Vylor, Rainbow Crops partner to accelerate development of gene-edited corn traits
The initiative combines artificial intelligence, multiplex genome editing, precision breeding, and automated phenotyping to develop resilient corn traits that can withstand severe climate conditions while maximizing yield potential and input efficiency.
BELGIUM/USA – Rainbow Crops and Vylor have entered into a collaboration to accelerate the development of novel gene-edited corn traits, combining artificial intelligence (AI), multiplex genome editing, precision breeding, and automated phenotyping.
The partnership aims to develop corn hybrids with improved resilience to extreme weather, including heat, drought, and flooding, while improving how efficiently crops use agricultural inputs.
The collaboration brings together Rainbow Crops’ AI-supported Trait Foundry™ platform and Vylor’s expertise in advanced seed genetics and gene editing.
Vylor is scheduled to separate from Corteva on 1 October 2026, creating an independent advanced seed and genetics company.
The partnership therefore forms part of Vylor’s emerging approach to combining its internal research capabilities with external agricultural biotechnology platforms.
Rainbow Crops’ Trait Foundry™ platform is designed to address complex agronomic characteristics controlled by multiple interacting genes.
Rather than focusing on individual genetic changes, the technology combines AI-based trait discovery with multiplex genome editing, allowing simultaneous modification of several genes.
Automated phenotyping then measures plant characteristics and assesses whether the resulting genetic changes deliver the desired performance.
Under the collaboration, the companies will investigate corn traits that could help plants perform under increasingly challenging environmental conditions.
The targeted characteristics include drought and heat resilience, flood tolerance, and improved plant performance.
Mat Muller, head of Vylor Edge, emphasized that multiplex editing permits rapid evaluation of high-performing genetic combinations, shifting crop development from years of trial-and-error breeding toward targeted genetic optimization.
For Rainbow Crops, the partnership builds on previous work demonstrating its Trait Foundry™ platform in corn.
The Belgian company was founded in 2025 as a spin-off from the VIB–UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology and focuses on developing climate-resilient, high-performing crop varieties.
Giacomo Bastianelli, CEO and co-founder of Rainbow Crops, noted that successful early proofs of concept in corn validated the Trait Foundry’s ability to address multi-genic challenges at industrial scale.
The agreement builds on prior corporate alignment between the leaders of the two companies. Corteva previously invested in Rainbow Crops through its Corteva Catalyst platform as part of Rainbow Crops’ €9.7 million (US$11.07M) seed financing round, an equity stake slated to transition into the Vylor Edge portfolio post-spin-off.
The partnership arrives amid favorable legislative shifts across Europe, following the European Parliament’s June 2026 adoption of rules governing the import and cultivation of gene-edited crops across the European Union.
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