Sound’s dual-technology platform uses biochemistry to tap into the natural capabilities of the plant to increase the speed and efficiency of agriculture
Sound Agriculture, a company tackling sustainability through groundbreaking advancements in both food and agriculture, has secured a $45 million investment led by Leaps by Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer. Northpond Ventures, a leading science and technology-driven venture capital firm also participated in the round, along with existing investors Cavallo Ventures, Fall Line Capital, S2G Ventures, and Syngenta Group Ventures.
Sound is advancing two novel technology platforms that leverage plant and soil biology to radically improve food production. The first is Sound’s on-demand breeding platform that offers a paradigm shift in breeding by accelerating plant trait development ten times faster than current technologies without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The second is a nutrient efficiency platform poised to replace 30 per cent of global nitrogen fertiliser use – the equivalent of removing 200 million cars from the road, with patented technology that allows crops to access more nutrients from the existing microbiome.
The financing will be used to scale both platforms to address critical issues in the food and agriculture industry, which is responsible for 25 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to declining water quality and soil health. With the potential for global supply shocks due to climate change and rapidly changing consumer preferences, the need for a more adaptable and resilient food system has never been more evident.
