Bindbridge secures c. £400k Defra funding to advance its AI-discovery crop protection pipeline
Cambridge, UK - August 27th - Bindbridge, an AI-driven molecular discovery company developing novel crop-protection technologies, has secured public funding of approximately £400,000 through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme to advance its internal pipeline of molecular glues for agriculture.
The 24-month programme, undertaken in collaboration with Niab, will apply Bindbridge’s proprietary BRIDGE discovery platform to develop novel molecules targeting black-grass, one of the most economically damaging and herbicide-resistant weeds affecting English wheat production.
BRIDGE uses AI to discover molecular glues, small molecule chemistry, that selectively trigger the degradation of plant proteins essential for weed survival, offering a potential new mode of action for crop protection. The programme will progress candidates from computational discovery through laboratory and in-plant studies, with the objective of generating experimentally validated molecules. Additionally, the project will use targeted wheat transformation to confer resistance to the novel herbicide, supporting crop selectivity and future product development.
“This award accelerates two important parts of our strategy: continuing to build BRIDGE as a differentiated computational discovery platform, while generating and advancing proprietary crop-protection assets within our own pipeline”, said Dr George Crane, CEO and co-founder of Bindbridge. “Black-grass is an important application for targeted protein degradation in agriculture and a strong starting point for developing differentiated herbicide assets with broader relevance across economically important weeds.”
Working with Niab, the programme will advance Bindbridge’s black-grass programme through molecular optimisation, biological characterisation and whole-plant studies, while also developing herbicide-resistant wheat to support crop selectivity and future product development. Together, these activities will strengthen the asset package for future development with leading crop-protection partners.
About Bindbridge
Bindbridge is building an AI-powered molecular discovery platform to develop molecular glues for agriculture. By applying targeted protein degradation to crop protection, our platform is designed to discover novel actives faster and more cost-effectively than traditional screening-led approaches. These actives have the potential to create new herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and plant trait enhancers with improved selectivity, novel modes of action and differentiated safety profiles. We work with leading agrochemical partners through collaborative research agreements and IP licensing opportunities.
About Niab
Niab is a leading UK crop science organisation delivering research, innovation and practical solutions to support productive, sustainable agriculture and horticulture. Working across the food supply chain, Niab combines scientific excellence with industry expertise to help farmers, growers, plant breeders, agribusinesses and policymakers address the challenges of food production, climate resilience and environmental sustainability.
Its work spans crop improvement, precision plant breeding, agronomy, crop protection, soil and water management, data science, and the independent testing and validation of crop varieties and agricultural technologies. Through research, knowledge exchange and technical services, Niab supports the development and adoption of innovations that improve productivity, profitability and sustainability across the sector.
Headquartered in Cambridge, Niab operates across a national network of research and trial sites and collaborates with partners in the UK and internationally. For more information, visit Niab.