Key Takeaways
- Wild Bioscience raised £45 million ($60 million) in a Series A round closed in October 2025, led by the Ellison Institute of Technology, with participation from Oxford Science Enterprises, Braavos and the University of Oxford.
- The Oxford spinout has expanded its footprint at Milton Park to 16,000 sq ft, adding a CL2 gene-editing laboratory and tripling plant output within months of the investment.
- Wild Bioscience uses AI-driven modelling and molecular biology to develop climate-resilient crop varieties, with precision-bred wheat as its primary near-term focus.
- The company has deepened its commercial pipeline through partnerships with The Traits Company (GDM), KWS, Dyson Farming and Pairwise Plants.
- Two senior appointments — Lisa Flashner as non-executive director and Dr Stuart Harrison as chief business officer — strengthen the leadership team ahead of its next growth phase.
Wild Bioscience Scales Climate-Resilient Crop Platform After £45 Million Series A
Wild Bioscience, a University of Oxford spinout developing climate-resilient crop varieties, has expanded its operations at Milton Park following a £45 million ($60 million) Series A funding round closed in October 2025 and led by the Ellison Institute of Technology. Oxford Science Enterprises, Braavos and the University of Oxford continued their support as co-investors. The capital is being deployed across laboratory expansion, team growth, and the advancement of the company's first improved crop varieties toward commercial markets.
Milton Park Expansion Triples Plant Output
Wild Bioscience has signed a new lease at Milton Park, bringing its total footprint to 16,000 sq ft (1,486 sq m) — an increase of 4,560 sq ft (423 sq m). The expanded estate spans 115 Olympic Avenue and additional buildings, and includes a newly fitted office and CL2 gene-editing laboratory at 127 Olympic Avenue. The company has been based at Milton Park since 2021, growing organically to a 40-person team as it progressively occupied more space on the campus.
Combined with new hires and the integration of additional technologies, the facility expansion has enabled the company to triple its plant output within months. Further conversion of existing office space into dedicated crop growth environments is underway, with the aim of increasing controlled-environment testing capacity and accelerating seed production for field trials.
Precision-Bred Wheat as the Near-Term Target
The expanded facility is intended to function as a dedicated crop design and engineering centre. Wild Bioscience applies AI-driven modelling alongside molecular biology to identify traits present in wild plant species and transfer them into cultivated varieties — with the goal of producing crops capable of maintaining yields and reducing carbon intensity under increasingly variable climate conditions. Precision-bred wheat is the primary near-term target.
“This expansion in infrastructure, team, and technology is a key step in developing the engineering loop that bridges computational design and plant biology,” said Ross Hendron, CEO and co-founder of Wild Bioscience. “We're starting with the world's most widely grown crop: wheat.”
Wild Bioscience Extends Its Global Partnership Network
Alongside its physical expansion, the company has broadened its commercial pipeline through a growing network of international collaborations. Recent partnerships include The Traits Company — the strategic biotech arm of GDM — alongside KWS, Dyson Farming and Pairwise Plants, all aimed at supporting the development and distribution of improved crop varieties across global markets.
Two Senior Appointments Ahead of Next Growth Phase
Lisa Flashner, chief operating officer at the Ellison Institute of Technology, has joined Wild Bioscience's board as a non-executive director. Dr Stuart Harrison has been appointed chief business officer, bringing a 24-year career at Syngenta that spanned senior global roles across R&D partnerships, product development and venture investment.
“Wild Bioscience exemplifies this approach — combining deep scientific expertise with a clear ambition to address global food resilience in an increasingly complex world,” said Lisa Flashner, chief operating officer at the Ellison Institute of Technology and board member at Wild Bioscience. “I'm delighted to join the board and support the team as they take the next steps in their development.”
Tom Booker, asset manager of Milton Park at Federated Hermes Real Estate, said: “Wild Bioscience's continued growth is a strong example of how companies can start, scale and specialise at Milton Park. Their expansion reflects both the strength of their science and the momentum behind the business, supported by significant recent investment, the addition of senior leadership and a clear pathway to commercialisation.”
