Cluster of tomatoes growing on a vine, symbolizing high-yield, genome-edited crops for modern agriculture.
Closeup of plant leaf veins representing crop trait expression and plant biology insights for genome editing.

A leap forward in genome editing

Edit fast. Grow more.

Vireo Ag reduces genome editing timelines by over 70%, helping breeding programs build better crops faster and cheaper– without the need for tedious tissue culture pipelines.

From seed companies to processors to producers, we work with teams solving ag’s biggest challenges—like building sustainable and resilient food systems and growing farmer prosperity.

Young plantlings in a petri dish used for early-stage crop genome editing and agricultural biotech research.

Agriculture needs new tools—sooner

Today’s breeders are tasked with feeding more people, with less resources, under increasingly unpredictable conditions—all at once.

Genome editing offers incredible potential, but implementation is slow, costly and beset by challenges.

Current methods rely on costly lab infrastructure, time-consuming tissue culture, and inefficient delivery methods—making it harder to test more targets, across more crops, at the pace markets are demanding.

The opportunity is clear.
But the technology is too slow.

Multiple seedlings growing in soil, representing field-ready genome editing without tissue culture.

Editing technology built for the demands of modern agriculture

Vireo Ag was built for the kinds of challenges today’s breeders actually face—tight timelines, diverse germplasm, and growing pressure to deliver impact faster.

Illustration showing fast genome editing: a scientist in the lab and a farmer in the field, connected by a directional arrow.

Fast - We shorten the editing cycle so you can move from idea to seed faster than ever

Illustration representing simple genome editing for food, fibre, and fuel—featuring an apple, a flame, and a leafy plant.

Simple – Straight-forward editing protocol, no sterile conditions or highly specialized equipment required.

Smiling farmer in a crop field with mountains in the background, symbolizing flexibility across crops and environments.

Flexible – Broadly adaptable across crops and varieties, both elite and conventional.

Biofuel containers in front of a field, representing sustainable crop improvement through genome editing.

Sustainable – Our fast, cost-efficient platform allows companies to invest in traits and crops that improve farm productivity and profitability.

A simpler, faster editing solution

Our platform combines novel delivery and rapid transformation into a streamlined, high-throughput platform

Icon of a DNA strand being edited with scissors, representing effective gene delivery in plant genome editing.

Effective Delivery

Cutting edge vectors deliver genome editing reagents to plants in soil.

Illustration of a small plant with 3 leaves transforming into a larger plant with 5 leaves, symbolizing rapid transformation.

Edit Plants Growing in Soil

New growths are edited and produce edited seed.

Various types of seeds symbolizing high-throughput genome editing for diverse crops.

Fast and High Throughput

Create edited, non-transgenic seeds in a single generation

Built for the teams moving agriculture forward

Vireo Ag works with organizations developing the next generation of crops— varieties that will yield more using less, and unlock new value to farmers.

Whether you're solving for food, fuel, or future-proof farming, we built this platform to help you get there faster.

    • From global players to regional breeders, we help teams edit faster and test more traits—without expanding their internal infrastructure.

    • Reduce turnaround time on trait validation and bring new varieties to market faster without expanding lab infrastructure.

    • Our platform shortens testing cycles and supports editing in elite germplasm—so your R&D team can make faster, better decisions across a broader pipeline.

    • Accelerate the development of elite winter oilseeds like camelina and canola to meet growing demand for low-carbon fuels.

    • Our editing system helps you bring new varieties online faster, with traits that matter for both yield and downstream processing.

    • Apply cutting-edge genome editing in real-world crops and conditions. We help translate lab discoveries into field-ready outcomes.

    • Vireo Ag brings technical strength and operational focus to a fast-moving, high-impact market.

    • With technical depth and commercial clarity, we’re building something that’s scalable.

Meet the team behind the tech

We're a team of scientists, startup builders, and ag industry veterans who are deeply passionate about accelerating crop improvement to feed and fuel a growing world.

Headshot of Jenette Ashtekar

Jenette Ashtekar, PhD

  • Proven ag-tech executive with track record commercializing academic IP.

    • Venture Partner @ Engine Ventures

    • Former SVP Product @ CIBO Technologie

    • 10 years as practicing soil scientist & modeler

    • PhD Soil Science, Purdue University

Headshot of Paul Atkins

Paul Atkins, PhD

  • Expert in bioinformatics & molecular genetics.

    • NIH/NICHD Intramural Postdoctoral Fellow

    • PhD Molecular Biology, University of Minnesota

Headshot of Jon Cody

Jon Cody, PhD

  • Expert in plant transformation, genome editing and tools development.

    • Former Postdoc & Researcher in Voytas Lab

    • NSF Postdoctoral Fellow

    • PhD Plant Genetics, University of Missouri

Headshot of Dan Voytas

Dan Voytas, PhD

  • Internationally recognized leader in plant genome engineering.

    • Endowed Professor, University of Minnesota

    • National Academy of Sciences Member

    • Co-founder & former CTO of Calyxt

Headshot of Feng Zhang

Feng Zhang, PhD

  • Decades of plant genome editing experience & deep expertise in soybean.

    • Professor, University of Minnesota

    • Co-founder & former COO of Calyxt

Headshot of Colby Starker

Colby Starker, PhD

  • Experience spanning ZFNs to CRISPR, traditional tools, viral delivery, morphogens.

    • Researcher in Voytas lab for 15 years

    • Contributed to numerous impactful projects

Let’s build the future of ag together

Because farmers deserve better outcomes.

Because sustainability and profitability start with better crops.

Because your R&D team should be able to move at the speed of innovation—not limitation.