Champaign, IL, United States, October 14th, 2025, NewsDirect
Light-Activated xTraits™ Platform Creates a New Seed Trait Stack for Faster, Sustainable Crop Innovation
BioLumic, the agtech company transforming how the world improves seeds, has been named to Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech list for 2025. The annual list highlights breakthrough technologies shaping the future — from artificial intelligence to sustainable food systems.
Most of the world’s crops and farmers have never had access to the kinds of seed-trait innovations that drive productivity in major commodities like corn and soy. Developing biotech traits has historically required enormous cost, long development cycles, and complex regulatory approvals — limiting access and scalability.
BioLumic’s xTraits™ platform uses precise light signals to “program plants,” unlocking their genetic potential to deliver heritable, non-GMO seed traits faster, more affordably, and at global scale.
“Biotech traits have driven remarkable progress in modern agriculture, but high costs, long development cycles, and regulatory complexity still limit access for most crops and farmers,” said Steve Sibulkin, CEO of BioLumic.
xTraits™ combines the speed of digital innovation with the reach of existing seed systems to create a new kind of seed-trait stack that complements biotech.
“xTraits™ is one of the quickest vectors for agricultural change — with built-in distribution through existing seed channels, no geographic limits, and no need for farmers to switch varieties or adopt new practices,” Sibulkin said. “Our approach accelerates discovery and expands access to innovation across every region, delivering faster progress on yield, climate resilience, and global food security.”
By working within established seed systems, xTraits™ makes improvement instantly scalable. Seed companies can enhance current varieties without new breeding programs, while farmers continue using their proven genetics.
BioLumic’s light-activated traits are advancing across major global crops. In corn, the company’s xTraits™ are entering commercial deployment following strong field validation. In ryegrass and rice, early-stage development is showing promising improvements in yield, composition, and resilience — building the foundation for future sustainable growth in both food and feed systems.
About BioLumic
Founded in 2013, BioLumic is a U.S.- and New Zealand-based agricultural biotechnology company using light signaling as a programming language for plants. Its patented xTraits™ technology unlocks non-GMO genetic expression traits to enhance yield, composition, and crop resilience through a one-time, light-based seed application. BioLumic traits are scalable, fast to develop, and easily integrated into existing seed systems. Learn more at www.biolumic.com or contact [email protected]
Contact
Sara Winters
AgTech PR for BioLumic
[email protected]