Biotechnology in Agriculture

North Carolina is a place where agricultural tradition and 21st century science meet to create unmatched research and business opportunities.

Here, virtually any ag tech company, researcher, investor, or holder of intellectual property will find unique opportunities for transforming ideas into products.

This is evident in our 195+ ag tech companies and hundreds of world-class ag tech scientists, including global thought leaders working in our colleges and universities.

Transforming the Way the World Grows

Year after year, agriculture, including food, fiber and forestry, remains one of the North Carolina's largest industries and a way of life for many of its people. As the state’s economy grows to include new technological innovations, the building blocks of renewable energy, and plants that manufacture medicines, its roots in agriculture remain evident and relevant.

State agricultural leaders note that the industry contributes some $92.9 billion to the economy every year. That’s about 16 percent of the state's income. Over 750k employees of N.C.’s workforce are involved in some aspect of agriculture.

NCBiotech has awarded 443 ag tech grants and 40 ag tech loans totaling $21.4M and $3.2M, respectively. Every $1 invested in ag-related grants yields $121 in additional funding, and every $1 invested in ag-related loans yields $283 in additional funding.

Companies, Campuses and Collaborators

There are more than 195 ag tech companies across the state, clustered around plant, animal, food, technology and support. The company roster includes international giants BASF Plant Science, Bayer, Corteva, DuPont Pioneer, Novozymes and Syngenta.

North Carolina offers wide-ranging research and field trials at 18 research stations statewide. It’s also home to two land-grant ag research universities and a 58-campus community college system.

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195+

Ag Tech Companies

4 of 5

top global ag tech companies

$103.2B

ag economy

Subsectors

90-Plant, 32-Animal, 12-Food, 26-Technology, 36-Support

2

land grant universities

18

research stations

Agriculture News & Events

April 15, 2024

Atlantic Fish Co develops cultivated black sea bass

Raleigh sustainable food startup Atlantic Fish Co has developed and tested a cultivated black sea bass prototype, the company’s latest milestone in the production of sustainable seafood made from harvested fish cells.

In an announcement this week with the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab (NCFIL) in Kannapolis, Atlantic Fish said development of the sea bass represents a breakthrough in cellular agriculture. The company produces seafood by harvesting fish cells, feeding them nutrients and giving them a structure to grow on.

March 28, 2024

NC Plant Sciences Initiative Startup Program helps ideas become viable products, services

Turning ideas into impactful solutions can be a hit-or-miss proposition. To get more agricultural technology hits, the new North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI) Startup Program helps researchers, alumni and others translate their ideas and discoveries into viable products and services that benefit agriculture.

March 20, 2024

Biotalys collaborates with Novonesis on new biofungicide

Biotalys, a Belgian agricultural technology company with a small U.S. subsidiary in Raleigh, has formed a collaboration with Novonesis (formerly Novozymes) to commercialize a biofungicide for fruit and vegetable crops worldwide.

Agriculture Sector Development Programs

NCBiotech's Agriculture Sector Development team is part of NCBiotech's Focused Initiative Team bringing added value to sectors of the life sciences.

NC Ag Tech Council
North Carolina's ag tech ecosystem has joined together to form a Council comprised of key leaders from varying perspectives in the agriculture industry and academia. Organized by NCBiotech, the Council addresses key opportunities, challenges, and gaps that present themselves in our state and create solutions that drive impact.
NC Ag Tech Loan Fund
The State of NC has invested $500K in recurring funds to be awarded to NC-based, early-stage, ag tech companies. These awards will range from $100-250K for crop science, animal health and nutrition, food science, and precision ag/ag data analytics. To learn more, visit our funding page or contact David_Rosenthal@ncbiotech.org.
NC Ag Tech Professional Forum
The Forum is currently on hiatus as we look to revamp this program. Visit our NCAgTech YouTube Channel to view previous program recordings.
Ponytail Ag Campaign
Four of North Carolina's key agricultural partners are coming together in a collaborative effort to highlight the contributions women have made to the agriculture industry in North Carolina. NCBiotech will be working with N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, N.C. Farm Bureau, and Feed the Dialogue N.C. on a social media campaign.
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NC Animal Health & Nutrition - Exchange Group
This program provides a forum for academic and industry professionals working in this space to discuss topics of relevance, identify technologies for spun out from universities, and network to develop peer-level relationships and company collaborations. Learn more
NC Alt Protein Coalition - Intellectual Exchange Group
This program is an interdisciplinary group of alternative protein stakeholders in NC, with a shared goal to facilitate the creation of an equitable agri-food ecosystem and grow the state as a global alternative protein hub. Learn more
Plant Molecular Biology Consortium
This consortium sponsors monthly seminars featuring notable academic and industrial plant scientists. Membership is open to plant scientists associated with any of North Carolina's colleges or universities and company representatives. Learn more

Many people and groups like NCBiotech helped us prove our concept so we could attract our first venture capital investment more than three years ago.

AAD President and CEO, Joy Parr Drach

Ag Tech companies in NC

There are 195+ ag tech companies are operating across the state of North Carolina. They include:

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For questions or more information, contact:
Paul Ulanch, Ph.D., MBA
Senior Director of Stewardship Focused Initiatives 919-549-8818 | paul_ulanch@ncbiotech.org

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Watch the Boston Globe Today’s video on why North Carolina is an attractive place to grow a life sciences business, including lower business costs and highly skilled workforce.

Biotechnology in Agriculture

Follow us on Twitter

195+

4 of 5

$103.2B

Subsectors

2

18

Agriculture News & Events

Agriculture Sector Development Programs

NC Ag Tech Council

NC Ag Tech Loan Fund

NC Ag Tech Professional Forum

Ponytail Ag Campaign

NC Animal Health & Nutrition - Exchange Group

NC Alt Protein Coalition - Intellectual Exchange Group

Plant Molecular Biology Consortium

Ag Tech companies in NC