Global Brain has made an additional investment in Ac-Planta Inc., a startup that develops biostimulants to increase the drought and high temperature tolerance of plants

Global Brain has made an additional investment in Ac-Planta Inc. (Ac-Planta), a startup that develops biostimulants to increase the drought and high temperature tolerance of plants, through its Norinchukin Innovation Fund L.P. (NCIF).

Ac-Planta is an Agri-Bio startup that develops biostimulants* to protect plants from various environmental stresses, with the mission of “Greenfulness – Living with Climate Change.” Through the development of biostimulants as well as research and development in the field of plants, Ac-Planta aims to solve food problems such as damage to plant resource production, hunger, and malnutrition caused by extreme weather conditions, which is a global issue. Currently, Ac-Planta sells Skeepon series of biostimulants developed based on the mechanism that acetic acid increases the drought tolerance of plants, which was discovered by the founder Dr. Kim through his research on environmental stress and epigenetics** in plants when he was a researcher at RIKEN. When administered to plants, Skeepon increases the plants' own tolerance to drought and high temperatures, enabling them to grow even in harsh environments and reducing plant losses. Skeepon was launched in Japan in 2019 and has been used mainly by farmers and on golf courses across Japan. With this funding, Ac-Planta will further accelerate overseas expansion with a focus on the United States.

*Biostimulants: a group of materials that have a positive effect on plants in terms of stress tolerance, yield and quality, post-harvest condition and storage by utilizing the natural forces inherent in plants and their surrounding environment
**Epigenetics: the systems that regulate and transmit gene expression independent of changes in DNA sequence and the academic field of studying such systems

Global Brain has decided to additionally invest in Ac-Planta, thinking highly of its attractive products, advanced technological capabilities, and its strong passion for solving food problems caused by extreme weather conditions. Through this investment, Global Brain together with The Norinchukin Bank will support Ac-Planta’s further growth both in Japan and overseas.