What Pivot Bio does

Pivot Bio is an agricultural biotechnology company that develops and sells gene-edited, nitrogen-fixing microbial products that replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer for major row crops. Founded in 2011 in Berkeley, California by Karsten Temme and Alvin Tamsir, the company engineers naturally occurring soil microbes within their own genomes (without introducing foreign DNA) so they consistently convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia directly on plant roots throughout the growing season. Its core product portfolio includes PROVEN 40 and PROVEN G3 for corn and corn silage, CERT-N for cotton, RETURN for wheat and small grains, and RETAIN for sorghum—available in On-Seed, In-Furrow, and DRY formulations. The company holds patented crop nutrition technologies and is the only firm with USDA-reviewed modified microbe products, with state approvals covering 47 U.S. states (excluding Alaska, California, and Hawaii).

Pivot Bio sells primarily direct to growers through a network of independent sales representatives supported by a team of field agronomists, with proprietary on-seed application services and a St. Louis manufacturing facility enabling 24-hour domestic delivery. Pricing is on a per-acre basis, with cumulative reductions of 30%+ in 2025–2026 positioning microbial nitrogen as a domestic alternative to volatile synthetic fertilizer. The company reports over $100M in FY2023 revenue, 190%+ net revenue retention, and products used on more than 15 million corn acres cumulatively. A secondary revenue and ESG layer is the N-OVATOR program, which has paid farmers over $6 million since 2022 by generating verified nitrogen credits purchased by corporate partners seeking Scope 3 emissions reductions. Strategic investors include Bunge and Bayer, with total funding exceeding $600M and a most recent valuation near $2B (2021 Series D).

Name

Pivot Bio

Legal name

Pivot Bio

Website

https://pivotbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Pivot Bio develops gene-edited nitrogen-fixing microbes that replace synthetic fertilizer for corn, wheat, cotton, and sorghum, selling direct to growers across 47 U.S. states with a complementary carbon credit program for corporate Scope 3 buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Biologicals / Crop Nutrition

NAICS

Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing (325311), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based Fertilizers, Soil Amendments & Biostimulants (Digestate-derived, biochar-based inputs) (EUAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Soil Health Activators & Biostimulants (Humates, Amino Acids, Seaweed Extracts) (AFABAKAJ)

Keywords

• Microbial nitrogen fertilizers
• Gene-edited crop nutrition
• Biological nitrogen fixation
• Sustainable agriculture inputs
• Cereal crop inoculants

Headquarters

HQ city

Minnetonka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Microbial Nitrogen Products (PROVEN, RETURN, CERT-N, RETAIN): Pivot Bio sells gene-edited microbial nitrogen products directly to farmers. Products are applied at planting either on-seed or in-furrow. Farmers purchase annually as a replacement or supplement to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. The company offers a direct-to-grower supply chain that ships when farmers are prepared to receive orders, adapting to planting timelines.
2. N-OVATOR Program (Nitrogen Credits): The N-OVATOR program connects farmers using microbial nitrogen with corporate partners seeking to achieve Scope 3 emissions reduction targets. Farmers generate revenue through the sale of verified nitrogen credits. Since 2022, the program has paid over $6 million to farmers and generated verified credits across 1.5 million acres.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Pivot Bio develops and sells gene-edited microbial nitrogen products that fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) directly on plant roots, converting it into ammonia (NH3) for crops such as corn, wheat, sorghum, cotton, and small grains. Products are applied at planting as on-seed treatments, in-furrow liquids, or dry formulations, and replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. The company also operates the N-OVATOR program, which monetizes verified nitrogen replacement as Scope 3 emissions credits for corporate partners.

Product overview

Pivot Bio is a sustainable agriculture company offering a portfolio of gene-edited microbial nitrogen products that replace a portion of synthetic fertilizer for major cereal crops. The core platform consists of PROVEN® 40 and PROVEN® G3 for corn (including silage), CERT-N™ for cotton, RETURN® for wheat and small grains, and RETAIN™ for sorghum. Products are available in three application formats — On-Seed (seed treatment), In-Furrow (liquid), and DRY formulation — and are complemented by the N-OVATOR® sustainability rewards program which pays farmers for nitrogen replacement and generates verified nitrogen credits for corporate partners. Supporting products include Extender and NuCore additives, the NLIGHTEN equipment reimbursement program, and a Tank Mix Calculator. All products are built on the company's patented gene-editing technology that enhances naturally occurring soil microbes to fix atmospheric nitrogen directly at the plant root.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PROVEN 40: Microbial nitrogen product for corn and corn silage that delivers steady nutrition at the plant root all season long
• PROVEN G3
• CERT-N
• RETURN
• RETAIN
• N-OVATOR
• NuCore
• Extender
• NLIGHTEN

Products and services

• PROVEN 40 Gene-edited microbial nitrogen product for corn that adheres to plant roots and continuously fixes atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia throughout the growing season regardless of weather. Replaces up to 40 lbs of synthetic nitrogen per acre without compromising yield. Available in On-Seed and In-Furrow formulations. Targeted at commercial corn growers in the U.S. Midwest and Great Plains.
• PROVEN G3 Next-generation gene-edited microbial nitrogen product for corn with three modes of action — feed more nitrogen, boost nutrient uptake, and amplify yield potential. Provides weatherproof, durable nitrogen delivery and consistently adds 4–10 bushels per acre in real-farmer trials. Available in On-Seed, Dry, and In-Furrow formulations. Targeted at commercial corn growers.
• CERT-N First-ever gene-edited nitrogen-fixing microbial product specifically developed for cotton. Available in On-Seed, In-Furrow, and Dry formulations. Replaces a portion of synthetic nitrogen and supports early square retention and boll count optimization. Targeted at cotton producers in the U.S. Southern cotton belt.
• RETURN Microbial nitrogen product for wheat and small grains that stays at the root regardless of soil type or weather. Available in On-Seed (RETURN OS) and In-Furrow formulations. Replaces a portion of traditional fertilizer and increases nitrogen efficiency while maintaining yields. Targeted at spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, millet, oats, and sunflower growers.
• RETAIN Microbial nitrogen product for sorghum and small grains (barley, millet, oats, sunflower) that delivers steady, efficient nutrition without loss. Available on-seed and in-furrow. Targeted at sorghum producers and growers introducing smaller grains into rotation.
• N-OVATOR Program Sustainability rewards program that pays farmers for replacing synthetic fertilizer with Pivot Bio microbial nitrogen. Translates nitrogen replacement into verified nitrogen credits for corporate partners seeking Scope 3 emissions reductions. Targeted at farmers using Pivot Bio products and corporate buyers of carbon/nitrogen credits.
• Pivot Bio DRY Formulation Dry formulation for Pivot Bio's nitrogen-fixing microbial products, enabling application beyond traditional liquid or seed treatment methods. Available for PROVEN G3 and CERT-N. Targeted at commercial farmers seeking additional application flexibility at planting.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33 lbs synthetic nitrogen replaced per acre on average with 2.1 bushel/acre yield advantage
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• U.S. Senate Committee on AgricultureminorOthers · 12 May 2026Pivot Bio issued a statement applauding the Senate Agriculture Committee's hearing on fertilizer supply challenges facing American farmers. The company highlighted its investments in domestic nitrogen fertilizer production, cost reductions, and a multiyear pricing and supply assurance program designed to protect growers from volatile global markets.
• Red Reef PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Strategic partnership to deploy Pivot Bio's nitrogen optimization solutions across Red Reef's North American farmland holdings starting with the 2026 growing season. The partnership aims to substantially reduce synthetic nitrogen fertilizer applications while improving agronomic performance, environmental outcomes, and farm profitability. Structured to deliver both lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved water quality, plus financial advantages through reduced input costs.
• Jennifer Doudna / Jill Banfield (Innovative Genomics Institute)minorOthers · 1 January 2024While not a direct partnership, Pivot Bio operates in the same synthetic biology and nitrogen fixation innovation space as the $70 million CRISPR microbe engineering project led by Jennifer Doudna and Jill Banfield at UC Berkeley's Innovative Genomics Institute. Both organizations are advancing microbial nitrogen fixation technology for agriculture.
• Iowa State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partnership conducting structured trials to demonstrate how Pivot Bio's technology maintains or improves yield. Iowa State University has conducted research examining how PROVEN 40 increases nitrogen use efficiency for farmers, including examining nitrate leaching impacts.
• North Carolina State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partnership conducting structured trials to validate Pivot Bio product performance. NC State research has examined PROVEN 40 impact on nutrient uptake and yield in real-world growing conditions.
• University of IllinoiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partnership with ongoing collaboration including a published paper confirming Pivot Bio delivers a unique mode of action as a new source of nitrogen for corn. Research published in Agronomy Journal (2024) on soil inoculation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to supplement maize fertilizer needs.
• Grand Farm (Emerging Prairie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPivot Bio was named Grand Farm Partner of the Year 2026 by Emerging Prairie, recognizing leadership in advancing agricultural innovation through partnership with Grand Farm, which aims to accelerate practical solutions for growers and strengthen modern farming systems.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• BioConsortia: BioConsortia develops naturally-occurring microbial consortia including nitrogen-fixing strains for non-legume crops, representing direct technical overlap with Pivot Bio's microbial nitrogen fixation research direction.
• Joyn Bio: Joyn Bio (now part of Ginkgo Bioworks) was a Bayer-backed joint venture engineering nitrogen-fixing microbes for cereals, making it one of the most direct technology peers and a potential future competitive threat.
• AgBiome: AgBiome uses microbial discovery for crop protection (biocontrol) but has expanded into biological nitrogen and yield enhancement products, placing it as an adjacent competitor in the agricultural biologicals market.

Broad incumbents

• Syngenta Biologicals: Syngenta (now ChemChina-owned) has built a biologicals platform via acquisitions like Valagro, offering biostimulants and nitrogen-efficiency products alongside its synthetic crop protection business as a broad incumbent.
• Yara International: Yara is the world's largest nitrogen fertilizer producer and has been expanding into agricultural biologicals. Their incumbency in nitrogen creates both a customer/partner opportunity and the strongest potential displacement threat to Pivot Bio.
• Bayer Crop Science: Bayer is both an investor in Pivot Bio and a broad incumbent with its own biologicals initiatives (including the former Joyn Bio JV), making it both an ally and potential competitor depending on strategic direction.
• Lallemand Plant Care: Lallemand is a large established microbial products manufacturer with broad agronomic biologicals including nitrogen cycle and biostimulant products, representing a broad-based incumbent competitor with deeper distribution.

Direct peers

• Indigo Ag: Indigo Ag is a direct peer developing microbial seed treatments and biological products for row crops, including nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-solubilizing microbes. Both companies target the same US row-crop grower base seeking to reduce synthetic fertilizer dependence through biological inputs.
• NewLeaf Symbiotics: NewLeaf develops pink pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFMs) for legume and row-crop nitrogen and stress tolerance. They target overlapping grower needs in biological nitrogen use efficiency.
• Sound Agriculture: Sound Agriculture's Source product is a foliar-applied microbial that unlocks existing soil nitrogen and phosphorus, directly competing with Pivot Bio on the nitrogen-efficiency value proposition for corn and soybean growers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pivotbio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pivot-bio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors20 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pivot Bio