Ghent, Belgium, 29 April 2025 – VIB proudly announces the launch of its latest spin-off, Rainbow Crops, a next-generation Agtech company focused on engineering complex, high-value agronomic traits that have long been difficult to address. Through an AI-powered technology platform that combines multiplex genome editing and precision breeding, Rainbow Crops develops crop varieties that are both climate resilient and optimized for yield and other key traits. The company is backed by a strong syndicate of early-stage investors, including Agri Investment Fund (AIF), PINC (the venture capital arm of Paulig Group), Qbic and VIB.

Rainbow Crops has developed an integrated platform, Trait Foundry™, that combines continuously trained AI models with multiplex genome editing, precision breeding, and automated phenotyping. This technology enables the simultaneous enhancement of multiple traits by generating and testing rationally designed genetic diversity across a wide range of crop species. The platform’s scalability and applicability have already been demonstrated through initial proof-of-concept work.

The company is targeting key agronomic traits such as drought tolerance, heat resilience and input efficiency – critical traits in the face of climate change that have long been difficult to improve through traditional plant breeding. The platform’s AI engine is continuously refined using in-house generated phenotypic and genotypic data, improving trait prediction and platform performance over time.

The company is led by serial biotech entrepreneur Giacomo Bastianelli who joins as Co-founder and CEO of Rainbow Crops. “When I first met with the VIB scientists behind the technology, I was impressed by the results, which revealed a transformative approach to engineering complex traits,” commented Giacomo Bastianelli. “We’re forging partnerships with seed and breeding companies to co-develop next-generation crop genetics that tackle the challenges of tomorrow’s agri-food systems.”

Rainbow Crops is built on a solid scientific foundation. Prof. Hilde Nelissen, a leading researcher at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, is one of the scientific founders and will continue to support the company as a scientific advisor. The underlying technology is based on an European Research Council (ERC) grant, awarded to Prof. Dirk Inzé under the EU’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program.

The company launches operations with the support of a strong syndicate of European investors. The group - comprising the Agri Investment Fund (AIF), PINC (the venture capital arm of Paulig Group), Qbic, and VIB - brings deep expertise across agriculture, foodtech, and the commercialization of early-stage innovation, reinforcing Rainbow Crops' strategic positioning from day one.

Headquartered at the new Bio-Incubator on the Eilandje site in Ghent, Rainbow Crops benefits from VIB’s extensive infrastructure - including state-of-the-art greenhouses and the VIB Agro-Incubator – designed to accelerate early-stage Agtech innovation and support R&D scale-up.

“The launch of Rainbow Crops highlights VIB’s ongoing commitment to fostering a vibrant Agtech innovation ecosystem,” added Jérôme Van Biervliet, Managing Director at VIB. “By combining scientific excellence with a forward-looking and technology-driven approach, Rainbow Crops is uniquely positioned to drive meaningful impact in global agriculture.”

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About VIB

VIB is a leading life sciences research institute based in Belgium, operating in close partnership with the Flemish universities and renowned for its work in medical sciences, plant biology, microbiology, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. VIB's mission is to push the boundaries of scientific discovery, transform it into disruptive biotech innovations and support the growth of the life sciences ecosystem in Flanders (Belgium).  

VIB drives the translation of research discoveries into innovative products and technologies for patients and society. It does so by launching new spin-offs, licensing intellectual property to companies, engaging in dynamic partnerships and fostering talent development. VIB has created 40 spin-offs in the healthcare and agrifood sectors, attracting almost €2 billion in equity investment and has partnered intensely with private industry, generating over €350 million in income. VIB’s research has led to dozens of innovative products brought to market for medical, agriculture, and food applications, with many more in development. Seven of its spin-off companies have reached the clinical stage.

About AIF

Agri Investment Fund BV (“AIF”) is the private equity and venture capital fund of the group Boerenbond (Farmers’ Union) and wishes through its investments to contribute directly or indirectly to a stronger and more sustainable agriculture and horticulture in Flanders and German speaking Belgium. Its investments have a focus within the Ag-Tech and Agro-Food domains aiming at stimulating innovation and as such helping to build a stronger agriculture of the future, allowing farmers and horticulturists to provide high-quality products at honest prices.

About PINC  

PINC is Paulig’s venture arm for investments in early-stage startups in and around the future of food. PINC aims to help Paulig renew itself and prosper, as well as contribute to a tastier, healthier and more sustainable planet.

About Paulig 

Paulig is an international food and beverage company, growing a new, sustainable food culture – one that is good for both people and the planet. Paulig provides all things tasty: Tex Mex, Snacks, coffees, World Foods  and spices. The company's brands are Paulig, Santa Maria, Risenta, Poco Loco, Conimex and  Zanuy. Paulig also has a successful Customer Brands business containing  value brands, private labels and industrial products. In 2024, the company’s sales amounted to approximately EUR 1.2 billion. Paulig was founded in 1876 and is 100% owned by the Paulig family. The company has 2,500 passionate employees in 13 different countries working on our purpose - For a life full of flavour. 

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For more information, please contact:

Rainbow Crops
Giacomo Bastianelli, CEO
E: giacomo.bastianelli@vib.be
M: +39 388 49 10 858

VIB Investor Relations
Lies Vanneste
E: IR@vib.be
M: +32 498 05 35 79

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