Leading Advisors To AgBiotech Business

For more than 25 years, Smith Anderson has worked side by side with the industry pioneers who have established North Carolina's Research Triangle area as an internationally-recognized center of AgBiotech innovation. Smith Anderson’s AgBiotech Team was pleased to lead the first ever AgBiotech Workshop: Navigating the Big Six (Soon to be Five…or Fewer) at the 2016 CED Life Science Conference on March 1st at the Raleigh Convention Center. 

“The Big Six” - BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow, DuPont/Pioneer, Monsanto, and Syngenta - are the dominant global agri-business companies with which nearly all emerging agricultural biotechnology companies seek to build and scale through collaboration. As the Big Six enter into a period of industry consolidation and acquisitions, changing dynamics will affect emerging companies who wish to collaborate with the Big Six.

The workshop covered: 

• How AgBio companies successfully position themselves to engage with the Big Six from an investment perspective, as a strategic partner and for potential acquisition.
• The changing landscape in Agribusiness and what it means for AgBiotech entrepreneurs.

Smith Anderson Life Sciences Partner John Therien moderated the panel. Panelists included: 

• Philip Benfey, Co-Founder, Hi-Fidelity Genetics and GrassRoots Biotechnology; HHMI Investigator, Duke University
• Dan Tomso, Chief Scientific Officer, AgBiome; ex-Bayer CropScience and Athenix Corp.
• Andy Renz, most recently VP of Business Development, Benson Hill Biosystems; ex-BASF
• Tim Zurliene, Global Lead, Trait Management and Licensing, Bayer CropScience

Click on the thumbnails below to learn more about our AgBiotech practice.