Moa Technology is developing the next generation of sustainable crop protection solutions to help address one of agriculture’s most significant challenges: herbicide resistance.
The Oxford University spinout combines advanced plant science, proprietary discovery platforms and large-scale data analysis to identify entirely new modes of action that can help protect future harvests and support global food production.
Herbicides play a vital role in modern agriculture, helping farmers control weeds that compete with crops for nutrients, water and sunlight. However, decades of reliance on a relatively small number of herbicide mechanisms has led to growing levels of resistance around the world, making many existing products less effective and creating a significant challenge for agricultural productivity. The need for new and sustainable crop protection solutions has become increasingly urgent as global demand for food continues to rise.
Moa Technology was founded to tackle this challenge by discovering entirely new herbicide modes of action. The company has developed a platform capable of identifying novel targets and compounds that have the potential to form the basis of future crop protection products. By expanding the range of tools available to farmers, the Moa aims to help improve the long-term sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems.
Since its formation, Moa has grown from an academic research project into a leading agricultural technology company, working with industry partners to advance the development of next-generation herbicides. Its progress highlights the role that university spinouts can play in translating scientific research into practical solutions capable of addressing global challenges.
In this episode of Meet the Portfolio, CFO Rob Quinn discusses the origins of Moa, the scale of the challenge facing farmers around the world, and how the company’s technology could help support long-term global food security. He shares insights into the company’s development from Oxford University research into a commercial business and explains why innovation in crop protection has become increasingly important for the future of agriculture.
To find out more, visit the Moa website or the Parkwalk portfolio page.