NewLeaf Symbiotics Funding, Investors & Competitors

NewLeaf Symbiotics has raised $129M across 6 funding rounds, most recently a $45M Series D in December 2023.

Last NewLeaf Symbiotics funding round

$45M

Series D · Dec 2023

Cumulative funding NewLeaf Symbiotics raised

$129M

across 6 funding rounds

Key investors in NewLeaf Symbiotics

  • Rockport Capital
  • S2G Investments
  • Leaps by Bayer
  • Pangaea Ventures
  • Open Prairie
  • Otter Capital
  • Lewis & Clark Ventures
  • Re:food

NewLeaf Symbiotics Overview

About NewLeaf Symbiotics

NewLeaf Symbiotics is a St. Louis-based agricultural biotechnology company that discovers and commercializes symbiotic bacteria for crop protection and yield enhancement. The firm develops microbial products targeting diseases in soybeans, corn, and potatoes, helping farmers reduce chemical inputs. Through field trials and partnerships, NewLeaf advances sustainable farming practices with biofungicides and biostimulants.


Founded

1999

HQ

United StatesSt Louis, MO

Status

Privately held

Customer focus

B2B

Revenue model

Product sales

NewLeaf Symbiotics Funding History

NewLeaf Symbiotics has raised a total of $129M across 6 funding rounds.

NewLeaf Symbiotics' first fundraising round was a $7M Series A in January 2013. The most recent completed round was a $45M Series D in December 2023.

NewLeaf Symbiotics funding rounds

NewLeaf Symbiotics funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedDeal Summary
Dec 2023Series DRe:food (lead); Otter Capital; Leaps by Bayer; S2G Investments$45MNewLeaf Symbiotics is a St. Louis-based ag biotech company pioneering pink-pigmented facultative methylotroph (PPFM) technology for biological products like biostimulants, microbial inoculants, biocontrol, nitrogen use efficiency, and methane mitigation in row crops such as corn, soy, sorghum, peanuts, cotton, and rice. The company closed a $45 million Series D round on December 19, 2023, led by Gullspång Re:food with participation from Otter Capital Partners LP, S2G Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, and others, bringing total funding to approximately $122 million since its 2015 founding. Funds will accelerate PPFM development, including a 2024 EPA-registered biopesticide against corn rootworm, biostimulants for peanuts and cotton, and R&D on rice yield and nitrogen efficiency. Traction includes commercializing its first product in 2022 on 800,000 acres of corn and soybeans, scaling to two commercial products and 3.5 million acres in 2023, with projections for 11 million acres in 2024 and significant product shipment increases. The company screened over 12,000 PPFM strains and applies products as seed treatments or planter box alongside existing operations. Re:food's Peter Odemark joined the board, emphasizing PPFM's role in sustainable food production. Smith indicated no immediate exit plans, targeting self-sustainability and opportunities in 3-5 years after engaging nearly 50 firms for the round.
Dec 2021Series A-$10MNewLeaf Symbiotics develops biological products using proprietary pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFMs), also called M-trophs, to enhance crop yield, protect against pests and diseases, improve plant nutrition, and reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals. Branded as Terrasym, the technology targets biostimulants and biocontrol for crops like corn, soy, peanuts, and cotton. The company launched in 2013 from the Bio Research & Development Growth Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis. Around 2021, NewLeaf's products covered several hundred thousand acres and positioned for commercialization growth. This followed a $24 million Series C round in July 2017 co-led by Monsanto Growth Ventures and Otter Capital, with Lewis & Clark Ventures, Rockport Capital, Pangaea Ventures, and Open Prairie Ventures, and another Series C tranche of $30 million in September 2017 including S2G Ventures and The Yard Ventures; valuations undisclosed. In July 2020, NewLeaf partnered with Joyn Bio in a $75 million deal granting access to its microbial strain library. Later, NewLeaf closed a $45 million Series D round on December 19, 2023, led by Gullspång Re:food with Otter Capital Partners LP, S2G Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, and others to expand PPFM applications in biostimulants, biocontrol, nitrogen efficiency, and methane mitigation. Product footprint grew from 800,000 acres in crop year 2022 to 3.5 million in 2023, projecting 11 million in 2024.
Feb 2020Series DOtter Capital; Koch Agronomic Services; Leaps by Bayer; S2G Investments; Rockport Capital$20MNewLeaf Symbiotics is a St. Louis-based agricultural biotechnology company specializing in plant microbiome technology, developing biological products with proprietary M-trophs (pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs, or PPFMs) that increase crop yield, protect against pests and diseases, enhance grain and fruit quality, and improve plant nutrition. Commercialized under the Terrasym brand, these biostimulants and biocontrols target broad-acre row crops like corn, soybeans, and peanuts, with expansion into specialty and vegetable crops. The company originated from the Bio Research & Development Growth Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center, launched in 2013, and has partnerships including a $75M deal with Joyn Bio for microbial engineering access to its strain library. In February 2020, NewLeaf announced a first close of $20 million in its Series D financing from Koch Agronomic Holdings (or Services), Leaps by Bayer, Otter Capital, Rockport Capital, and S2G Ventures (or S2G Investments), focusing on accelerating commercialization, enhancing R&D, and scaling into row crops. This followed a $24M-$30M Series C in 2017 used to expand R&D and build a fermentation facility. The Series D later expanded with additional closes: $45M in December (led by Gullspång Re:food, with Otter, S2G, Leaps by Bayer) and final close adding SABIC Ventures. Total funding to date reached $122M by late 2023. A streamlined management team was formed with co-founder Steve Kahn as CEO and Tom Laurita as senior consultant. In 2020, Terrasym was applied across several hundred thousand acres of corn and soybeans, demonstrating early commercial traction and setting up growth into 2021 amid rising demand for sustainable biologicals reducing agrochemical use. Later traction included product footprint growing from 800,000 acres in 2022 to 3.5 million in 2023, targeting 11 million in 2024, with revenue doubling 2022-2023 and profitability path noted by leadership.
Jul 2017Series CMonsanto Growth Ventures (MGV) (lead); Otter Capital (lead); Pangaea Ventures; Open Prairie; Leaps by Bayer; S2G Investments; Lewis & Clark Ventures; Rockport Capital$30MNewLeaf Symbiotics, a St. Louis-based agricultural biotech company founded in 2012, develops biological crop inputs using pink pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFM), beneficial bacteria that enhance plant health, yield, and nutrient uptake by converting plant waste into beneficial nutrients. The company closed its $30 million Series C funding round in September 2017, with an initial $24 million in July upsized by $6 million from S2G Ventures. Led by Monsanto Growth Ventures (MGV) and Otter Capital, participants included Leaps by Bayer, Lewis & Clark Ventures, Open Prairie, Pangaea Ventures, Rockport Capital, and S2G Investments. Proceeds funded tripling the R&D team size, expanding the St. Louis facility to 16,000 square feet, building a fermentation pilot facility, and commercializing PPFM-based seed treatment and in-furrow products for soybeans, peanuts, corn, wheat, and tomatoes, with the first product launching late 2017 or early 2018 for the 2018 planting season. Prior to this round, NewLeaf had raised $24 million in equity and $3.55 million in debt. By September 2017, total funding reached approximately $57.55 million to nearly $58 million across prior rounds. The round accelerated development of NewLeaf's Prescriptive Biologics Knowledgebase bioinformatics platform and positioned it as a leader in agricultural biologicals amid growing demand for sustainable solutions. Investors highlighted the technology's potential to align food production with consumer sustainability demands. Subsequent developments included a 2019 $75 million deal with a Bayer-backed firm, Series D funding exceeding $45 million with investors like SABIC Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, and others, driving growth to millions of treated acres by 2023-2024 in corn, soy, peanuts, and more, with expansions into biocontrol, nitrogen efficiency, and methane mitigation.
Sep 2014Series BOpen Prairie (lead); Palo Alto Investors (lead); Pangaea Ventures; Rockport Capital$17M-
Jan 2013Series AOpen Prairie (lead); Pangaea Ventures; Rockport Capital$7MNewLeaf Symbiotics is an agricultural biotech firm commercializing beneficial bacteria known as PPFMs (Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs), which improve plant health, promote early growth, and increase crop yield. The company completed a $7 million Series A financing round in January 2013 with investors RockPort Capital, Open Prairie Ventures, Pangaea Ventures, and several individuals. Open Prairie Ventures highlighted the opportunity in the biocontrols market, while partners from RockPort Capital and Pangaea Ventures emphasized the strong IP, team, and positioning in agricultural biologicals. The funds supported field trials across key market segments, product formulation efforts, and expansion of intellectual property. This round preceded a $17 million Series B in 2014 led by Otter Capital, bringing total equity raised to $24 million by then, followed by later rounds including a $30 million Series C in 2017.

Who has invested in NewLeaf Symbiotics?

11 investors have backed NewLeaf Symbiotics across its funding rounds, including Rockport Capital, S2G Investments, Leaps by Bayer, Pangaea Ventures, Open Prairie and Otter Capital.

Lead investors include Re:food, Monsanto Growth Ventures (MGV), Otter Capital, Open Prairie and Palo Alto Investors.


NewLeaf Symbiotics Investors

Investors in NewLeaf Symbiotics by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check
Rockport CapitalCanadaBoston, MA4ParticipantJan 2013
Otter CapitalUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA3LeadJul 2017
Pangaea VenturesUnited StatesPhoenix, AZ3ParticipantJan 2013
Open PrairieUnited StatesEffingham, IL3LeadJan 2013
Leaps by BayerGermanyLeverkusen3ParticipantJul 2017
S2G InvestmentsUnited StatesChicago, IL3ParticipantJul 2017
Re:foodSwedenStockholm1LeadDec 2023
Koch Agronomic ServicesUnited StatesWichita, KS1ParticipantFeb 2020
Palo Alto InvestorsUnited StatesSan Francisco, CA1LeadSep 2014

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NewLeaf Symbiotics Competitors

NewLeaf Symbiotics competitors include listed companies like Corteva, BASF, Archer-Daniels-Midland and Nutrien, and private ones like Meicai and Farmers Business Network.

Public and private companies comparable to NewLeaf Symbiotics
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
CortevaUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$17B$2.9B$54B3.2x
BASFGermanyGermanyPublicly listed$69B$8.2B$52B1.0x
Archer-Daniels-MidlandUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$80B$2.9B$42B0.6x
NutrienCanadaCanadaPublicly listed$27B$6.1B$38B1.8x
MeicaiChinaBeijingPrivate--$7B-
Farmers Business NetworkUnited StatesSan Francisco, CAPrivate--$4B-

NewLeaf Symbiotics Public Comps

NewLeaf Symbiotics is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Corteva, BASF, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Nutrien, Muyuan Foods, Novonesis, Bunge, CF Industries, Qinghai Salt Lake Industry and Wilmar International.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Corteva$17B$2.9B3.3x3.2x19.5x13.9x
BASF$69B$8.2B1.1x1.0x8.9x8.6x
Archer-Daniels-Midland$80B$2.9B0.6x0.6x17.4x11.2x
Nutrien$27B$6.1B1.9x1.8x8.2x8.0x
Muyuan Foods$21B$5B2.0x2.3x8.7x16.1x
Novonesis$4.8B$1.6B7.1x6.7x21.7x17.9x
Bunge$70B$2.3B0.6x0.5x17.9x11.2x
CF Industries$7.1B$3.2B3.5x3.1x7.7x6.8x

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Common questions about NewLeaf Symbiotics

When was NewLeaf Symbiotics founded?NewLeaf Symbiotics was founded in 1999.
Where is NewLeaf Symbiotics headquartered?NewLeaf Symbiotics is headquartered in St Louis, MO, United States.
Is NewLeaf Symbiotics publicly listed?No, NewLeaf Symbiotics is a private, VC-backed company.
How much funding has NewLeaf Symbiotics raised?NewLeaf Symbiotics has raised $129M across 6 funding rounds.
What was NewLeaf Symbiotics' last funding round?NewLeaf Symbiotics' last funding round was a $45M Series D in December 2023, led by Re:food.
Who are NewLeaf Symbiotics' investors?NewLeaf Symbiotics' investors include Rockport Capital, Otter Capital, Pangaea Ventures, Open Prairie, Leaps by Bayer, S2G Investments, Re:food, Koch Agronomic Services, Palo Alto Investors, Lewis & Clark Ventures and 1 other.
Which companies are comparable to NewLeaf Symbiotics?Companies comparable to NewLeaf Symbiotics include Corteva, BASF, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Nutrien, Meicai and Farmers Business Network.

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