{
  "id": 19802,
  "title": "Irish co-founded crop science start-up Wild Bio acquires F1 Seed",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/29/irish-co-founded-crop-science-start-up-wild-bio-acquires-f1-seed",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-07-29T09:07:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Silicon Republic",
    "slug": "silicon-republic",
    "url": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/irish-co-founded-crop-science-start-up-wild-bio-acquires-f1-seed"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Wild Bio, an Irish-founded crop science start-up that specializes in crop genetics research, has acquired F1 Seed, a wheat breeding business, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition, backed by a $60m Series A round led by the Ellison Institute of Technology, aims to turn Wild Bio into a \"fully integrated, end-to-end UK seed company\". Wild Bio, established in 2021 by Dr Ross Hendron and Irishman Prof Steve Kelly, uses AI and precision breeding to develop improved crop varieties through evolutionary research. By acquiring F1 Seed, Wild Bio gains its wheat breeding capabilities and extensive germplasm database, which it aims to utilise to deliver conventionally bred, optimised wheat varieties directly to UK farmers by 2027. The acquisition comes as UK wheat yields have remained flat for three decades, with input costs rising and the climate crisis causing yield volatility.",
  "summary": "Wild Bio, founded in 2021 by Dr Ross Hendron and Irish man Prof Steve Kelly, specialises in crop genetics by researching genetic solutions that developed through evolution. Read more: Irish co-founded crop science start-up Wild Bio acquires F1 Seed",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}