FMC Corporation has recently announced to launch its new venture capital arm – FMC Ventures – that will target strategic investments in start-ups and early-stage companies involved in developing and applying emerging technologies in the agricultural industry.
This new entity evaluates emerging technologies of relevance to the agricultural industry and will invest in those that create a unique competitive advantage for FMC.
Agriculture’s most pressing challenges are being addressed through advances in precision agriculture, AI, biopesticides, genomics, robotics, synthetic biology and other innovations. The FMC’s new venture capital arm would initially invest in these advanced technology areas.
“At FMC, we are investing in the future of agriculture,” said Mark Douglas, president and chief executive officer at FMC. “Through FMC Ventures, we are able to quickly identify, assess and invest in emerging, sustainable technologies that will complement our technology portfolio and deliver a strong return on investment.”
FMC Ventures also announced its first portfolio investment in Trace Genomics Inc. This start-up’s cutting-edge technology elaborates how soil diseases emerge as well as identifies beneficial microorganisms to be developed into biological products in order to counter harmful pathogens.