Corteva (NYSE:CTVA), the agricultural technology giant, and Hexagon Bio, a biotechnology company focused on nature-derived therapeutics, announced a multi-million-dollar joint venture aimed at accelerating the discovery of new crop protection solutions.
The agreement marks a first for both companies—Corteva’s entry into pharma-oriented discovery collaborations and Hexagon Bio’s first strategic venture into the agriculture sector.
The partnership merges Corteva’s extensive natural-product capabilities and billion-dollar crop protection franchises with Hexagon Bio’s AI-driven microbial genetics platform, designed to identify novel bioactive molecules hidden within microbial DNA.
Together, the companies will pursue new modes of action for global agriculture as well as potential therapeutics for human health.
Corteva Chief Technology and Digital Officer Sam Eathington said the collaboration expands the company’s discovery engine at a time when demand for sustainable, nature-inspired crop protection is surging.
Hexagon Bio CEO Maureen Hillenmeyer said the JV enables the company to advance high-value chemistry into two industries simultaneously, reflecting the scalability of its discovery platform.
Natural-product innovation has historically produced transformative breakthroughs—from antibiotics such as penicillin to key oncology drugs and modern crop protection tools.
Both companies said this JV aims to build on that legacy by pairing advanced computational discovery methods with industry-scale development capabilities.
The venture was established under Corteva Catalyst, the company’s innovation and investment arm launched in 2024.