Bringing agricultural innovation from the laboratory to the field takes more than scientific discovery. It requires listening to farmers, responding to their experiences and delivering results they can count on. That was the focus of Pivot Bio Chief Technology Officer Travis Frey, Ph.D., who served as the inaugural speaker in the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center’s Hermann Innovation Seminar, part of its Scientific Seminar Series, on Oct. 28.

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Pivot Bio Chief Technology Officer, Travis Frey, Ph.D., during his presentation as the inaugural speaker in the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center’s Hermann Innovation Seminar, part of its Scientific Seminar Series.

Pivot Bio Chief Technology Officer, Travis Frey, Ph.D., during his presentation as the inaugural speaker in the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center’s Hermann Innovation Seminar, part of its Scientific Seminar Series.

Established through a gift from the Bob and Signa Hermann Foundation, the Hermann Innovation Seminar brings entrepreneurial leaders to the Danforth Center to explore how scientific discoveries become practical solutions. The gift also supports the center’s innovation team in identifying promising opportunities and helping develop new agtech companies, advancing the translation of research into real-world impact.

In his presentation, “Earning Trust Through Science: The Pivot Bio Journey,” Frey traced the company’s evolution from a breakthrough in microbial science to commercial crop nutrition products shaped by rigorous research and farmer feedback.

Frey discussed how growing demand brought higher expectations, and how candid conversations with growers and retailers helped Pivot Bio identify opportunities to improve product consistency and performance. His presentation emphasized the company’s willingness to challenge assumptions, learn from results and turn those lessons into better products and stronger customer relationships. 

“Listening to farmers has helped us turn feedback into meaningful improvements,” Frey said. “By pairing those insights with rigorous science, we’ve built a stronger company, deeper customer relationships, and an innovation engine grounded in results farmers can count on in the field.”

For Pivot Bio, the journey described in Frey’s presentation continues to shape its approach to future innovation: working closely with farmers to develop crop nutrition technologies that deliver consistent value in the field.

The latest example of the company’s farmer-focused innovation pipeline is PROVEN® G3+, announced earlier this fall as the next evolution of its third-generation microbial nitrogen technology for corn. PROVEN G3+ combines the PROVEN G3 nitrogen-fixing capabilities with NUCORE+™, the company’s seed fluency and micronutrient platform, to add early-season crop nutrition capabilities. Pending applicable state registrations, the product is expected to be commercially available for the 2027 growing season.

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center brings together researchers and entrepreneurs to advance its mission of improving the human condition through plant science. As an anchor of the St. Louis region’s 39 North innovation district, where Pivot Bio’s Research, Development and Innovation Center is located, the center supports a community focused on scientific discovery and agricultural innovation.

About Pivot Bio  

Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies, delivers patented crop nutrition technologies that harness the power of nature to help farmers reliably and productively grow the food the world needs in the face of increasing volatility. Currently available in North America and soon in Brazil, the company’s products represent a breakthrough innovation and one of the agriculture industry’s most promising solutions. Pivot Bio has been recognized three times by TIME magazine on its annual list of Best Inventions, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list, and by MIT Technology Review as one of 15 climate tech companies to watch. For more information, visit PivotBio.com. 

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