TechAccel advances on two agriculture deals
September 10, 2015 | Ashley Jost
Technology Acceleration Partners, or TechAccel, advanced two deals that significantly boost the group’s investment effort into the agriculture sector.
The deals include a licensing agreement with Kansas State University for a patent on a bio-pesticide, and an equity investment in Benson Hill Biosystems. The private capital development company — founded by Michael Helmstetter and the Bicknell Family Holding Company — announced the deals on Sept. 9, less than a year after TechAccel’s inception. TechAccel focuses on the agriculture, animal health and food sectors.
The Kansas State bio-pesticide builds on “a naturally occurring and biodegradable platform,” while doing its job of preventing crop damage from insects. TechAccel leaders hope to sublicense the technology to global leaders in the crop agriculture industry.
The investment in Benson Hill comes after the biosystem company’s new crop platform was named as the breakthrough technology of the year for 2015 by The MIT Review. Benson Hill focuses on boosting photosynthetic efficiency in crops in tumultuous environments like drought or high temperatures.
“We spent much of our first year assessing the complex and evolving agriculture and animal health ecosystem, understanding scientific and market gaps as well as potential innovation solutions,” TechAccel CEO Michael Helmstetter said in a news release. “Both of these transactions demonstrate TechAccel’s fierce commitment to collaboratively advance transformative science. Our diverse and expanding portfolio of investments remains focused on highly impactful technologies in need of scientific advancement and acceleration to the global marketplace.”
Featured Business
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Ideem locks in $2.4M seed round for trust tech spinout driven by Toby Rush, startup veterans
The Ideem team has a clear vision for how to make two-factor authentication easy and invisible for users, serial tech entrepreneur Toby Rush said, noting an early investment round will help the rapidly emerging startup double-down. Ideem announced a $2.4 million seed round Tuesday, backed by Sovereign’s Capital, Quona Capital, Everywhere Ventures, Hustle Fund, Oread…
Thai Orchid opens Northland location with homey street food set to wow its new neighbors
Even though the new Thai Orchid restaurant in Kansas City’s Northland proudly pays homage to the Rojjanasrirat family’s culinary legacy in Mission, its second-generation owner wants to shock the taste buds of diners who are unfamiliar with the business’ story. “I want the reaction of the people who try our food to be, ‘Wow! That’s…
C2FO accesses $30M investment with World Bank-backed IFC to expand KC firm’s working capital platform
A just-announced capital infusion for Leawood-built C2FO reflects a shared commitment with global partners to boosting jobs and strengthening economic opportunities — notably for micro, small and medium enterprises in emerging markets worldwide. The $30 million funding round features investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and existing…
Park capping I-670 gets an official name: South Loop project to honor longtime Republican bridge-builder
Kansas City’s high-profile South Loop Project — a proposed sustainable urban park capping a portion of I-670 — now has a name that pays homage to a leader who played a key role in launching the project: Roy Blunt Luminary Park. “As a working title, the South Loop Project has served us well,” said Jeff…