Key Takeaways
- EpiCrop Technologies has started construction on an 18,000-square-foot research facility in St. Louis.
- The facility will support work on plant yield enhancement through gene pathway reprogramming.
- Local firms Blackline Design + Construction, Darwin Chambers, and VividVerde are leading project design, environmental systems, and operational planning.
- The site will include growth chambers, lab and data spaces, and coworking areas to support cross-disciplinary AgTech collaboration.
- EpiCrop selected St. Louis for its strong position as an AgTech innovation hub.
EpiCrop Research Facility to Advance Plant Science Innovation
EpiCrop Technologies, a division of EpiMethyl Analytics, has broken ground on a new 18,000-square-foot research facility in St. Louis. The company applies gene pathway reprogramming to improve crop performance, and the facility is intended to support expanded research in yield potential and resilience.
Blackline Design + Construction is serving as both architect and general contractor. The firm has partnered with Darwin Chambers, which is supplying custom environmental chambers, and VividVerde, a consulting group for controlled-environment facility development.
Facility Designed for Specialized Crop Research Needs
The EpiCrop Research Facility will include ten custom growth chambers, lab and research space, fertigation systems, data infrastructure, and flexible coworking areas. The facility is engineered to support precise environmental control and collaborative research in plant performance.
Michael Schwartz, co-founder of Blackline, highlighted the complexity of the project, noting that it required a balance between advanced building systems and a high-performance research environment.
Regional Collaboration Drives Development
EpiCrop’s decision to establish its headquarters in St. Louis reflects the region’s role in agricultural technology and research. Co-founder Dr. Sally Mackenzie cited the area’s entrepreneurial and scientific ecosystem as key factors in site selection.
Other stakeholders emphasized the collaborative nature of the project. Darwin Chambers and VividVerde are providing specialized contributions in environmental systems and facility strategy to meet EpiCrop’s operational requirements.
EpiCrop’s Facility Expected to Strengthen AgTech Ecosystem in St. Louis
With construction underway, the EpiCrop Research Facility represents an investment in both local infrastructure and plant science advancement. The project builds on St. Louis’ growing reputation as a destination for AgTech development and supports EpiCrop’s continued research into improving crop productivity through biological innovation.
