Pairwise is a technology company pioneering gene editing to improve plant breeding in specialty and commodity crops. Its core product is the Fulcrum™ Platform, a proprietary suite of gene-editing tools that includes cutting, base editing, and templated editing to turn traits on/off or "tune" them. Pairwise is developing seedless berries, pitless cherries, a seedless blackberry variety, and has commercialized a CRISPR-edited mustard green; it also delivers edits across crops including corn, soy, wheat, canola, and leafy greens. The company has partnered with major agricultural players—an exclusive licensing agreement with Bayer for 10 varieties and multi-year collaborations that delivered 27 novel traits and a project on short-stature corn. Proceeds from the latest round will be used to scale the product pipeline and advance the Fulcrum Platform, and Pairwise has entered a five-year joint venture with Corteva to accelerate gene-edited technologies. Pairwise is based in Durham, N.C., and was co-founded by CEO Tom Adams and Haven Baker. Pairwise develops new varieties of fruits and vegetables using a gene‑editing platform licensed from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute. The company is focused on traits such as improved taste, increased shelf life, simplified harvesting, enhanced yield, and extended season availability to boost produce consumption and reduce waste. It is developing new types of leafy greens, berries, and cherries, with its first product expected in 2022. Pairwise positions its technology to address inconsistencies in flavor, seeds, shelf life, and year‑round availability in the $66 billion U.S. retail produce market. The firm has about 100 team members across two locations in Durham, North Carolina, and anticipated additional growth in 2021. Pairwise was founded by CEO Tom Adams and CBO Haven Baker with scientific co‑founders including Drs. David Liu, Feng Zhang, and J. Keith Joung.

Total raised

$130M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Sep 2024