September 15, 2020

By Lynda Kiernan, Global AgInvesting Media

Lewis & Clark AgriFood is in the news again, having led a $27 million round of growth capital funding for AI-driven biosciences company Brightseed.

A 2020 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, Brightseed is the developer of Forager™, the first and only AI technology for phytonutrient discovery in the world. 

Diets are evolving to be more fluid in nature, with consumers including more plant-based options, including dairy consumers increasingly opting for plant-based alternatives, based on the understanding that a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes can result in a more positive health outcome.

However, less than 1 percent of existing phytonutrients have been identified or studied. Forager™ is the world’s first AI platform designed to discover phytonutrients (such as antioxidants) on a molecular level that have positive health implications.

In humans, phytonutrients support health with anti-inflammatory, cardio-protective, and neuro-protective actions – such as resveratrol, which is found in red grape skins, or lycopene in tomatoes. 

“Brightseed’s application of technology is transforming how we understand the resources available for our health and well-being in nature,” said Dr. David Russell, operating partner, Lewis & Clark AgriFood.

“These discoveries already have a major impact on ingredient selection and how we’re formulating the things we consume every day. This is a new approach that provides a much deeper understanding of the biological connections between plants and people. We’re looking forward to supporting Brightseed in leading these breakthroughs.”

This new funding brings Brightseed’s total capital raised to-date to $52 million, which includes $25 million previously raised from Seed 2 Growth Ventures, Horizons Ventures, CGC Ventures, Fifty Years, Germin8 Ventures, and AgFunder.

It also follows closely upon Brightseed’s discovery of a powerful phytonutrient that displays the ability to support metabolic health – something that could have profound implications for the world’s 2 billion people who either have, or are at risk for chronic metabolic conditions such as diabetes, fatty liver disease, or weight management.

Forager™ is also driving Brightseed’s landmark partnership with Danone North America, recently announced in June of this year. 

Soybeans are one of the most nutrient-dense, high-quality sources of plant protein available as a key vegan ingredient. And currently, Brightseed is working to identify potential new molecular connections between select compounds in Danone’s raw soy and health benefits that had not been aligned with soy in the past.

“Brightseed’s artificial intelligence technology gives us deep insight into the plant kingdom, finds nutrients that we know are important for promoting health, and accelerates the validation of these findings,” said Takoua Debeche, SVP Research & Innovation, Danone North America in June.

~ Concurrently, Brightseed has also announced the enlistment of an advisory group including:

~ Indra Nooyi, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo (PEP) and Board Director at Amazon (AMZN). Walter Robb, former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market.

~ Dr. Dariush Mozzafarian, cardiologist and Dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

“We’re thrilled to work with visionary partners to accelerate innovation in food, health, and wellness,” said Dr. Jim Flatt, co-founder and CEO, Brightseed. “We’re in an unprecedented public health crisis, and people are looking for plant-based products that will contribute to a healthier life.”

“With millions of phytonutrients hidden in plants, it’s crucial that we discover these compounds and understand how they help us. Much like mapping the human genome opened up a new era for medicine, using Forager™ AI to map the connections between plants and people is one of the most exciting new frontiers of science.”

– Lynda Kiernan is editor with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, and HighQuest Group’s Oilseed & Grain News. She is also a contributor to the GAI Gazette. She can be reached at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.com.