# BioLumic

> BioLumic is a New Zealand-founded agricultural biotechnology company that uses precisely tuned ultraviolet light treatments to program desirable traits into seeds and seedlings without genetic modification. Applied in seconds, its patented 'light recipes' switch on plants' natural genetic expression to deliver double-digit yield gains, stronger disease resistance and stress tolerance across crops including corn, soybean, rice and ryegrass. The company partners with seed producers to commercialize non-GMO, climate-smart traits at scale.

- **Founded:** 2013
- **Headquarters:** Palmerston North, New Zealand
- **Founders:** Jason Wargent (Founder & Chief Science Officer), Steve Sibulkin (Co-Founder, CEO & Board Member)
- **Team size:** ~36 employees
- **Products:** UV Light Seed Treatment, xTraits Platform, Seedling Treatment for Specialty Crops, Low-Emissions Ryegrass Trait
- **Notable:** First company to commercialize light-based seed treatment for broad-acre row crops (US, 2025), Averaged ~15% yield gains in corn and ~12% in soybeans across 3,000+ US field plots since 2021, Named to Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech for 2025

## Products & services

- **UV Light Seed Treatment** — Patented ultraviolet 'light recipes' applied to seeds in seconds that trigger natural genetic expression, delivering double-digit yield gains and improved disease and stress resistance.
- **xTraits Platform** — Light-activated seed trait development and commercialization platform for programming non-GMO traits into row crops and forages, scaled through partnerships with seed companies.
- **Seedling Treatment for Specialty Crops** — UV treatment for seedlings and high-value crops (e.g. leafy greens, cannabis) that boosts vigor and yield.
- **Low-Emissions Ryegrass Trait** — Light-programmed ryegrass with increased lipid content aimed at cutting livestock methane emissions by over 12%, developed with AgriZeroNZ and Fonterra.

## Achievements

- First company to commercialize light-based seed treatment for broad-acre row crops (US, 2025)
- Averaged ~15% yield gains in corn and ~12% in soybeans across 3,000+ US field plots since 2021
- Named to Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech for 2025
- Won Sustainable Business Network's Disruptive Innovation Award (2025)
- Ranked top 45 on Forward Fooding's 2025 FoodTech 500
- Finalist for Fast Company World Changing Ideas (Agriculture, 2024)
- Technology proven across 12 crops including corn, soybean and rice

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Secured top 45 spot on Forward Fooding's 2025 FoodTech 500.
- **2026-01** — Announced seed improvement partnerships with Scheffer, GDM and TMG.
- **2025-12** — Expanded light-activated seed trait platform into South America, including Brazil and Chile.
- **2025-11** — Won Sustainable Business Network's Disruptive Innovation Award for its light recipes.
- **2025-10** — Named to Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech for 2025; partnered with Fonterra on dairy pastures.
- **2025-07** — Appointed agtech veteran Greg Levow as Chief Operating Officer.
- **2025-06** — First-to-market UV seed treatment technology went commercial in the USA.
- **2025-04** — Raised $8.3M in an oversubscribed round to scale the xTraits platform.

## Links

- Website: https://biolumic.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/biolumic-limited
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/biolumic

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/biolumic
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-22