Wild Bioscience secures $60M Series A to scale AI-guided precision breeding
Wild Bioscience, an Oxford University spinout focused on AI-driven crop genetics, closed a $60 million Series A led by the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), with participation from Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE), Braavos Capital, and the University of Oxford. The raise will accelerate field trials and push toward commercialization across multiple markets.
This round also marks the first co-investment between EIT and OSE-an important signal for Oxford's innovation pipeline and industry collaboration.
Key takeaways
- $60M Series A led by EIT; participation from OSE, Braavos Capital, and the University of Oxford
- AI + precision breeding to improve yield, resilience, and sustainability
- Funding accelerates multi-country field trials and commercialization
- First co-investment between EIT and OSE in Oxford's innovation ecosystem
AI-driven crop genetics: How Wild Bio works
Wild Bioscience uses AI to decode evolutionary signals from wild plant species and identify trait architectures that improve modern crops. Insights inform precision breeding strategies aimed at measurable gains in yield and stress tolerance.
The approach connects sequence-level and trait-level evidence with field performance, closing the loop between discovery and deployment. The target outcome: resilient, productive seed varieties ready for real-world conditions.
Scientific leadership and field progress
Founded in 2021 by Dr. Ross Hendron and Professor Steve Kelly, Wild Bio translates University of Oxford plant biology research into scalable agricultural solutions. The team has grown to 30 and is running field trials across four countries.
"Advancing agriculture has limitless potential to help people and the planet," said Dr. Ross Hendron, Co-Founder and CEO. "With this funding, we're ready to scale our operations and bring our innovations to farmers around the world."
Professor Steve Kelly, Head of the Plant Biology Institute at EIT and Co-Founder and CSO of Wild Bio, added, "Combining EIT's and Wild's research will create a powerful synergy to reshape sustainable agriculture, accelerating the delivery of innovative technologies that enhance crop performance and environmental outcomes."
Strategic investment and collaboration
"Wild Bio is using AI to learn from millions of years of plant evolution. These insights, combined with precision breeding, are enabling the development of crops with higher yields and stronger climate resilience. EIT is committed to helping Wild Bio reach commercial scale and strengthen global food security," said Larry Ellison, Founder of EIT, CTO and Chairman of Oracle.
The round represents the first joint investment between EIT and OSE. "We're thrilled to partner with the Ellison Institute of Technology as co-investors in Wild Bioscience," said Ed Bussey, CEO of Oxford Science Enterprises. "Wild Bio exemplifies how Oxford scientists can transform breakthrough ideas into global solutions. This investment reinforces confidence in Wild's scientific edge and mission to build a sustainable food system."
What this means for researchers and R&D leaders
- Trait discovery: Mining wild germplasm for adaptive traits provides a high-variance search space for yield and stress tolerance targets.
- Model-guided selection: AI narrows candidate traits for breeding programs, potentially reducing cycles to validation.
- Field evidence: Multi-country trials suggest an emphasis on genotype-by-environment testing and measurable endpoints (e.g., yield under stress).
- Translational focus: The pipeline links computational discovery to deployable seed varieties, aligning lab insights with agronomic performance.
Next steps for Wild Bio
With Series A funding in place, Wild Bio will expand R&D and commercial operations and move from successful field trials toward market-ready seed varieties. The company aims to integrate evolutionary biology, AI, and precision breeding to support a growing population amid increasingly unpredictable climate conditions.
University of Oxford | Oxford Science Enterprises
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