March 28, 2019

Benson Hill Biosystems announced it has acquired Iowa-based Schillinger Genetics, also known as eMerge Genetics, for an undisclosed sum.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Benson Hill is the developer of a revolutionary platform that combines machine learning and big data with genome editing and plant biology to develop healthier and more sustainable crops and ingredients for both the human and animal feed markets.

For decades, Schillinger Genetics has worked to improve both yield and the nutrient profile of soybeans, which have both declined over time at the hands of traditional breeding systems. And after decades, the company has produced a portfolio of  superior non-GMO, high yielding, high protein soybean varieties that are in high demand from end users in the food industry and others.

“For twenty years, we’ve made it our mission to develop unique soybean varieties that create greater profitability for our customers and more choice for consumers,” said John Schillinger, founder and CEO of eMerge Genetics.

Through its revolutionary computational platform CropOS™ and suite of breeding and genome editing tools, Benson Hill empowers organizations of all sizes along the agri-food value chain through advanced seed innovation and leveraging the natural genetic diversity of plants to improve sustainability, nutrition, and flavor profiles at an accelerated pace.

Plant breeders and researchers can use the data analytics and biological knowledge-base on the CropOS platform to bypass years of experimentation in the search for specific desired traits. The platform’s ability to use machine learning also means that as the number of users, experiments, and data increase, so too will the sophistication of the research capabilities. It also democratizes the process – doing the computational work that allows agricultural scientists to more easily down the data.

Together, the merged companies will use Benson Hill’s CropOS predictive breeding and gene editing abilities to further develop new crop varieties that satisfy a growing demand for higher protein grains and crops in line with rising demand for nutritious plant-based foods.

Applying the Platform

The deal for Schillinger Genetics echoes Benson Hill’s recent deal with California Hemp Corporation, a tech-driven genetic company focused on the hemp seed market. Together, the two companies have announced a sponsored research agreement with the laboratory of Dr. Edward Charles Brummer at the University of California, Davis that will center upon improving the breeding of cultivars of Cannabis sativa for the desired traits of high cannabidiol (CBD) content, low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content, and the ability to thrive in the environmental and soil conditions of Central California and similar regions.

The role of Benson Hill Biosystems’ computational platform Breed, powered byCropOS™, will be to employ predictive analytics to quickly identify and select desirable quality traits – giving the team greater precision and efficiency in breeding compared to traditional multi-generational field trials.

Both deals follow Benson Hill’s latest funding round closing in September of last year, raising $60 million through a Series C led by GV, and including Activant Capital and Tao Capital Partners, as well as existing investors Alexandria Venture Investments, Fall Line Capital, iSelect Fund, Lewis & Clark Ventures, Mercury Fund, Prelude Ventures, and S2G Ventures.

At the time, Andy Wheeler, general partner at GV, said, “With its data-driven approach to crop improvement, Benson Hill has significant potential to impact the next wave of productivity gains across food and agriculture.”

Both hemp and high-protein soybeans are crops experiencing rising market demand. The current eMerge portfolio includes conventional soybean varieties that offer high oleic/low linolenic oil content desired by food companies, as well as Navita™ varieties, which are super low, anti-nutrient in profile, and are in high demand from animal feed companies.

By applying Benson Hill’s technology, the companies will be better armed to expand a pipeline of new varieties offering traits that are sought by high-volume end users, such as superior protein and amino acid profiles, better digestibility, and low trypsin inhibitor qualities.

“The foresight and hard work of John Schillinger and his team have created unique opportunities to deliver what consumers are increasingly demanding– products with higher protein levels, healthier fat, and improved sustainability,” said Matthew Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Benson Hill. “The Benson Hill team is thrilled to welcome our new eMerge colleagues as part of our Seeds & Traits business unit to create even more opportunity across the value chain.”

-Lynda Kiernan