
A global consortium led by IRRI aiming to introduce the C4 photosynthetic pathway into rice.
An international research project engineering crops to be more productive by improving photosynthesis.

United States · Startup
A biotechnology company engineering trees to capture and store more carbon using enhanced photosynthesis.
Home to artist-academic Ben Grosser, creator of 'Go Rando', a tool that obfuscates Facebook emotional profiling by randomizing reactions.
One of the largest private foundations in the world.
Spun out of Oxford University, developing 'wild-enhanced' crops by understanding photosynthetic efficiency in wild plants.
Home to the lab of Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte (prior to Altos), a pioneer in in-vivo partial reprogramming.
Uses the SEEDesign platform to edit genes and modulate expression for higher yield and water use efficiency.
AgTech startup using AI to accelerate plant breeding through genome editing.
Photosynthesis optimization AI platforms leverage graph neural networks, protein folding models, and quantum chemistry solvers to redesign enzymes like Rubisco, carboxysomes, and photorespiration shunts so plants convert sunlight into biomass more efficiently. Pipelines simulate millions of potential mutations, predict stability, and feed constructs to synthetic biology foundries or chloroplast editing systems for rapid validation.
Crop science companies and research institutes use these tools to pursue beyond-C3 yield gains, improved nitrogen-use efficiency, or faster carbon sequestration—traits critical for feeding a growing population without expanding farmland. Early programs show promise in tobacco model plants, with pathways being transferred into staple crops like rice and soy under greenhouse trials.
Scaling breakthroughs will require stackable trait licensing, alignment with biosafety regulations, and field trials that demonstrate performance across diverse climates. Integration with carbon markets and climate-smart subsidies could accelerate adoption, but public acceptance of metabolic engineering in food crops remains a key hurdle that companies must navigate through transparency and shared benefit models.