Netzeronitrogen wants bacteria to replace synthetic fertilizer in agricultural fields

Synthetic fertilizer is a modern miracle, helping to diet billions of people, but it is not at no cost. Fertilizer runoff from farms has led dead zones In the oceans around the world, where low oxygen levels have normally starred the coastal waters of life.

The elimination of synthetic fertilizers is a tall class, but a starting believes that its bacteria can eliminate it by half, all, while underestimating fertilizers at cost.

Network It has developed a suite of bacterial strains that apply directly to the seed and allows the plant to get nitrogen from the atmosphere instead of chemicals.

“This is a sniper approach,” said Justin Hughes, co -founder and chief executive of Netzeronitrogen, at TechCrunch. “Unlike fertilizer, where you spread it throughout the field and hope that some are hitting the target, a kind of shotgun approach.”

The start recently set a $ 6.6 million seed round, led by the World Fund and Azolla Ventures, the company told TechCrunch exclusively.

Netzeronitrogen’s bacteria are a product of over a decade of research on the part of Gary Devine, who has studied natural nitrogen design strains. Hughes pointed out that the company’s bacteria are not genetically modified.

“We are not on a specific moral high ground, so it just means that the regulatory route is much easier,” he said. “Opens you in organic markets as well.” As soon as the plant dies, the bacteria die with it.

The company plans to develop its first rice product. It is partly a wedding of convenience: to apply bacterial strains, it is currently easier to dip seeds in the water it contains. The rice just happens to be soaked before planting. “Once you mix it at this point and you’re done,” Hughes said.

Because the company can use large kneaders to develop its strains, it can make bacterial modification for less than an equivalent amount of synthetic fertilizers, Hughes said. “The cost of producing biineins is much lower than the Haber-Bosch process, especially as soon as you start to increase,” he said, referring to the process widely used to make fertilizers.

The goal, Hughes added, is to sell Netzeronitrogen bacteria to farmers for at least $ 50 per hectare less than they spend on synthetic fertilizers. In areas such as Southeast Asia, this could mean a discount of 30% to 40%, he said.

At present, synthetic fertilizer will not disappear. “Unfortunately, we can’t solve 100% of the problem yet,” Hughes said. “But from the percentage we can solve, it is effectively 100% performance.”