Background

Bayer Crop Science is committed to fostering sustainable agricultural innovations. The global agricultural sector faces growing challenges, including climate variability, increasing pest and disease pressures, and labor shortages. These issues threaten yield stability and efficiency, particularly in specialty crops such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, and strawberries. To advance sustainable and resilient food production, Bayer is exploring the potential of gene editing technologies to enhance the health, resilience, and agronomic performance of these crops. By improving disease resistance, enabling structural traits that support more efficient production and harvesting, and promoting tolerance to diverse growing conditions, gene editing offers a powerful tool to help meet future food demands while reducing resource inputs and environmental impact.

Through our LifeHub California Golden Ticket III program, we offer a unique opportunity for startups to advance gene editing technologies in horticultural crops. The selected startup will receive one year of fully-funded access to state-of-the-art laboratory space at LifeHub California, located in Woodland, California. This dynamic, collaborative environment supports the journey from proof-of-concept to application-ready innovations. This initiative aligns with Bayer's mission to drive open innovation and support the development of sustainable solutions in agriculture.

The awarded startup is expected to initiate operations at LifeHub California within three to six months of selection and maintain an active presence at the facility for the duration of the program. While Bayer covers the cost of lab space, the startup should have an operational budget to cover consumables, reagents, insurance (as applicable), and other project-related expenses for at least one year, with preference for those prepared to support two or more years of activity.