CoverCress

Overview

CoverCress is developing a new winter oilseed crop that provides multiple benefits: it allows corn and soybean farmers to add a new crop into their rotation on existing land during winter, and it offers the ecosystem benefits of a cover crop, including improved soil health and carbon sequestration
Starting with field pennycress, the company is using plant breeding to improve yield and maturity combined with advanced gene editing tools to improve fiber and oil composition

Highlights

Raised Series A and B rounds of financing with participation from venture capital and strategic sources of capital
Built a strong team of industry experts with decades of agtech experience
Established key strategic partners
Developed CoverCress to the point of initial commercial launch
Acquired by Bayer in 2022

BioGenerator - CoverCress Case Study

BioGenerator was instrumental in getting CoverCress started, both in capital and supporting the process of our company’s formation. Many of us were new to the startup scene and this support saved us time, money, and helped us make smarter decisions. The BioGenerator led St Louis ecosystem has been a key reason for our continued success.

Jerry Steiner
Co-Founder and Executive Chair, CoverCress, Inc.

BioGenerator Contributions

BioGenerator provided pre-investment funding to secure FTO and support the founding team
From 2012-2014, BioGenerator helped launch the company as the only source of capital beyond the founders
A BioGenerator EIR served as founding CEO from inception to Series A
BioGenerator was the first investor in the company in 2014 and led the initial rounds of financing
Charlie Bolten, Senior Managing Director of BioGenerator Ventures, served as the company's Chair