CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR THRIVE | BAYER SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE WINNERS
THRIVE | Bayer Sustainable Startup Award
THRIVE | Bayer Sustainable Scaleup Award
People’s Choice Award
The THRIVE | Bayer Sustainability Challenge aims to identify and support key startup and scaleup innovators to implement solutions that 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!
REDUCE
GREENHOUSE GASES
How can we advance a carbon-zero future for agriculture in crop production systems?
REDUCE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
How can we produce higher crop yields with lower consumption of natural resources?
EMPOWER
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS
How can we advance smallholder farming systems in socially, environmentally, and commercially responsible ways?
JUDGING PANEL
SPECIAL GUEST
AMBASSADOR MARCIA BERNICAT
Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
MEET OUR FINALISTS
AGROCOGNITIVE
AgroCognitive is an affordable precision agriculture platform that gives insights to farmers, automates all farming processes, and saves on inputs to get a better harvest.
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.
DRONEBEE
DroneBee is developing Dionysus—an app that helps winegrowers to correctly dose pesticides by using UAVs/smartphones and AI algorithms.
Haystack enables soil carbon market scalability by helping farmers and carbon markets quantify carbon accurately and cost-effectively.
PONCE
PONCE empowers growers to meet the food production demands through efficiency with IoT.
VATOREX
Vatorex delivers a digital platform that enables control of the parasitic varroa mite, better bee health, and improved colony management for beekeepers seeking more effective and ecologically positive solutions.
AUTONOMOUS PIVOT
Autonomous Pivot is revolutionizing row-crop farming by transforming center-pivot irrigation systems into AI-powered farming robots, saving water and money.
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.
MAGGROW
MagGrow’s technology significantly reduces waste and drift linked to conventional crop spraying, delivering optimum plant protection.
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.
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
Gain brand recognition through Bayer’s channels and through the THRIVE | Forbes Demo Day
AWARD-WINNINGTHRIVE 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
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
STARTUPS
- Pre-Seed (proving technology, building MVP, validating product market fit)
- Seed (measuring and proving target market and CAC)
SCALEUPS
Series A (proving scalability of base business and formalizing business model)
Series B (expanding market reach, growing team, bolstering key product offerings)
Selection Process
