NexGen Turf Research
NexGen Turf Research (operating as NexGen Plant Science Center) is a privately held Oregon-based turfgrass R&D firm that develops and licenses proprietary cool season and bermudagrass cultivars for sod producers, golf courses, athletic facilities, and landscapers, and provides third-party product testing services to fertilizer, fungicide, and insecticide manufacturers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAlbany, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What NexGen Turf Research does
NexGen Turf Research, operating commercially as the NexGen Plant Science Center, is a privately held agricultural research and development firm headquartered in Albany, Oregon, that develops and licenses proprietary turfgrass cultivars—primarily cool season varieties (tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues) and warm season bermudagrass cultivars under its NexGen Seeds West sub-brand. The firm serves two B2B customer sets: the professional turfgrass industry (golf courses, athletic fields and complexes, sod producers, commercial landscapers, municipal parks) seeking drought-tolerant, disease-resistant, low-input turf varieties, and agricultural input manufacturers (fertilizer, fungicide, insecticide, moss control) that require third-party product testing. Revenue is generated through one-time seed licensing/sales of proprietary cultivars via regional seed distributors and direct enterprise relationships, supplemented by professional services revenue from the Controls Testing division's contracted product efficacy and claims testing.
The company operates three integrated research units—Turfgrass Research, Product Testing Services, and the Controls Testing division—and employs 13 full-time staff led by Director of Research Kenneth Hignight, who has been with NexGen since 1990. Its R&D infrastructure comprises a 160-acre main campus with six greenhouses and two laboratories in Oregon, plus an additional 50 acres of warm/cool season turf trialing and 30 dedicated product research acres through its partnership and jointly controlled interest in Middle Fork Research, LLC near Fayetteville, Arkansas. Cooperative field trials extend further into Georgia, Arizona, and New Jersey. Proprietary methodologies include root study tube selection systems, rainout shelter drought evaluation, disease growth chambers programmed for pythium/red thread/brown patch, and digital photography analysis using SigmaScan Pro macros. NexGen publishes NTEP-validated trial data as its primary marketing channel, participates in the Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA), and maintains collaborative research relationships with multiple universities, including Texas A&M and the University of Arkansas.
NexGen Turf Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NexGen Turf Research
- Legal name
- NexGen Turf Research
- Website
- https://nexgenresearch.net
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- NexGen Turf Research (operating as NexGen Plant Science Center) is a privately held Oregon-based turfgrass R&D firm that develops and licenses proprietary cool season and bermudagrass cultivars for sod producers, golf courses, athletic facilities, and landscapers, and provides third-party product testing services to fertilizer, fungicide, and insecticide manufacturers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NexGen Turf Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Turfgrass Cultivar Development
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Turf & Ornamental Seeds (Lawn, Golf, Landscaping) (AFABAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Seed Testing, Treatment & Certification Services (AFAMADAI), Nematode & Pest Diagnostics Services (AFACAKAH)
Keywords
Where NexGen Turf Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Albany
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
NexGen Turf Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Turfgrass Seed Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of proprietary turfgrass cultivars developed through the company's research programs, including tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, and bermudagrass varieties.
- Product Testing Services: The Controls Testing division provides reliable testing of fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides and moss control products to support research development, product comparisons, efficacy, functionality, performance and product claims for third parties.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
NexGen Turf Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NexGen Turf Research develops and sells proprietary turfgrass cultivars (tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, and bermudagrass) bred for improved turf quality, drought tolerance, stress tolerance, and pest and disease resistance. The company also provides third-party product testing services for fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, and moss control products through its Controls Testing division, alongside scientific trialing of new seed products.
Product overview
NexGen Turf Research is a research and development organization comprising three distinct research units: Turfgrass Research (developing improved grass cultivars for drought tolerance, stress tolerance, and disease resistance), Product Testing Services (scientifically evaluating seed product performance), and Controls Testing Division (testing fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, and moss control products). The company operates research facilities in Albany, Oregon (160 acres, 6 greenhouses, 2 laboratories) and partners with Middle Fork Research in Arkansas (50 acres). Research focuses on cool season grasses (tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues) under the NexGen Turf Research brand, while the NexGen Seeds West division develops warm season bermudagrass cultivars. The company provides disease research, drought evaluation through field studies, rainout shelters, and root studies methodologies, and maintains data partnerships with the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) and Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Proprietary Turfgrass Cultivars (Tall Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Fine Fescues) Proprietary turfgrass seed varieties developed through in-house breeding, including cultivars such as Axiom II, with validated drought tolerance, disease resistance, and turf quality. Sold to golf courses, athletic fields, sod producers, and commercial landscapers through distributors and direct commercial sales.
- Product Testing Services Scientific trial and documentation services for new innovative seed products, including competitiveness, effectiveness, functionality, and performance assessment. Provided to seed manufacturers and product developers in the turf industry.
- Controls Testing Services Third-party testing of fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, and moss control products for agricultural chemical manufacturers, supporting research development, product comparisons, efficacy, functionality, performance, and product claims validation.
- NexGen Seeds West — Bermudagrass Cultivars Warm-season bermudagrass cultivars developed through germplasm enhancement and university collaborations, focused on reduced inputs, drought tolerance, shade tolerance, and salt tolerance. Sold to professional turf customers in warm-season growing regions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Axiom II demonstrated 17-day delay in irrigation requirement while maintaining same green cover compared to Axiom (25% green cover at 79 days vs 96 days)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use NexGen Turf Research
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NexGen Turf Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
NexGen Turf Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Middle Fork Research, LLCcoreStrategic partnership with Middle Fork Research, LLC near Fayetteville, Arkansas. This site provides 50 acres of warm season and cool season turf trialing. Product research also trials at this site on 30 dedicated acres. Extends NexGen's geographic research capability to include warm season grass testing.
- Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA)majorTWCA is focused on developing and promoting turfgrass cultivars with improved tolerance to limited or low-quality water. NexGen participates in this industry alliance to advance water-efficient turfgrass development and align with global water conservation objectives.
- University ProgramsmajorCollaborative research with University programs including germplasm enhancement and variety evaluation. NexGen works with universities across the US for cooperative testing of turf varieties. Kenneth Hignight received degrees from Texas A&M and maintains university research connections.
- Leading Universities and Private EnterprisesminorCooperative testing conducted with leading universities and private enterprises across the US for turf variety evaluation and research expansion beyond Oregon and Arkansas research sites.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NexGen Turf Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pure Seed Testing: Independent turfgrass breeding and testing company focused on cool-season cultivar development with extensive US field trials. Closest peer in business model — small R&D-focused breeding operation selling proprietary varieties.
- Barenbrug USA: Major turfgrass and forage seed breeding/sales company with overlapping cool-season and warm-season cultivar portfolios targeting golf, sports, and lawn markets in the US. Direct competitor for distributor shelf space and licensing partnerships.
- Pennington Seed: Vertically integrated seed brand selling turf, forage, and lawn seed varieties nationally. Comparable in that it develops and markets proprietary turf cultivars through retail and professional channels.
- DLF Pickseed USA: One of the world's largest turfgrass seed companies with extensive breeding programs for ryegrass, fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass. Competes head-to-head with NexGen for NTEP performance rankings and commercial cultivar sales.
- Jacklin Seed (J.R. Simplot Company): Long-established turfgrass breeding company (now part of Simplot) known for premium ryegrass, bluegrass, and fescue varieties. Direct comparable in cultivar development methodology and distributor-led GTM.
- Mountain View Seeds: Pacific Northwest-based turf and forage seed company with comparable Willamette Valley footprint and cultivar development programs. Directly competes in Oregon-based production and cool-season variety sales.
Emerging players
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research: University-affiliated turfgrass breeding and evaluation program — Kenneth Hignight's alma mater — that releases publicly funded cultivars directly competing with NexGen's commercial varieties.
- Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science: Public university breeding program developing turfgrass cultivars and conducting research aligned with NexGen's disease and drought focus. Competitor for NTEP rankings and licensing relationships with distributors.
Broad incumbents
- Scotts Miracle-Gro Company: Largest consumer lawn care and seed company in North America. Competes broadly in the same end markets through branded seed and turf products with vastly greater distribution and marketing resources.
Regional players
- Standard Seed: Specialty turf and forage seed supplier focused on professional markets. Comparable in size and product mix but with different distribution emphasis and geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NexGen Turf Research social profiles
Digital presenceNexGen Turf Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NexGen Turf Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
NexGen Turf Research subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
NexGen Turf Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NexGen Turf Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NexGen Turf Research
What does NexGen Turf Research do?
NexGen Turf Research develops and sells proprietary turfgrass cultivars (tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, and bermudagrass) bred for improved turf quality, drought tolerance, stress tolerance, and pest and disease resistance. The company also provides third-party product testing services for fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, and moss control products through its Controls Testing division, alongside scientific trialing of new seed products.
Is NexGen Turf Research a public or private company?
NexGen Turf Research is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was NexGen Turf Research founded?
NexGen Turf Research was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is NexGen Turf Research based?
NexGen Turf Research is headquartered in Albany, United States, in the North America region.
How does NexGen Turf Research make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Turfgrass Seed Sales are the primary driver. The others are product Testing Services.
Who are NexGen Turf Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pure Seed Testing, Barenbrug USA, Pennington Seed, DLF Pickseed USA, Jacklin Seed (J.R. Simplot Company) and Mountain View Seeds. Emerging players are Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science. Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is listed as a broad incumbent. Standard Seed is listed as a regional player.
Does NexGen Turf Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for NexGen Turf Research.
What industry is NexGen Turf Research in?
NexGen Turf Research's product category is Turfgrass Cultivar Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAFAG, Turf & Ornamental Seeds (Lawn, Golf, Landscaping), with a secondary code of AFAMADAI, Seed Testing, Treatment & Certification Services. Its SIC code is 700.