This is a seed vault in Norway. A startup from Israel just got a $10 investment to build a seed breeding tech that amplifies nature’s way without genetic modification.
Equinom, a seed breeding startup, announces it has closed its Series B round of funding of $10 million, led by BASF Venture Capital, Germany followed by Roquette, France; and Trendlines Group, Israel. Equinom’s current investor, Tel Aviv-based Fortissimo Capital, also participated.
Equinom’s non-GMO technology shapes the future of plant protein by designing smarter seeds via fast-track, technology-driven breeding methodology that harnesses natural genetic variation in plants. Leveraging an innovative business model, Equinom supports the entire supply chain and collaborates with top-tier food companies to bring products to consumers.
Smart seeds are more nutritious than traditional commercial varieties, featuring protein and oil contents among the highest in the market. Equinom introduces such high-value characteristics and organoleptic properties by combining advanced sensory technologies with high-throughput protein analysis systems.
Gil Shalev, CEO of Equinom, founded the company eight years ago with a drive to feed the world with nutritious, high protein food. He recognized the need to improve the food supply and make it more affordable, with a primary focus on the source of the challenge – seeds and legumes. Under his leadership, Equinom has been building a new “ecosystem” that directly connects food companies to the supply chain, bringing greater transparency and paving the way for more responsible sourcing of high-value plant protein.
Today, Equinom is transforming the food industry, strategically breeding non-GMO seeds with higher nutritional profiles and increased crop yields. Equinom is the first company to design seeds exclusively for the food industry, enabling clients to choose specific varieties for their needs.
An example of the success of Equinom’s mission is that in just five years, the company has become the preferred supplier for sesame seeds by generating mechanically harvestable varieties. These seed stocks are now being grown worldwide.
“We also plan to launch our high-protein pea variety in 2021,” adds Shalev. “Equinom will continue working with plant-based food ingredients and food companies to help create tasty, “cleaner” plant-based applications. We already have clients producing products with our smart grains, which provide higher quality, improved nutritional values, and lower production costs.”
The recent $10 million investment represents market leaders’ trust in Equinom’s proprietary technology and its capabilities. The FoodTech startup gained increased awareness and leadership in providing solutions to the plant-based-food industry, spurring numerous international strategic collaborations.
“This investment round has been highly successful and combines financial investors as well as strategic investors, as well as VCs from multiple regions around the world,” notes Shalev. “It will accelerate Equinom’s expansion globally and allow us to build talent and infrastructure to better serve our clients locally. Already, we have enjoyed phenomenal sales growth across four continents in 2019.”
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
