Close Menu
TechBrunchTechBrunch
  • Home
  • AI
  • Apps
  • Crypto
  • Security
  • Startups
  • TechCrunch
  • Venture

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news

Subscribe my Newsletter for New Posts & tips Let's stay updated!

What's Hot

Sri Mandir keeps investors hooked as digital dedication grows

July 1, 2025

Instagram lets you share Spotify songs with your story to your sound

June 30, 2025

At every stage of TechCrunch, Charles Hudson tells us what investors really see

June 30, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
TechBrunchTechBrunch
  • Home
  • AI

    OpenAI seeks to extend human lifespans with the help of longevity startups

    January 17, 2025

    Farewell to the $200 million woolly mammoth and TikTok

    January 17, 2025

    Nord Security founder launches Nexos.ai to help enterprises move AI projects from pilot to production

    January 17, 2025

    Data proves it remains difficult for startups to raise capital, even though VCs invested $75 billion in the fourth quarter

    January 16, 2025

    Apple suspends AI notification summaries for news after generating false alerts

    January 16, 2025
  • Apps

    Sri Mandir keeps investors hooked as digital dedication grows

    July 1, 2025

    Instagram lets you share Spotify songs with your story to your sound

    June 30, 2025

    The best iPad app to unleash and explore your creativity

    June 30, 2025

    Privacy-centric app maker Proton sues Apple over anti-competitive practices and charges alleged

    June 30, 2025

    Google is adopting AI in classrooms, including new Gemini tools for educators and chatbots for students

    June 30, 2025
  • Crypto

    Vitalik Buterin reserves for Sam Altman's global project

    June 28, 2025

    Calci will close a $185 million round as rival Polymeruk reportedly seeks $200 million

    June 25, 2025

    Stablecoin Evangelist: Katie Haun's Battle of Digital Dollars

    June 22, 2025

    Hackers steal and destroy millions of Iran's biggest crypto exchanges

    June 18, 2025

    Unique, a new social media app

    June 17, 2025
  • Security

    US government overthrows North Korea's major “workers” management

    June 30, 2025

    Mexican drug cartel hackers spy on FBI officials' phones to track and kill informants, the report says

    June 30, 2025

    FBI, cybersecurity firms say prolific hacking crews are currently targeting airlines and transportation sectors

    June 28, 2025

    Prolific cybercrime gangs currently targeting the airline and transportation sector

    June 27, 2025

    US and French authorities confirm arrest of a violation form hacker

    June 26, 2025
  • Startups

    7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

    March 24, 2025

    AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

    March 24, 2025

    20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

    March 22, 2025

    Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

    March 21, 2025

    Startup Weekly: Wiz bets paid off at M&A Rich Week

    March 21, 2025
  • TechCrunch

    OpenSea takes a long-term view with a focus on UX despite NFT sales remaining low

    February 8, 2024

    AI will save software companies' growth dreams

    February 8, 2024

    B2B and B2C are not about who buys, but how you sell

    February 5, 2024

    It's time for venture capital to break away from fast fashion

    February 3, 2024

    a16z's Chris Dixon believes it's time to focus on blockchain use cases rather than speculation

    February 2, 2024
  • Venture

    At every stage of TechCrunch, Charles Hudson tells us what investors really see

    June 30, 2025

    From $5 to Financial Empowerment: Why Stash co-founder Brandon Krieg is a must-see for TechCrunch All Stage 2025

    June 30, 2025

    A comprehensive list of 2025 tech layoffs

    June 30, 2025

    How to prepare for a second semester salary increase now live in 2025

    June 30, 2025

    Tiffany is lucky to have won a VCS at TC at every stage.

    June 30, 2025
TechBrunchTechBrunch

Micropep uses tiny proteins to make pesticides safer

TechBrunchBy TechBrunchJuly 24, 20244 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Telegram LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Telegram Email


Farmers have to deal with pests, but nobody likes the idea of ​​using more chemical pesticides. Thomas Laurent's company Micropep thinks the answer may already be in the plants themselves.

MicroPep is investigating how natural compounds known as micropeptides could work as an entirely new class of insecticide, which, if successful, could make the startup more effective and less toxic than existing synthetic insecticides.

Micropeptides are tiny proteins less than 100 amino acids in length. For years, researchers ignored the genes that code for these proteins, thinking they were too small to do anything meaningful. But they were wrong! Micropeptides are useful for a variety of things, including organ development and communication within and between cells. Perhaps most usefully, they can act as switches within cells, telling them which functions to turn on or off.

That kind of fine-grained control is extremely useful when fighting pests and pathogens. MicroPep's initial approach is most similar to that employed with antibiotics. The startup's first product can be sprayed on soybean leaves, where it waits for a specific fungus to land on the leaf. Once the fungal spores land and begin to grow, the micropeptides target the fungus' cell membrane, causing it to self-destruct.

If MicroPep can pull this off, the potential impact could be substantial. Agriculture is responsible for about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. Pests consume about 20-30% of staple crops. As the world warms, pests alone could increase grain consumption by up to 25% for every degree of temperature increase. In other words, pests make agriculture less efficient, and climate change accelerates pest attacks, magnifying agriculture's impact on the climate.

Still, the company faces some challenges before the first farmers can buy MicroPep at a supply store. First, MicroPep doesn't grow well in nature; if it falls into the soil, it's quickly broken down by enzymes produced by microbes. To address this, the company has been exploring different strategies to extend the lifespan of MicroPep.

First, Micropep is applied to soybean leaves above the soil. “We've found an optimized way to make it stable for a few days, but its persistence in the soil is extremely short-lived,” Laurent says.

To find more durable micropeptides, the startup developed a series of models that can predict the behavior of different candidates. This year, it will test 1,000 to 2,000 of the most promising micropeptides in the lab. From there, it will introduce the best 50 to 100 into greenhouse experiments.

“The final step to validate it is field testing,” Laurent says. “We're currently doing field testing, but the number of interesting candidates is much smaller.”

Laurent said the company is currently undergoing regulatory testing in the U.S., Brazil and Europe. MicroPep plans to have its product undergo regulatory review by 2026 and begin selling it in the U.S. and Brazil by 2028 and in Europe by 2030.

In MicroPep's next-generation technology, micropeptides will also help boost plants' natural ability to fight off invaders. But fighting off pests and pathogens can drain a plant's energy, just as fighting a virus can leave us exhausted. The key is to activate the right defenses at the right time.

Laurent said that to more effectively reach a diverse and widespread market, MicroPep will partner with different companies that can use its ingredients in its products, rather than developing its own products.

“It's a very fragmented market and very competitive,” Laurent said. “There are a lot of different crops – some farmers grow soybeans, some grow grapes – so you need to find ways to reach all those different customers.”

MicroPep recently raised $29 million in a Series B round led by Zebra Impact Investors and BPI Greentech Investments, with participation from existing investors including Fall Line Capital, FMC Ventures and Sofinova Partners. Laurent said the funds will be used for MicroPep's go-to-market strategy.



Source link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

March 24, 2025

AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

March 24, 2025

20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

March 22, 2025

Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

March 21, 2025

Startup Weekly: Wiz bets paid off at M&A Rich Week

March 21, 2025

Wayve CEO shares his key elements for scaling autonomous driving technology

March 21, 2025

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Top Reviews
Editors Picks

7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

March 24, 2025

AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

March 24, 2025

20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

March 22, 2025

Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

March 21, 2025
About Us
About Us

Welcome to Tech Brunch, your go-to destination for cutting-edge insights, news, and analysis in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cryptocurrency, Technology, and Startups. At Tech Brunch, we are passionate about exploring the latest trends, innovations, and developments shaping the future of these dynamic industries.

Our Picks

Sri Mandir keeps investors hooked as digital dedication grows

July 1, 2025

Instagram lets you share Spotify songs with your story to your sound

June 30, 2025

At every stage of TechCrunch, Charles Hudson tells us what investors really see

June 30, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news

Subscribe my Newsletter for New Posts & tips Let's stay updated!

© 2025 TechBrunch. Designed by TechBrunch.
  • Home
  • About Tech Brunch
  • Advertise with Tech Brunch
  • Contact us
  • DMCA Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.