Ginkgo Bioworks and Syngenta Seeds announce collaboration to develop new traits for the next generation of seed technology

Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, and Syngenta Seeds ("Syngenta"), one of the world's leading agricultural technology companies, announced a research partnership focused on screening a targeted genetic library for novel trait discovery. The results of this research are intended to inform future seed trait development so that farmers can grow healthier and more resilient crops.

Under the collaboration agreement, Ginkgo and Syngenta will work together by leveraging Ginkgo's extensive protein engineering capabilities and proprietary ultra high-throughput screening technologies to complement and accelerate Syngenta's efforts to design and develop innovative plant traits.

Innovative research partnerships of this kind are becoming more common in agriculture as the industry better understands the value of seeking out collaborations of all types and cross-pollinating expertise and capabilities across diverse industries. Ginkgo and Syngenta's partnership embodies the ethos of collaboration by addressing the challenges facing farmers around the world, leveraging new ideas, novel technologies, and unique partnerships.

"We are excited to leverage our proprietary ultra high-throughput single-cell encapsulation and screening platform to support Syngenta's development efforts to bring the next generation of innovative products to farmers," said Magalie Guilhabert, Vice President, Head of Ag Biologicals, Ginkgo Bioworks. "As we tackle agriculture's greatest challenges, we're excited to partner with global leaders like Syngenta and empower them to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing agriculture worldwide."