Innovating Plant Disease Diagnostics: Evolve Genomix Grant Case Study
Grantify helped Evolve Genomix win $270,128 in NSF SBIR Phase I funding. Discover how the startup is transforming agricultural diagnostics with innovative tech.
Grantify helped Evolve Genomix secure $270,128 through the NSF’s SBIR Phase I. Discover how Evolve Genomix is helping farmers reduce reliance on harmful pesticides with advanced plant disease diagnostics.
Company
Evolve Genomix
Industry
BioTech
Service
SBIR Grant Funding
Quick Summary
$270,128
secured in non-dilutive funding
Challenge
Insect pests and plant pathogens are causing billions in losses to global agriculture – a problem exacerbated by….
- Climate change
- Industrial farming practices
- Global transport of food and agricultural produce
Solution
Evolve Genomix is modernising the testing landscape, building a DNA-based plant pathogen testing platform for field use, which…
- Provides lab-quality diagnostic results
- Enables you to make correct pest control decisions
- Reduces the spread and curbs losses
Impact
With the help of the NSF SBIR grant, Evolve Genomix secured the funds to develop critical innovations and IP much faster for its platform, supporting its wider mission to…
- Reduce diagnostic turnaround from 2-3 weeks to under an hour
- Aim to cut crop losses by over 70%
- Become a catalyst for a safer and robust global food supply
Evolve Genomix is a biotechnology startup pioneering advanced molecular diagnostic tools for the agriculture and food industries.
Currently operating a centralized service lab, the company offers a wide array of genomic tests to help growers manage plant health and ensure food safety. Evolve is also developing rapid, portable, and user-friendly DNA-based test kits designed for field use, enabling early detection of pests and pathogens.
With a mission to modernize agricultural testing and enable precision farming, Evolve Genomix aims to be a driving force behind a more sustainable, resilient, and secure global food system.
The global agriculture industry faces mounting threats from insect pests, vector-borne, and soil-borne pathogens — issues that cost billions in crop losses annually.
These challenges are intensifying due to climate change, industrial farming practices, and the rapid global movement of food and agricultural goods.
Traditional diagnostic methods are centralized, slow, and often unable to deliver results in time for effective intervention.
Evolve Genomix is solving this problem by creating rapid, field-deployable diagnostic tools, but as a lean, bootstrapped startup, it lacked the financial and personnel resources needed to accelerate R&D. Securing funding was essential to bring this critical innovation to life.
Grantify: Simplifying the Grant Application Process
Tailored Application Strategy
Identified the best grant opportunities for the project
Developed a structured technical innovation story
Built a compelling business case
Expert support
Provided a dedicated grant specialist
Offered technical writing assistance
Guided detailed budget preparation
Tailored Application Strategy
Established a clear application timeline
Conducted regular progress reviews
Performed quality assurance checks
“This SBIR funding allowed us to dedicate key resources to accelerate innovation, build critical IP, and validate our technical approach, earning credibility that’s opened doors to further funding and expert support.
“As a bootstrapped startup, the indirect cost allowance also helped cover overheads and extend our financial runway.
“Securing Phase II funding would enable us to scale our platform infrastructure without significantly diluting equity.”
This SBIR funding has enabled us to allocate dedicated funds and personnel resources for this project and develop critical innovations and intellectual property much faster.
With support from the NSF SBIR Phase I grant, Evolve Genomix is developing a low-cost, rapid, portable, and highly accurate DNA-based diagnostic platform for detecting plant pathogens directly in the field. This groundbreaking technology delivers lab-quality results within an hour, enabling growers to make timely, informed pest control decisions that prevent the spread of disease and dramatically reduce crop losses.
Initially focused on tackling Citrus Greening — a devastating, incurable disease threatening the Florida citrus industry — the platform's modular design allows it to be adapted for a wide range of applications, including other plant pathogens, insect pests, food-borne pathogens, livestock parasites, and even human pathogens in clinical settings with minor modifications.
“As a lean startup, we didn't have the time and personnel resources to navigate through all of the minute details and requirements of the NSF grant application process.
“We also started the one-pager pitch very late, and just two months before the SBIR Phase I deadline for the year. So, we desperately needed the help and collaboration of a company like Grantify in the grant application process.”
Your Success Story Starts Here
Take our 90-second quiz to see if you could be eligible for funding to fuel your innovation.
Take the Quiz
