the groundwork bioAg story
Groundwork BioAg®’s pioneering production method and innovative inoculants are based on over thirty years of research and development, which began in Israel’s prestigious Volcani Institute (ARO). The research was conducted under the auspices of Prof. Yoram Kapulnik, former Managing Director of ARO and the Volcani Center.
Groundwork BioAg® was established to build upon this innovation, to scale it to mass production, and to bring it to market. Serial entrepreneurs Yossi Kofman and Dan Grotsky, who were actively seeking such an opportunity at the time, approached Danny Levy, a mycorrhiza production expert originally from Kapulnik’s lab. Together, the three founders set out to revolutionize commercial agriculture – with a microorganism that has existed in nature for over 400 million years.
Indeed, mycorrhizal fungi have been helping plants to absorb nutrients long before agriculture even existed. Furthermore, the broad scope of benefits of mycorrhizal symbiosis has been well studied and documented over five decades of research. However, modern agricultural methods, such as tilling, sterilization, and application of fungicides and pesticides, deplete mycorrhizae in today’s farms. Restoration of the soil’s mycorrhizal balance is crucial to plants’ ability to absorb the precious nutrients that farmers work so hard to provide.
groundwork bioAg is groundbreaking
The innovation that led to Groundwork BioAg®’s highly-effective mycorrhizal inoculants is nothing less than a game-changer.
Previously, mycorrhizal inoculants were considered a luxury product, affordable in low application rates within niche markets only. By producing highly-concentrated and vigorous mycorrhizal inoculants, Groundwork BioAg® is able to penetrate mainstream commercial agriculture with effective, high-quality, and affordable products. In fact, Rootella® mycorrhizal inoculants are already sold in almost all of the world’s breadbaskets, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Ukraine, and India.
Groundwork BioAg® Mission Statement
“The Groundwork BioAg® team innovatively produces highly-effective mycorrhizal inoculants. We will not rest until every hectare of arable land is covered with mycorrhizae and every farmer benefits from higher crop yields and resilience to stress, while consuming less resources and regenerating the Earth’s soil.”
Team
It’s all about the people
Leadership
Dr. Yossi Kofman
Co-Founder | Director
Dan Grotsky
Co-Founder | Director
Danny Levy
Co-Founder | Observer
Jack Levy
Director
Brian Mixer
Director
Gal Gitter
Director
Mick Messman
Director
Prof. Yoram Kapulnik
Advisor
Adi Vagman
Advisor
Hagai BarOn
Observer
Partners
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” – Isaac Newton
Investors
Middleland Capital
Middleland Capital is a private investment firm focused on global early-stage technology opportunities. Leveraging a unique breadth of geographic and industry experience, the firm seeks long-term partnerships with exceptional management teams to commercialize innovative technologies, accelerate growth and build long-term value around the world.
SRK Management Company
SRK Management Company is a private investment firm. The firm is based in New York and was founded by Sidney Knafel, Managing Partner.
F&C Climate Opportunity Partners
F&C Climate Opportunity Partners LP is a fund managed by BMO Global Asset Management’s private equity business (“BMO Private Equity”). BMO Private Equity is headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. BMO Global Asset Management and BMO Private Equity are part of the BMO Financial Group, a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America, with total assets of CDN $949 billion as of 31 October 2020.
AgriNation VC
AgriNation VC is an agritech and foodtech investment fund that invests in early-stage companies (after the stage of development and before sales) and supports their go-to-market phase in local and global markets.
Ibex Investors
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado with offices in Tel Aviv and New York, Ibex Investors is a multi-strategy investment firm targeting outsized returns through differentiated global strategies. Ibex proactively seeks out markets and opportunities commonly dismissed as too difficult or too different, and prides itself on finding the hidden gems often overlooked by others. For more information, please visit www.ibexinvestors.com.
Technology Partner
Agricultural Research Organization (Volcani Institute)
The Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) is part of the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The organization is responsible for most of the agricultural research conducted in Israel. This research aims to improve existing agricultural production systems and to introduce new products, processes and equipment, thereby ensuring the basis of Israel’s future agriculture. The ARO has an extensive research infrastructure that supports both basic and applied research, conducted by more than 200 Ph.D. scientists and 300 engineers and technicians. Numerous breeds, methods and technologies have been developed at ARO and successfully transferred to commercial markets in the form of private and public agritech companies.