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French company Micropep has unveiled its AI-powered platform Krisalix™, designed to accelerate the development of bioactive micropeptides for crop protection, reducing R&D timelines and costs. Krisalix combines generative AI, predictive modelling, and experimental data to identify and optimize agricultural peptides. Micropep's first AI-designed product, MPD-01, targets fungal diseases and is undergoing field trials. The company has signed a joint research agreement with Corteva Agriscience to co-develop peptide-based biofungicides, while regulatory frameworks for micropeptides continue to evolve.

Wild Bioscience, an Oxford University spinout, has raised $60 million in Series A funding to enhance its AI-driven precision breeding platform aimed at improving photosynthetic efficiency in crops. Co-founded by Dr. Ross Hendron and Prof. Steve Kelly, the company uses simulations to identify beneficial traits in crops like wheat, leading to significant yield improvements in field trials across several countries. The platform leverages CRISPR for gene editing to incorporate advantageous traits from wild species into commercial crops, with a focus on soybean, wheat, and maize. The funding will support expanded R&D, field trials, and commercialization efforts, with the ultimate goal of scalable, climate-resilient crop varieties to enhance global food security.