Oxford University spinout Wild Bioscience has raised $60 million in a Series A round led by the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), alongside Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE), Braavos Capital, and the University of Oxford. This round marks a major moment for Oxford’s startup landscape. It’s the first joint investment between EIT and OSE, two major players in science-driven innovation.
The funding will accelerate its mission to develop crop varieties that thrive in changing climates while improving productivity and sustainability. With the new capital, Wild Bio plans to expand its R&D and commercial footprint, moving its experimental breakthroughs into market-ready seeds for farmers worldwide.
From Oxford lab to global farmlands
Founded in 2021 by Dr. Ross Hendron and Prof. Steve Kelly, Wild Bioscience emerged from years of Oxford research on plant evolution. What began as a university project has quickly evolved into a 30-member team running field trials across four countries. Their goal is to turn scientific discoveries into real-world agricultural impact.
Wild Bio’s approach draws inspiration from millions of years of plant evolution. By studying hardy wild species, the company identifies genetic traits using AI to enhance resilience and yield. These traits guide precision breeding in modern crops, equipping them to better withstand heat, drought, and other environmental stresses. The result is a new generation of “climate-smart” crops that promise both higher productivity and reduced environmental impact.
With its roots in evolutionary biology and its eyes set on sustainable farming, Wild Bioscience represents the next wave of agri-innovation. By bringing together cutting-edge genetics and practical farming needs, it aims to help the world’s crops and farmers adapt to the climate of tomorrow.
Dr Ross Hendron, Co-Founder and CEO of Wild Bioscience, said: “Advancing agriculture has limitless potential to help people and the planet. So to achieve meaningful, scalable impact, we need the right investors who are truly aligned with that big vision. I’m deeply grateful to EIT and to our current investors for sharing our excitement about what we’ve accomplished so far, and for their united support as we embark on this ambitious growth journey together.”
Investor’s perspective
Professor Steve Kelly, Head of the Plant Biology Institute at EIT and Co-Founder and CSO of Wild Bio, said: “Combining the groundbreaking research at EIT and Wild will create a powerful synergy that could reshape sustainable agriculture on a global scale. Together, we will accelerate our ability to bring new technologies to market and deliver innovative solutions that enhance crop resilience, boost yields, and promote environmental sustainability.”
Larry Ellison, CTO and Chairman of Oracle and Founder of the Ellison Institute of Technology, added: “Wild Bio is using AI to better understand the lessons learned over millions of years of evolution encoded in plant genomes. Those insights, combined with precision breeding, have enabled Wild Bio to develop new varieties of crops with both higher yields and climate resilience. The ultimate goal is to grow these new crop varieties on a commercial scale and help provide food security around the world. EIT is committed to working with Wild Bio to reach this goal.”
