Key Takeaways
- Pivot Bio announced the establishment of two new centers of excellence in the Midwest, forming the foundation of its long-term operational and scientific strategy.
- The new locations include a Center for Research, Development, Innovation & Operations and a Global Headquarters.
- The company’s nitrogen-fixing microbial technology has been adopted on nearly 15 million acres across North America, with expansion plans in South America and Africa.
- The move includes a relocation from Berkeley, California, and is expected to add jobs in key Midwestern hubs such as St. Louis and Wayzata.
- The restructuring aims to enhance collaboration, accelerate product development, and improve alignment with customers and partners.
Pivot Bio Announces Midwest Expansion Through New Operational Hubs
Pivot Bio (Profile) has announced the formation of two new centers of excellence located in the Midwestern United States. These new facilities will serve as central hubs for the company’s scientific and commercial operations as it scales its business and expands into new markets.
The two hubs include:
- A Center for Research, Development, Innovation & Operations to house scientific research, product development, and manufacturing functions.
- A Global Headquarters to support leadership, finance, policy, sustainability, communications, and strategy teams.
According to the company, the new configuration will promote cross-functional collaboration, enable faster decision-making, and enhance alignment with customers and global partners.
Technology Deployment Expands to New Regions and Crops
Since launching its first product in 2018, Pivot Bio’s microbial nitrogen technology has reached commercial use on approximately 15 million acres in North America. The company reports late-stage regulatory and commercial activity in South America and Africa, signaling the next phase of international expansion.
Pivot Bio is also extending its product portfolio to additional crops, including cotton and sorghum, as part of its broader strategy to reduce synthetic fertilizer reliance and support more efficient nitrogen delivery to plants.
The company emphasizes that its nitrogen technology is designed to offer an alternative to traditional fertilizers, aiming to reduce costs and improve resilience for farmers.
Focus on Integration and Collaboration
The decision to transition operations from Berkeley, California, and consolidate functions in the Midwest reflects Pivot Bio’s objective to align R&D, manufacturing, and leadership teams within a unified geography.
Chris Abbott, CEO of Pivot Bio, stated: “The Midwest has always been the heart of American agriculture, and it’s where many of our earliest customers and most trusted partners are based. As we scale, this region offers a strong center of gravity — rooted in the realities of the farm but connected to global opportunity.”
The company also noted that several team members from Berkeley will relocate to support the new operational model.
Facilities to Integrate Emerging Technologies
The newly planned facilities will incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance research and product development. The company expects this to increase efficiency across its innovation pipeline, shorten development cycles, and improve product placement strategies.
Pivot Bio has previously expanded its footprint in St. Louis, Missouri; Wayzata, Minnesota; and São Paulo, Brazil, and is continuing to evaluate additional opportunities for expansion based on access to talent, proximity to customers, and strategic alignment with agricultural innovation corridors.
Karsten Temme, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, commented: “We want to build an environment that supports deeper integration across our teams and unlocks the full potential of our innovation platform. This includes placing our teams in the ag innovation corridors, closer to customers and partners.”
The company expects to begin transitioning its operations and workforce to the new locations in phases, supporting ongoing efforts to deliver biologically driven nitrogen solutions for farmers globally.
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