Sustainability Challenge
Congratulations to our THRIVE | Bayer Sustainability Challenge Winners
WHAT IS IT?
The THRIVE | Bayer Sustainability Challenge aims to identify and support key start-up and scaleup innovators to promote innovations that can address pressing challenges in the global agrifood chain.
Promote sustainability through reducing the environmental impact of crop protection, reducing field greenhouse gas emissions, and empowering smallholder farmers to access sustainable agricultural solutions. The THRIVE | Bayer Sustainability Challenge combines Bayer Crop Sciences’ sustainability commitments and THRIVE’s Global Initiative focus on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals to promote innovations that can address pressing challenges in the global agrifood chain. If you are a startup or scaleup that helps sustainably solve for one or more of our three focus areas, we want to hear from you!
Focus Area
Reduce Greenhouse Gases
Reduce Greenhouse Gases
Reduce Environmental Impact
Reduce Environmental Impact
Empower Smallholder Farmers
Empower Smallholder Farmers
Judging Panel
Paimun Amini
Robert Reiter
Sara Boetigger
Nolan Paul
Erin Vandanluit
Beth Betchdol
Ambassador Marcia Bernicat
Sara Boetigger
STARTUP & SCALEUP
Meet our Finalists
Startups
Agrocognitive
Agrology is a predictive agriculture system that helps farmers monitor greenhouse gases, improve soil sequestration, and generate carbon credits.
Startups
ClearLeaf
ClearLeaf develops sustainable crop protection that manages the impacts of harmful pests while maintaining natural balances on the farm and protecting farmers and consumers.
Startups
Dronebee
DroneBee is developing Dionysus—an app that helps winegrowers to correctly dose pesticides by using UAVs/smartphones and AI algorithms.
Startups
Haystack
Haystack enables soil carbon market scalability by helping farmers and carbon markets quantify carbon accurately and cost-effectively.
Startups
Ponce
PONCE empowers growers to meet the food production demands through efficiency with IoT.
Startups
Vatorex
ClearLeaf develops sustainable crop protection that manages the impacts of harmful pests while maintaining natural balances on the farm and protecting farmers and consumers.
Scaleups
Autonomous Pivot
Autonomous Pivot is revolutionizing row-crop farming by transforming center-pivot irrigation systems into AI-powered farming robots, saving water and money.
Scaleups
Goanna Ag
Goanna Ag uses low-cost sensors and connectivity to optimize water management across the farm and significantly improve on-farm efficiencies for growers.
Scaleups
MagGrow
MagGrow’s technology significantly reduces waste and drift linked to conventional crop spraying, delivering optimum plant protection.
Scaleups
Thinkbio
Thinkbio is accelerating the transition to more sustainable crop production with Kreotec—a product which delivers a sustainable form of nitrogen to agricultural crops through the use of bacteria.
Agrology
Reducing and Offseting GHG Emissions
Benefits for Winners
Startup Winner
Investment
Receive $75k USD from THRIVE and access the Leaps by Bayer investment team!
Access to R&D Resources & Networking
Meet with Bayer’s Open Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Group, and access partnership opportunities within THRIVE’s ecosystem
Publicity
Engage with THRIVE accelerator cohorts and participate in workshops, tours & networking events.
Award-Winning THRIVE Accelerator
Secure placement in THRIVE’s Accelerator Program in 2022
Mentorship & Coaching
Access Bayer’s technical and/or commercial experts based on your company’s needs and receive focused startup coaching from THRIVE
Scaleup Winner
Bayer Pilot Project Sponsorship
Explore proof-of-concept pilot in impacted sustainability area(s)
Access to Bayer Investment and R&D Resources
Access Bayer’s Open Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Group, and the Leaps by Bayer investment team!
Publicity
Gain brand recognition and achievement through Bayer and THRIVE channels
THRIVE Top 50 Fast-Track
Receive automatic nomination for THRIVE’s TOP 50 AgTech & FoodTech Listings
THRIVE Ecosystem
Be shortlisted for future partnership opportunities with THRIVE’s network
Selection Criteria
Start-Ups
- Pre-Seed (proving technology, building MVP, validating product market fit)
- Seed (measuring and proving target market and CAC)
Scale-Ups
- Series A (proving scalability of base business and formalizing business model)
- Series B (expanding market reach, growing team, bolstering key product offerings)
Selection Process
