Ascribe Bio, a biotechnology company developing natural crop protection solutions, announced it has closed an oversubscribed $12 million Series A financing round co-led by Corteva, through its Corteva Catalyst platform, and Acre Venture Partners. Additional participation came from both new and existing investors, including Syngenta Group Ventures, Trailhead Capital, Silver Blue, Cultivation Capital, and The Yield Lab.
The funding will drive the global launch of Phytalix, Ascribe’s breakthrough biofungicide, and further advance its small-molecule technology platform for sustainable crop protection.
Based in Ithaca, New York, Ascribe Bio was founded in 2017 from research conducted at Cornell University’s Boyce Thompson Institute. The company focuses on harnessing the natural chemistry of the soil microbiome to develop small-molecule products that deliver effective, environmentally friendly disease control. Its lead product, Phytalix, represents a new class of broad-spectrum biofungicides designed to combine the performance and practicality of traditional chemical fungicides with the sustainability and safety benefits of biological alternatives.
Phytalix aims to solve one of agriculture’s most significant challenges: achieving reliable and cost-effective disease management without compromising soil health or environmental integrity. The product’s composition and mode of action enable it to deliver consistent yield improvements while aligning with growing global demand for regenerative and sustainable farming solutions.
The new funding will allow Ascribe to scale manufacturing, expand field trials, and prepare for its first regulatory approval, expected later this year in Brazil, followed by launches in the United States and other key agricultural markets. The investment also strengthens Ascribe’s position in the rapidly growing biologicals sector, as major global agribusinesses and investors look for nature-based innovations that can complement or replace traditional crop protection chemistry.
The Series A syndicate represents a cross-section of leading agricultural and impact investors focused on sustainability and innovation. The participation of Corteva and Syngenta Group Ventures underscores the increasing collaboration between established agriscience companies and agile startups to accelerate the transition toward low-impact, high-performance farming technologies.
How the funding will be used: With this funding, Ascribe Bio plans to bring Phytalix to market as a “biofungicide without compromise”—a product capable of matching the efficacy, ease of use, and affordability of chemical alternatives while maintaining the environmental and safety profile of a biological solution.
KEY QUOTES:
“Ascribe’s approach to biological solutions provides farmers with smart and sustainable choices for disease control. This investment illustrates our ongoing commitment to advancing next-generation biological and nature-inspired products for growers around the world.”
Tom Greene, Senior Director at Corteva and Global Leader of Corteva Catalyst
“Ascribe’s lean team has been strategic and disciplined, advancing Phytalix from the lab to the field. They’ve demonstrated dramatic yield gains versus other biologicals. You see the progress reflected in the caliber of this syndicate.”
Alex Bondar, Partner at Acre Venture Partners
“We’re excited to secure these resources to fund the global launch of Ascribe’s technologies and are delighted to earn the support of renowned global agriculture leaders like Corteva and Syngenta Group Ventures. This investment accelerates our mission to bring highly effective and sustainable crop protection to farmers worldwide.”
Jay Farmer, CEO of Ascribe Bio
