BetterSeeds
AgricultureOverview: BetterSeeds
BetterSeeds is developing EDGE™ technology –(Efficient Delivery of Gene Editing) – a delivery technology that enables the cross-crop application of CRISPR for enhancement of crops.
BetterSeeds is developing crops with improved nutritional value and higher yields with a redesigned architecture that fit for automated harvesting and tolerant to the changing climate conditions.
Due to population growth and changing consumption patterns, the world will need to increase food production by 70-100% in the next half century. Land, water, energy and other natural resources are already strained. Meeting the long-term demand for food will only be possible through genetic solutions that improve the way food is produced, sorted, processed, distributed, and accessed.
Improving the genetics of seeds with CRISPR is an important tool in the drive to increase food production, mainly as conventional breeding has reached its limits. CRISPR technology does not typically insert any foreign genetic material into the seed. Instead, it removes or deletes certain genes – for example, a gene that makes a plant susceptible to mildew. Since there is no foreign genetic material introduced, the new seeds are considered non-GMO, which has marketing and regulatory advantages in avoiding the stringent regulation and negative public perception applied to GMO products. But CRISPR technology is only slowly being adopted as its application is very complicated, and therefore used only on a handful of crops. A delivery technology that can physically apply CRISPR in any type of crop is the holy grail solution that will enable the broad use of CRISPR.
The details here are based on information received from, and verified solely by, the company.
BetterSeeds Management Team
Ido Margalit
CEO
Mr. Margalit has over 20 years of management experience in the life science industry. He co-founded Infigo Diagnostics Ltd and held executive positions at TransAlgae Ltd and Syngenta Group. Mr Margalit is an agronomist and holds an MSc in management of technology from the Polytechnic School of Engineering of New York University.
LinkedIn profileDr. Tal Sherman
VP R&D
Dr. Sherman is an expert in molecular biology and plant physiology, with extensive R&D and plant breeding management experience. He was the director of the trait and abiotic stress- based projects at Syngenta Group, leading the implementation of new digital phenotyping technologies. Dr Sherman holds a BSc in agriculture from the Hebrew University and an MSc and PhD in plant science from Tel Aviv University.
LinkedIn profileDr. Shira Corem
Director of Genome Editing and Molecular Biology
Dr. Corem is head of the genetic research array at BetterSeeds. Dr Corem worked as a senior researcher at the Volcani Institute where she focused on epigenetic breeding and the application and utilization of CRISPR gene editing technology. Dr. Corem holds an MSc in environmental biomonitoring, cum laude from the University of Genoa, and a PhD in plant science from Tel Aviv University.
LinkedIn profileAaron Berdah
President & Chairman
Mr. Berdah has led global companies with strategic leadership and international expansion. Mr. Berdah is chairman and president of BetterSeeds LTD and deputy chairman at Smart Agro Venture Capital. He previously served as CEO of Baney Global Services, where he led the company’s West African expansion, and CEO of Quasar Communications, leading it to acquisition by a US public company.
Ilanit Madari
CFO
Mrs. Madari held C level positions at both Headsense Medical Ltd and the Targetech Innovation Center where she led the financial growth of dozens of startups. Mrs. Madari holds a BA in economics and management from Ruppin College and an MBA from Ramat Gan College.
LinkedIn profileProf. Haim Rabinowitch
Advisory Board
Formerly the dean of Faculty of Agriculture and rector at the Hebrew University, Prof. Rabinowitz is a world-renowned expert in plant physiology and an opinion leader in plant breeding. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the American ASHA and NFPA Award, The Kaye Prize, and the Rothschild Prize.
LinkedIn profile