August 1, 2022

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

UM6P Ventures, the venture arm of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), announced it has made an investment in Climate Crop Ltd., a startup using gene editing technology to develop crops with enhanced abilities to harness energy, store carbon, and produce higher yields. 

Climate change is multiplying the challenges for the world’s farmers by reducing access to water, increasing weather volatility, creating new patterns throughout growing seasons, and increasing pressures from pests and weeds. And, on a broader scale is posing a critical threat to entire agricultural systems, food security, and human nutrition.

Climate Crop’s goal is to leverage gene editing to create high-yielding crop varieties with increased adaptability, survival, and growth rates as a solution that will enhance food production, increase grain and industrial material supply, enhance carbon sequestration rates, and mitigate the effects of climate change on agriculture.

“We are actively seeking investments in startups that address an important topic such as climate change and its impact on the global food supply, security, and sustainability,” said Othman Chraibi, chief investment & operations officer, UM6P Ventures.

“UM6P Ventures’ network of scientific experts and our partners’ state-of-the-art infrastructure will work hand in hand to accelerate the technology maturity of Climate Crop’s solution and its entrance into the commercial market.”

As part of this partnership, UM6P Ventures will provide Climate Crop with both capital and scientific support, which the startup will leverage to focus their gene editing technology on potato and tomato crops, which are widely produced in Morocco and are critical to the food supply across the African continent.

Morocco is a key producer and supplier of both crops. Over the past 10 years, the country’s tomato exports have increased by 41.8 percent, and in 2021 the country was the fourth largest exporter (accounting for 8.1 percent of world exports) after Mexico (24.51 percent), the Netherlands (12.02 percent), and Spain (8.53 percent). 

The top destination markets for Moroccan tomatoes last year were France (334.42 million kilos), the UK (104.74 million kilos), Spain (58.36 million kilos), and the Netherlands (56.07 million kilos).

Likewise, potato is the fourth most important food crop in the world when measured by production, according to the fact sheet, Potato in Africa, released by VIB|International Plant Biotechnology Outreach. Ahead of rice, wheat, and maize, potatoes yield more food per hectare compared to any other cereal or cultivated plant crop, providing four times the calories of grain crops, with as much as 85 percent of the plant being edible. 

To advance these crops, Climate Crop will have access to the UM6P University infrastructure including R&D facilities at the experimental farm and scientific experts. In addition, they will gain access to the university’s vast network of partners and investors including VC funds, accelerators, agtech corporations, and related pioneers throughout Morocco and beyond.

As part of this scientific support system provided by UM6P Ventures, Climate Crop will be able to take advantage of collaboration between both organizations to devise the R&D roadmap for gene editing and plant transformation projects.

By securing greenhouse space and facilities, Climate Crop will be able to take their technology from the lab to a large-scale prototype. UM6P Ventures also will strategize with the company on a pathway to expanding its presence in the U.S. market – initially through a U.S. subsidiary in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. 

Yehuda Borenstein, CEO & founder, Climate Crop, Ltd. commented, “The extensive scientific support system available from UM6P Ventures, coupled with capital investment, will help Climate Crop maintain its foothold in the gene editing food market and positively impact crop production and the world’s food supply.”

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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