WeedOUT-team (company pic)
WeedOUT, an Israeli agtech startup that develops ways to deal with weeds, raised $8.1 million in an A round of funding led by Fulcrum Global Capital, a prominent US agri- focused VC with ties to a vast network of farmers across the US. WeedOUT said the infusion of new capital will advance the company’s “mission to combat weed resistance through its breakthrough green solution.”
With all the talk about global climate change, one problem that gets overlooked is weed resistance. It’s getting harder to deal with weeds. And weeds are not just a problem for home gardening. They can destroy crops.
Weed resistance is an urgent problem that is rapidly growing and spreading around the world. Non-diversified weed control programs that recurrently use the same herbicide Mode-of-Action (MOA) actively select for resistant weeds that are no longer responsive to this MOA.
Weed resistance refers to the ability of weeds to survive and reproduce despite the application of herbicides. This is a growing concern in agriculture, as it can lead to reduced crop yields and increased costs.
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There are two main types of weed resistance. First is herbicide-specific resistance. This occurs when weeds develop resistance to a specific herbicide or group of herbicides. This is most commonly caused by mutations in the weed’s genes that allow it to detoxify the herbicide or prevent it from binding to its target site.
Then there is multiple herbicide resistance: This occurs when weeds develop resistance to multiple herbicides. This can be caused by a combination of herbicide-specific resistance mechanisms or by other factors, such as changes in the weed’s metabolism.
“Weeds are highly competitive, aggressive plants,” explains Efrat Lidor Nili, PhD, co-founder and co-CEO of WeedOUT. “They compete with crops for all essential resources, including soil, water, nutrients—and even sunlight. Weeds substantially reduce crop yield.”
“Resistant weeds that plague crops are a major challenge for farmers globally—and the situation has only worsened,” said Kevin Lockett, partner at Fulcrum Global Capital. “Fulcrum Global is excited to support WeedOUT’s cutting-edge biological platform and the unique approach it has pioneered to address the resistant weed problem. The company’s integrated management approach aligns seamlessly with existing farm practices and could enable growers worldwide to produce more food on the same amount of land and in a much more sustainable way.”
