Rainbow Crops and Vylor have entered into a collaboration to accelerate the development of new corn traits using artificial intelligence (AI), multiplex gene editing and advanced crop phenotyping.
Vylor is an advanced seed and genetics company that is scheduled to spin off from Corteva on 1 October 2026. Rainbow Crops, a Belgium-based company spun out of VIB, specialises in technologies designed to accelerate the development of improved crop genetics.
The collaboration will use Rainbow Crops’ AI-supported Trait Foundry™ platform alongside Vylor’s expertise in gene editing to develop corn hybrids with improved resilience to environmental stresses such as heat, drought and flooding.
The companies aim to develop complex agronomic traits that can help crops use agricultural inputs more efficiently while supporting higher yields and improved farmer profitability.
AI and multiplex gene editing
Rainbow Crops’ Trait Foundry platform combines AI, multiplex genome editing, precision breeding and automated phenotyping to accelerate the design and validation of crop genetics.
Multiplex gene editing allows researchers to modify multiple genes within a cell simultaneously. This approach can be particularly relevant to complex agricultural traits that are influenced by interactions between multiple genes, including drought tolerance and plant vigour.
The platform is designed to integrate the creation of genetic variations with high-throughput phenotyping, enabling researchers to evaluate plant characteristics and identify promising traits more efficiently than conventional breeding approaches.
Mat Muller, who will lead Vylor Edge, Vylor’s investment platform, said the collaboration will enable the companies to make hundreds of gene edits simultaneously while evaluating their performance through advanced phenotyping facilities and field trials.
He said Rainbow Crops’ AI-enabled multiplex gene-editing capabilities could support the development of crops capable of withstanding challenges including disease and extreme weather.
Developing more resilient corn
Rainbow Crops said its early work in corn has demonstrated the potential of its Trait Foundry platform for developing complex crop traits.
Giacomo Bastianelli, CEO and co-founder of Rainbow Crops, said the company’s collaboration with Vylor will allow both organisations to explore further opportunities for innovation in corn genetics.
The partnership is focused on developing traits that could improve crop resilience while making more efficient use of agricultural inputs. The companies expect the work to contribute to the development of corn hybrids capable of performing under increasingly challenging environmental conditions.
Gene editing and European agriculture
The collaboration comes as the regulatory environment for gene-edited crops in Europe continues to evolve.
On 17 June 2026, the European Parliament passed legislation concerning plants developed using certain gene-editing techniques, including provisions covering their import and cultivation within the European Union.
The companies’ work therefore comes at a significant point for agricultural biotechnology, as advances in gene editing and AI create new approaches to crop improvement.
Corteva, through its Corteva Catalyst investment platform, also participated in Rainbow Crops’ recently completed €9.7 million seed financing round. Following Vylor’s separation from Corteva, the investment is expected to become part of the Vylor Edge portfolio.
The collaboration highlights the growing convergence of AI, genome editing, precision breeding and automated plant science in the development of next-generation agricultural genetics.
