SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

NewLeaf Symbiotics Raises $17 Million in Series B Financing Led by Otter Capital  


 

NewLeaf Symbiotics, a St Louis, Missouri-based agricultural company focused on the commercialization of beneficial plant bacteria, announced on Monday that it  has closed a $17 million Series B round of financing. The proceeds will be used to further  accelerate its successful R&D program, ramp up production from pilot to commercial scale, and go to  market with its first biological products. 


 

Otter Capital led the round and was joined by existing investors RockPort Capital, Open  Prairie Ventures and Pangaea Ventures. NewLeaf closed a $7 Million Series A round in  January 2013. 
 

"We have made huge strides on the discovery side and have filed over 20 patents since  inception," said Tom Laurita, CEO of NewLeaf. "We are rapidly expanding our Prescriptive  Biologics™ platform and are developing a deep pipeline of commercial product  candidates. NewLeaf is now poised to bring natural bacteria-based seed and foliar products to growers." 
 

Read more about the BRDG Park tenant, NewLeaf Symbiotics' rapid growth and success here.  

 


Six Years and Counting: Looking Back and Looking Forward


Our innovators, investors, industry figures and thought leaders have become the glue that binds our network tightly together throughout the year by helping to create, organize and lead a community around shared concerns. As global agriculture faces unprecedented challenges, they have helped to identify the issues and nominate the many solutions that have become available throughout the world. 

 


Our thanks to the members of the Advisory Committee and the sponsors at last week's event. Without their unwavering support the Showcase would not have achieved pinnacle status.


 

Be sure to plant September, 14-16, 2015 on your calendar for next year's Showcase in St. Louis. 


 

 


KWS Receives Global Investment Award from the World Trade Center

 

Derek Bartlem, Head of KWS Gateway Research Center at BRDG Park, accepted the Global Investment Award from the World Trade Center on behalf of KWS SAAT AG at the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership's 2014 annual meeting.   

 

View the award video here.

.
 
Wexford Science +Technology Adds Real Estate Expert to its Growing St. Louis Presence

Wexford Science + Technology, A BioMed Realty Company, announced that the company is investing in its St. Louis team with the hiring of Jerry Crylen as its Senior Director of Development. In this new role Crylen will manage Wexford's growing real estate portfolio in St. Louis at the nationally acclaimed Cortex Innovation Community and the Bio-Research and Development Growth (BRDG) Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center. 

 

"Jerry is a terrific addition to our St. Louis team because of his ability to cultivate relationships combined with his highly-regarded technical skills," said Dan Cramer, Senior Vice President, Development of Wexford Science + Technology. "This move grows our presence in St. Louis and will allow us to respond even more quickly to the rapidly growing demand in both Cortex and BRDG Park."

 

To read more about Jerry click here.