China Agricultural University

What China Agricultural University does

China Agricultural University (中国农业大学, CAU) is a public research university established in 1905 and administered under China's Ministry of Education, headquartered in Beijing's Haidian District across East and West campuses, with regional facilities in Yantai (Shandong), Quzhou (Hebei), and Sanya. It specializes in agriculture, biology, agricultural engineering, veterinary medicine, food science, resource and environmental science, and agricultural economics, and serves a diversified stakeholder base including domestic and international students, rural communities across 23+ provinces, nine partner universities, agricultural enterprises, and government clients.

CAU's core research and technology portfolio spans agricultural biotechnology (CRISPR/Cas9 ZmRap2.7 corn gene editing co-developed with Origin Agritech; jasmonate-ethylene mediated potassium uptake in cotton), agricultural AI (the proprietary Shennong Large Model 3.0 launched October 2025 at the World Agrifood Innovation Conference and deployed in regional pilot programs), agricultural engineering (a multi-process greenhouse thermal blanket heat transfer model, a terrain-adaptive pesticide application system for 5–30° slopes), agricultural-waste-to-energy research (a $1.54/kg solar co-electrolysis hydrogen system jointly with Nanyang Technological University), and operational AI (the AI Cooking Research Restaurant at Haidian, serving 500+ diners per hour with three staff and cutting kitchen food waste by over 90%). CAU also operates the pioneering Science and Technology Small House (科技小院) network — 127+ rural sites in 23 provinces where graduate students conduct field research and technology transfer — and a 'Three Institutes, Two Stations, One System' service architecture covering all 31 Chinese provincial-level regions.

CAU's revenue model is dominated by government appropriations and subsidized tuition, with supplementary income from continuing education and professional training programs (priced per course), technology transfer, and research collaboration contracts with enterprises and local governments. Customer segments are structured horizontally rather than vertically: rural communities and villages (poverty alleviation and rural vitalization, including five consecutive years of highest central-government evaluation for Zhenkang County, 2020–2024), domestic and international students (national unified enrollment plus 'Study Beijing' recruitment in Indonesia and Uzbekistan), nine partner universities under 对口支援 (targeted support) arrangements, enterprise and government clients (training programs for officials and corporates such as Henan Huahua Niu Industrial Group), and agricultural technology companies conducting joint research. Channels are predominantly direct, including the national enrollment system, the Small House network, technology transfer offices, and Belt and Road international training programs.

Name

China Agricultural University

Legal name

中国农业大学

Website

https://cau.edu.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

China Agricultural University is a Beijing-based public research university under China's Ministry of Education specializing in agricultural sciences, biotechnology, and AI for agriculture. It serves students, rural communities, partner universities, and government clients through degree programs, technology transfer, and a network of 127+ Science and Technology Small Houses across 23 provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Agricultural Research

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF), Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI), Agribusiness, Farm Management & Compliance (EDAOAOAN)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Agricultural research
• Agricultural technology transfer
• Professional training programs
• Rural development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Higher Education Services: CAU generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees from undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs. The university receives government appropriations for public education services.
2. Professional Training and Continuing Education: Revenue from professional training programs for enterprises, government officials, and agricultural professionals. Programs include management training, technical certification courses, and specialized agricultural training.
3. Technology Transfer and Consulting: Revenue from technology transfer, consulting services, and research collaborations with enterprises and local governments through the technology transfer center and social service programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

China Agricultural University is a public research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs specializing in agriculture, biology, engineering, veterinary medicine, economics, and related disciplines. The university also delivers technology transfer, consulting, and applied agricultural research services through a nationwide network of field stations, demonstration sites, and Science and Technology Small Houses (科技小院). It supports rural vitalization, food security, and agricultural modernization through education, research collaboration, and training programs for enterprises, government officials, and international partners.

Product overview

China Agricultural University operates as a comprehensive agricultural university offering AI-powered technology applications and social services. Key products include: (1) Shennong Large Model 3.0 - a lightweight AI model for agriculture deployed in pilot programs; (2) AI Cooking Research Restaurant - an AI-powered canteen with full-process automation from cooking to nutritional tracking; (3) Science and Technology Small Courts (科技小院) - a nationwide network of village-based agricultural service centers where graduate students provide on-ground technical support and conduct research. These offerings are supported by research technologies in greenhouse modeling, solar hydrogen production, precision pesticide application, and agricultural biotechnology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 科技小院 (Science and Technology Small Hospitals): Agricultural technology extension model that integrates researchers, graduate students, and farmers in rural areas for hands-on agricultural innovation and knowledge transfer
• 曲周精神 (Quzhou Spirit)
• 百名博士老区行 (Hundred PhDs in Old Revolutionary Areas)

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ diners served per hour with only 3 staff (1 head chef + 2 assistants) at AI canteen
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Origin Agritech Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CAU researchers co-authored landmark studies with Origin Agritech scientists published in Plant Biotechnology Journal on CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing of corn. The collaboration integrates CAU research findings into Origin Agritech's proprietary gene-editing breeding pipeline for improved corn varieties targeting early maturity, drought tolerance, and lodging resistance.
• Tencent FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CAU partnered with the Tencent Foundation to develop rural poverty reduction training programs for Lao village officials. The training program, part of China's broader effort to share poverty alleviation experience with Global South countries, focuses on the Sanman villages model that transforms traditional Dai ethnic villages into cultural tourism destinations.
• Nanyang Technological UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint research collaboration to develop solar-powered hydrogen production using agricultural waste. The system achieves green hydrogen production at $1.54 per kilogram through a membrane-free co-electrolysis approach that converts glucose from farm waste into formate while generating hydrogen.
• 9 Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019CAU supports 9 universities through '对口支援' (targeted support) and '对口合作' (cooperation) programs: Tarim University, Tibet Agricultural University, Gansu Agricultural University, Xichang College, Hebei University, Guizhou University, Shihezi University, Hainan University, and Shandong Agricultural University. Focus areas include talent cultivation, faculty development, research services, and university management improvement.
• Yunnan Lincang City Zhenkang CountyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2013, CAU has implemented targeted poverty alleviation in Zhenkang County through dispatching cadres, graduate student teaching support, and professor service teams. The partnership has been recognized with the highest classification evaluation for five consecutive years (2020-2024).
• National Center for Technology Innovation in Dairy (NCTID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAU participates as a key research institution in NCTID's annual conferences and achievement showcases, contributing to dairy cattle breeding research, breast milk research, and sustainability breakthroughs in China's dairy industry.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Wageningen University & Research: Wageningen is widely regarded as the world's #1 agricultural university, offering the most direct global comparison to CAU's agricultural research and education mission. Comparable in scope across plant science, animal science, food science, and applied agricultural research with strong extension/industry collaboration.
• Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS): China's premier national agricultural research institute system, directly under the Ministry of Agriculture. Closely comparable applied agricultural research mission and the dominant non-university player in Chinese agricultural R&D; a key collaborator and competitor for research talent and funding.
• UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences: Top US agricultural college with similar scope across plant, animal, and environmental sciences. Comparable research intensity and extension/outreach mission, providing a benchmark for research scale, technology transfer capability, and global standing.
• Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: US land-grant institution with strong extension mission and agricultural biotech research. Comparable in extension model, IP commercialization, and global research partnerships, providing a useful international peer benchmark.

Direct peers

• Nanjing Agricultural University: One of China's top-tier agricultural universities under the Ministry of Education, with comparable research strengths in plant science, animal science, and agricultural economics. Direct domestic peer in the same elite 985/Project tier of Chinese agricultural higher education.
• Huazhong Agricultural University: Another 985-tier Chinese agricultural university with strong programs in crop science, animal husbandry, and life sciences. A direct domestic peer competing for talent, research funding, and national project leadership.
• Northwest A&F University: 985-tier Chinese agricultural university with strengths in dryland agriculture, horticulture, and water resources. Comparable in extension-driven mission and applied agricultural research, focused on northwestern China.
• South China Agricultural University: Major Chinese agricultural university with strengths in tropical/subtropical agriculture, animal science, and agricultural biotechnology. Competes with CAU in tropical breeding research (Sanya ties) and southern China agricultural development.
• Zhejiang University (College of Agriculture and Biotechnology): Top-tier Chinese research university with a leading agricultural college, competing with CAU in plant biotechnology, agricultural AI, and applied research. Comparable 985-tier status, multi-campus footprint, and research commercialization capabilities.

Others

• Origin Agritech Ltd. Commercial partner of CAU in CRISPR/Cas9 corn gene editing research. While not a direct peer (private seed company vs. university), it represents the commercialization channel for CAU's biotechnology research outputs and a useful benchmark for translating academic IP into agtech products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubespace.bilibili.com/472547299

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 China Agricultural University