Helix Center Company Awarded Funds

Agragene part of $2.6 mill in awarded funds from MTC

Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) has awarded $2.6 Million to seven companies in its July investment cycle of the IDEA Fund. One of these companies was Agragene Inc. (Agragene), a biotech startup located in the Helix Center Biotech Incubator. The Helix Center provides resources to bio-tech startups in order to accelerate their growth.

“When Agragene moved from San Diego to St. Louis in 2022, we found an incredibly supportive environment at the Helix Incubator. Missouri’s commitment to fostering the startup ag community has been instrumental in our growth,” said Bryan Witherbee, CEO and president of Agragene. “The state’s strategic investments and resources have allowed us to focus on innovation and scaling our operations, reinforcing our decision to make Missouri our home.”

The MTC has a similar goal of fostering growth and promoting entrepreneurship. The IDEA Fund awards Missouri-based companies who fall into their seven focus areas on a quarterly basis. Applications are closed for 2024, with applications opening again in 2025.

“This investment comes at a crucial time as we advance towards regulatory approval,” Witherbee said. “The support from MTC allows us to navigate this critical phase with the resources necessary to meet regulatory milestones and bring our innovative solutions to market. It’s a pivotal moment for our company, and we’re grateful for the confidence and backing we’ve received.”

Agragene focuses on pest control solutions with their Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technology (pgSIT).  Foregoing typical chemicals and radiation, the pgSIT uses gene editing to stop pests from reproducing. Not only does this prevent the use of environmentally damaging chemicals, but it also removes the risk of insect resistance.

Learn more about MTC here.