NanoBio Designs LLC, a company that provides grain distributors and seed suppliers with onsite, rapid genetic detection solutions, has received a $100,000 investment from the Purdue Ag-Celerator, an agriculture innovation fund.

Ryan Skaar, chief operating officer of NanoBio Designs, said new DNA testing solutions are needed because of growing regulatory oversights to label genetically modified food. The company’s ExpresSeed platform reduces genetic testing from three to five days to just minutes.

Skaar said the Ag-Celerator funding allows NanoBio Designs to establish its laboratory presence in Indiana.

“With an established lab presence, we will be able to more effectively collaborate with Purdue University,” he said. “Collaborations with Purdue and industry partners will be key to our ability to commercialize the ExpresSeed platform.”

Ag-Celerator, created in 2015, is a $2 million innovation fund designed to provide critical startup support for Purdue University innovators who bring Purdue patented intellectual property or Purdue “know-how” technologies to market. The fund is operated by the Purdue Foundry, with assistance from the Purdue College of Agriculture, Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization and the agricultural industry.

“Purdue Agriculture celebrates and actively supports the innovation and entrepreneurship that ensures discoveries from the lab move into the fields, facilities and lives of our stakeholders,” said Bernie Engel, senior associate dean of research and graduate education.

Riley Gibb, director of business development for Purdue Foundry, said, “Farmers, growers and producers are always among the fastest adopters of new technologies. Their passion to strengthen crop and livestock production pushes agriculture startups like NanoBio Designs to deliver innovative technologies. We’re proud that Ag-Celerator investments support those technologies.”

In August 2021, Ag-Celerator eligibility was opened to startups in all agricultural fields. Previous recipients of Ag-Celerator investments are AkanoCure Pharmaceuticals Inc., Heliponix, Insignum AgTech, JUA Technologies International LLC, Karyosoft LLC, Krishi LLC, LeafSpec AgTech, Ongenia LLC, Phicrobe LLC, Progeny Drone Inc., Rogo Ag LLC, Verility Inc., VinSense LLC and ZeaVaxx.