Ghent startup raises €9.7 million to develop climate-resistant crops

Belgian agri-tech company Rainbow Crops has raised €9.7 million to speed up the development of crops that can better cope with climate change.

The Ghent-based company uses artificial intelligence and gene-editing technology to create crops that are more resistant to drought, heat and other extreme weather conditions. Its first focus is on major crops such as maize, rice and sorghum.

Rainbow Crops was founded in 2025 as a spin-off from the VIB-UGent Centre for Plant Systems Biology. The company currently employs 10 people and plans to expand its team this year.

The funding round was led by Italian investment firm LIFTT, with support from existing investors including VIB and Agri Investment Fund, as well as new investors Corteva and Maia Ventures.

Earlier this year, the company also received a $7 million grant from the Gates Foundation to develop improved crop varieties for Africa and Asia.

Chief executive Giacomo Bastianelli said most of the new investment will be spent in Ghent on research, staff and infrastructure. He added that the company expects to begin its first field trials within four years.

^{#FlandersNewsService | © Luis ROBAYO / AFP}