fields, among others.

The headquarters are located in the Eureka building on the UAB campus. The company’s CEO, Ana I. Caño-Delgado, has a PhD in Biology trained in England and in the United States as an expert researcher in plant biotechnology, in addition to having an MBA from ESADE. She has been leading her own research group for more than 20 years and her career has been recognized on several occasions.

__

(Featured image by Dylan de Jonge via Unsplash)

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.

First published in viaempresa. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us