NexSteppe

NexSteppe developed and commercialized crops specifically for the biofuels, biopower, and biobased product industries. The company was founded in 2010 by Anna Rath, who served as its President and CEO. Rath, a pioneer in the dedicated energy crop sector, previously built and launched the energy crop business for Ceres and was a consultant at McKinsey & Co. Her background includes a JD from Yale Law School, an MS in Genetics from the University of Michigan, and a BA in Biology.

NexSteppe focused on pioneering scalable and cost-effective feedstock solutions by using advanced breeding and analytical technologies to develop specific sorghum varieties, such as Malibu sweet sorghum and Palo Alto biomass sorghum. The business model was centered on developing and selling the seeds for these specialized crops, which were designed to be used as fuel. The company's goal was to provide a reliable and sustainable fuel supply for technology and project developers in the bioenergy space. By 2016, NexSteppe had expanded its operations to the U.S., Brazil, Europe, and China, with commercial partners testing its products in over twenty countries. It appears the company was acquired by Monsanto, which itself was later acquired by Bayer in a deal that closed in 2018.

Keywords: bioenergy feedstock, sorghum breeding, biofuels, biopower, biobased products, energy crops, sustainable feedstock, Anna Rath, sweet sorghum, biomass sorghum, renewable energy, bioeconomy, agricultural technology, crop development, seed commercialization, feedstock solutions, advanced breeding, cellulosic biofuels, biogas