Wild Bioscience, a spinout from the University of Oxford, has raised $60 million (£45 million) in a landmark Series A round led by the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) with participation from Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE), Braavos Capital, and the University of Oxford.
The funding marks a significant vote of confidence in the company’s approach to crop resilience – using artificial intelligence to decode genetic traits from wild plants and apply them to modern crops.
How the technology works
Wild Bioscience applies AI to decode the genetic secrets of wild plants – insights refined through millions of years of evolution – and applies them to modern crops to improve yield, resilience, and climate adaptability. Its proprietary data-driven platform identifies key genetic traits from wild species and guides precision breeding for commercial seed development.
Instead of genetic modification, the company uses precision breeding techniques to introduce traits that wild plants have already evolved to survive harsh conditions – drought, heat, poor soil, and pest pressure – into crops that farmers actually grow.
What the founders say
Dr. Ross Hendron, Co-Founder and CEO of Wild Bioscience, said: “Advancing agriculture has limitless potential to help people and the planet. We’re grateful to the Ellison Institute and Oxford Science Enterprises for sharing our vision to accelerate climate-resilient farming at global scale.”
Professor Steve Kelly, Co-Founder and CSO of Wild Bioscience and Head of the Plant Biology Institute at EIT, added: “By combining EIT’s technological strength with Wild’s genetic insights, we aim to reshape sustainable agriculture through the next generation of climate-smart crops.”
Larry Ellison’s involvement
Larry Ellison, CTO and Chairman of Oracle and Founder of EIT, stated: “Wild Bio is using AI to uncover evolution’s best lessons and translate them into crops that secure food production for the planet. Together, we’re engineering agriculture for resilience and sustainability.”
Ellison’s personal involvement gives the round significant weight. The Ellison Institute of Technology focuses on solving global challenges like climate change and food security – exactly the problems Wild Bioscience is tackling.
What the funds will do
The Series A marks the first joint investment between EIT and OSE, signaling a milestone in Oxford’s innovation ecosystem. The funds will help Wild Bioscience expand its R&D, extend international field trials, and move toward commercial release of its first crop varieties.
For farmers facing increasingly erratic weather, pest pressure, and soil degradation, climate-resilient crops can’t come soon enough. Wild Bioscience’s approach – learning from nature’s own R&D over millions of years – offers a path forward that doesn’t rely on heavy chemical inputs or water-intensive irrigation.
The bigger picture
With global food security under threat from climate change, investors are pouring money into agtech startups that offer real solutions. Wild Bioscience’s $60 million Series A is one of the largest in the European agtech space in recent years.
The challenge now is moving from lab to field – and from field to farm. With EIT and OSE backing them, Wild Bioscience has the resources and credibility to make that leap.
