Barnwell Bio, a precision animal health intelligence company, has raised $6 million in seed funding to scale a metagenomic biosurveillance system that provides poultry producers with earlier warning of emerging disease threats. The round was led by Twelve Below, with participation from Max Ventures, Dorm Room Fund, Banter Capital, Planeteer Capital, AgVentures Alliance, Daybreak Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and AgLaunch Farmers.
The company says its platform is built to capture the full microbial ecosystem inside a barn rather than test for a single pathogen, producing what it calls a facility-specific “microbiome fingerprint.” Barnwell positions this approach as a way to translate large volumes of sequencing data into actionable and predictive insights that can help producers and veterinarians detect issues before clinical symptoms appear.
Barnwell plans to use the capital to expand across the U.S. poultry belt, with a focus on the Midwest and Southeast, while also investing in its metagenomic insights engine. The company said it expects to hire across bioinformatics, data science, and AI and machine learning to deliver more actionable intelligence to customers managing flock health and biosecurity.
The funding comes amid heightened regulatory and disease pressures across animal protein production. Barnwell cited increasing mandates that aim to reduce routine antibiotic use, alongside persistent threats such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The company argues that earlier detection and more comprehensive microbial visibility can support stronger biosecurity without forcing producers to choose between compliance and profitability.
Barnwell said it is already working with partners, including Mississippi State University, West Liberty Foods, and Vital Farms. The company also plans to showcase its platform and recent data insights at the International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta later this month.
KEY QUOTES
“We saw in human health that data is the missing link between guessing and knowing,” said Michael Rhys, co-founder and CEO of Barnwell Bio. “In the poultry industry, veterinarians often must rely on limited diagnostics and their own intuition, lacking full visibility into the barn’s unique, complex microbial ecosystem. We are thrilled to have the backing of investors who understand that barn-level intelligence makes producers more profitable and gives them the confidence to manage flocks sustainably.”
Michael Rhys, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Barnwell Bio
“Barnwell Bio is applying proven data infrastructure to a massive, underserved market,” added Byron Ling, partner at Twelve Below. “The team’s experience in scaling national biosurveillance is unparalleled. They are building the essential data layer for the future of animal protein production.”
Byron Ling, Partner, Twelve Below
“We’re guessing, and that’s the frustrating part,” added Dr. Liz Beilke, DVM, MPH of West Liberty Foods. “For vets managing dozens of barns, getting to the bottom of a disease issue can be a process of trial and error. Barnwell’s microbiome intelligence can provide more clarity to intervene with precision.”
Dr. Liz Beilke, DVM, MPH, West Liberty Foods
“In our team’s time scaling the nation’s wastewater monitoring infrastructure, we saw how powerful of a leading indicator it can be,” said Casey McGinley, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Barnwell Bio. “By shifting the focus from individual sick birds to the entire environment, we can flag a pathogen spike weeks before it becomes a crisis; our aim is to provide the producers working to feed the world with a powerful tool to do so.”
Casey McGinley, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Barnwell Bio
“Conventional testing asks, ‘Is this specific pathogen present?’,” said co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Jake Byrnes. “Our platform asks, ‘What’s the complete health story of this barn?’ That’s transformative. We’re not just detecting disease faster. We’re providing the comprehensive microbial intelligence that lets veterinarians and producers move from reactive firefighting to proactive flock management.”
Dr. Jake Byrnes, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Barnwell Bio
