Solis Agrosciences

Solis Agrosciences operates as a contract research organization focused on the agricultural technology sector, providing specialized research and development services to both emerging startups and established industry players. The company was launched in May 2022 to address the significant time and capital required for agricultural biotech innovation. It was founded by a team of seasoned executives with deep roots in the agriculture and biotechnology industries, including Mary Fernandes, Martha Schlicher, David Smoller, and Tom Cohen, in collaboration with BioGenerator Ventures.

The founders' collective experience is central to the company's mission. Mary Fernandes, who serves as President, has over 25 years of experience in AgTech R&D at major corporations like Monsanto and Bayer Crop Science, where she led the development of the world's first drought-tolerant biotechnology trait for corn. Her background includes extensive work in discovery research, product development for crops like corn and soy, and implementing high-throughput genomics and gene-editing pipelines. Board Chair Martha Schlicher and co-founder David Smoller also bring significant biotech startup and executive experience. The initial concept for Solis emerged from conversations between Schlicher and Charlie Bolten of BioGenerator Ventures, identifying a market need created by R&D externalization from large agricultural corporations.

Solis Agrosciences' core offering is its "Plant Pipeline as a Service™" (PPaaS) platform, which functions on a fee-for-service basis. This model allows client companies to outsource complex R&D processes, thereby accelerating their product development timelines while retaining all of their intellectual property. The firm serves a diverse client base, from venture-backed startups to large multinational agriculture companies, helping them to test more ideas faster without the high cost of building in-house capabilities. The company's services encompass the entire R&D spectrum, from bioinformatics and molecular biology to gene editing, plant transformation, and greenhouse services. Initially focusing on soy and corn, Solis plans to expand its crop portfolio based on customer demand. Recent strategic moves include the acquisition of Ferris Genomics to incorporate whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics services, and licensing the Pairwise Fulcrum™ Platform for gene editing.

Headquartered in St. Louis's 39North Innovation District, a hub for ag-biotech, Solis leverages the region's ecosystem. The company has secured funding from a syndicate of investors including BioGenerator Ventures, Hermann Companies, and Jim McKelvey. This capital has supported the expansion of its team of experienced scientists and the acquisition of infrastructure, such as a greenhouse facility, to meet growing client demand. In January 2024, the leadership was strengthened with the appointment of Charlie Bolten as CEO and Susan Martino-Catt as COO, both bringing extensive experience from companies like Monsanto, Pioneer Hi-Bred, and various successful startups.

Keywords: agricultural biotechnology, contract research organization, plant pipeline as a service, gene editing, transgenic plants, crop development, agtech R&D, St. Louis biotech, Mary Fernandes, Martha Schlicher, plant transformation, agricultural innovation, research services, crop science, molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, seed production, agrifoodtech, plant phenotyping, sustainable agriculture