AgroSpheres
Description:
AgroSpheres is an agricultural biotechnology company "transforming agriculture through reliable and affordable bio-based solutions." Based in Charlottesville, VA, its mission is to implement nature's technologies into the future of farming. AgroSpheres' primary technology, biodegradable encapsulation, aims to create safe pest control for the environment. It combines RNA interference (RNAi) and natural plant extracts to effectively deactivate genes in insect pests and promote plant health. This revolutionary technology has the power to transform the “efficiency, efficacy, and sustainability of crop protection practices.”
Funding:
On November 27, 2023, AgroSpheres announced $25 million in Series B funding from FMC Ventures, Lewis and Clark AgriFood, Ospraie Ag Science, BIDRA Ventures, and Cavallo Ventures.
Founders:
Payam Purtaheri - Founder & CEO
Ameer Shakeel - Founder & CEO
Covalence Media:
We had the pleasure of speaking with Ameer Shakeel, Founder & CEO of AgroSpheres, about his path in founding AgroSpheres and scaling it into the company it is today. Ameer reflected on his early days studying in Pakistan, his first interest in agricultural technology, and the key milestones he has achieved in both his scientific and entrepreneurial journeys.
Watch the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwXkr1GM9U
Read the transcription: https://the-climate-map.org/building-and-scaling-in-agricultural-biotech
Ameer is the Founder & CTO of AgroSpheres since its inception in 2016. Ameer leads technology development and strategic collaborations for the company. He manages global multi-year partnerships and overseas manufacturing expansion for the company. Ameer has also co-led the company's growth from 5 to 40+ employees across 3 different sites. Ameer is passionate about technology that positively impacts people and helps society around the world.
