Benson Hill Biosystems launches novel genome editing CRISPR 3.0 technology

Date:09-14-2017

Benson Hill Biosystems, an agricultural technology company that uses cloud biology to unlock the genetic potential of plants, announced at the Ag Innovation Showcase the commercial launch of CRISPR 3.0, a novel family of Cms1 nucleases as part of its suite of genomics tools to accelerate crop performance improvements.


Benson Hill's computational platform CropOS™ combines powerful data analytics and machine learning to empower companies of any size to access the most advanced tools in seed innovation without major infrastructure costs or distraction from their core business. CropOS can be used for a range of crops and targets using a range of genomics tools, from breeding to transgenics to genome editing.

"Genome Editing holds immense potential to lower product development costs and level the playing field beyond those few companies with the largest R&D budgets," said Matthew Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Benson Hill Biosystems. "CRISPR 3.0 expands the portfolio of genome editing capabilities we are building for our partners to leverage the natural genetic diversity of plants and develop more nutrient-dense crops, improve crop productivity, and use natural resources more efficiently."

Benson Hill's CRISPR 3.0 portfolio of nucleases demonstrate a shorter length than many other widely-used nucleases, enabling easier delivery. Uncertainty around the intellectual property landscape and broad claims surrounding CRISPR/Cas9 – currently the most widely used genome editing technology – perpetuates a barrier to entry for innovators wishing to utilize genome editing for the advancement of the industry and society. CRISPR 3.0 and Benson Hill's partnership business model offer an alternative genome editing solution for organizations interested in accessing this powerful technology to accelerate their business goals.

"As a company designed to empower a robust community of agricultural innovators, Benson Hill has built an operating system and suite of tools to drive a healthier, more sustainable and decentralized food system, an approach that aligns with S2G's organizational mission," said Sanjeev Krishnan of S2G Ventures (Seed 2 Growth). "CRISPR 3.0 is a breakthrough to accelerate food system improvements from the taste and texture of plant-based protein ingredients to managing disease resistance without pesticides – attributes that benefit farmers, consumers, profits and our planet."

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