Vylor e Rainbow Crops firmam parceria para acelerar o desenvolvimento de novas características de milho geneticamente modificado.
Vylor, the advanced seed and genetics company that will spin off from Corteva on October 1, 2026, and Rainbow Crops, a Belgium-based spin off from VIB, have announced a collaboration to advance new corn traits using artificial intelligence (AI) and multiplex gene editing, which enables scientists to edit multiple genes in a cell simultaneously.
Through the collaboration, both companies will use Rainbow Crops’ AI-supported Trait Foundry™ technology to accelerate the development of corn hybrids that are more resilient to extreme weather, such as heat, drought, and floods. Rainbow Crops’ platform will support Vylor’s industry-leading expertise in gene editing. The companies expect the collaboration to deliver complex agronomic traits that use inputs more efficiently and, ultimately, increase yield to support farmer profitability.
“Rainbow Crops’ AI-enabled multiplex gene editing capabilities will allow us to make hundreds of gene edits simultaneously, while validating performance in state-of-the-art phenotyping facilities as well as through field trials,” said Mat Muller, who will lead Vylor Edge, Vylor’s investment platform. “Genome editing is set to reimagine agriculture by creating plants that can withstand critical challenges, including disease and extreme weather. This partnership further cements Vylor’s leadership in this emerging science by leveraging Rainbow Crops’ proprietary, cutting-edge technology.”
Rainbow Crops’ Trait Foundry™ combines AI, multiplex genome editing, precision breeding, and automated phenotyping (high-throughput measurement of plant characteristics) to design, generate, and validate improved crop genetics faster and more precisely than traditional breeding approaches allow. The platform is designed to address traits controlled by multiple interacting genes, such as drought tolerance and plant vigor.
“Our early work in corn has been an important proof point for Rainbow Crops and has shown the potential of our Trait Foundry platform to accelerate the development of complex traits,” said Giacomo Bastianelli, CEO and co-founder of Rainbow Crops. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Vylor, a global leader in advanced seed and genetics, to explore new opportunities for innovation in corn.”
The collaboration comes at a pivotal moment for plant innovation in Europe, following the European Parliament’s passage, on 17 June 2026, of legislation that allows plants developed through gene editing to be imported and cultivated across the European Union.
Corteva, through its Corteva Catalyst investment platform, participated in Rainbow Crops recently closed €9.7 million seed financing round. Upon the company’s separation, this investment will become a part of the Vylor Edge portfolio.
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