Building Companies That Power the Future of Agriculture
Tue Dec 02 2025
What if agriculture could become the world’s most powerful engine for climate and health—without sacrificing yield? In this episode, Dr. Robert Berendes, scientist, entrepreneur and longtime ag innovator, unpacks how deep tech, genome editing and AI are transforming a “low-tech” industry into a high-impact platform for planetary regeneration. He explores the shift from calories to nutrition, soil health and carbon sequestration, why new genetics will rewrite competitive dynamics in ag, and what it really takes to scale ventures from flagship labs to farmers’ fields. Along the way, Robert shares hard-won lessons on talent, regulation, capital cycles and why agriculture in 2030 will look nothing like today.
Tune in for a fresh look at building ventures that leave every acre better.
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Hey Climate Tech enthusiasts!
Searching for new podcasts on sustainability?
Check out the Leaders on a Mission podcast, where I interview climate tech leaders who are shaking up the industry and bringing us the next big thing in sustainable solutions.
Join me for a deep dive into the future of green innovation exploring the highs, lows, and everything in between of pioneering new technologies.
Get an exclusive insight into how these leaders started up their journey, and how their cutting edge products will make a real impact.
Tune in on…
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadersonamissionNet0
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7o41ubdkzChAzD9C53xH82
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaders-on-a-mission/id1532211726
…to listen to the latest episodes!
Timestamps:
0:00 – Rethinking innovation in ag
1:08 – Ignoring the noisy consensus
3:43 – From consulting to Syngenta
5:38 – Why ag is misunderstood
10:09 – Reading and writing genomes
12:56 – Power shift to farmers
17:24 – Inside the Flagship model
22:59 – Talent that drives disruption
28:42 – Funding cycles and exits
34:10 – Agriculture in 2030
Useful links:
Flagship Pioneering website: https://www.flagshippioneering.com/
Flagship Pioneering LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flagship-pioneering/
Robert Berendes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-berendes-39b62a67/
Leaders on a Mission website: https://cs-partners.net/podcasts/
Simon Leich’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/executive-talent-headhunter-agtech-foodtech-agrifoodtech-agritech/
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What if agriculture could become the world’s most powerful engine for climate and health—without sacrificing yield? In this episode, Dr. Robert Berendes, scientist, entrepreneur and longtime ag innovator, unpacks how deep tech, genome editing and AI are transforming a “low-tech” industry into a high-impact platform for planetary regeneration. He explores the shift from calories to nutrition, soil health and carbon sequestration, why new genetics will rewrite competitive dynamics in ag, and what it really takes to scale ventures from flagship labs to farmers’ fields. Along the way, Robert shares hard-won lessons on talent, regulation, capital cycles and why agriculture in 2030 will look nothing like today. Tune in for a fresh look at building ventures that leave every acre better. --- Hey Climate Tech enthusiasts! Searching for new podcasts on sustainability? Check out the Leaders on a Mission podcast, where I interview climate tech leaders who are shaking up the industry and bringing us the next big thing in sustainable solutions. Join me for a deep dive into the future of green innovation exploring the highs, lows, and everything in between of pioneering new technologies. Get an exclusive insight into how these leaders started up their journey, and how their cutting edge products will make a real impact. Tune in on… YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadersonamissionNet0 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7o41ubdkzChAzD9C53xH82 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaders-on-a-mission/id1532211726 …to listen to the latest episodes! Timestamps: 0:00 – Rethinking innovation in ag 1:08 – Ignoring the noisy consensus 3:43 – From consulting to Syngenta 5:38 – Why ag is misunderstood 10:09 – Reading and writing genomes 12:56 – Power shift to farmers 17:24 – Inside the Flagship model 22:59 – Talent that drives disruption 28:42 – Funding cycles and exits 34:10 – Agriculture in 2030 Useful links: Flagship Pioneering website: https://www.flagshippioneering.com/ Flagship Pioneering LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flagship-pioneering/ Robert Berendes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-berendes-39b62a67/ Leaders on a Mission website: https://cs-partners.net/podcasts/ Simon Leich’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/executive-talent-headhunter-agtech-foodtech-agrifoodtech-agritech/