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Pivot Bio reports expansion of leadership team

Doubling staff year-over-year with agtech and biotech industry leaders, Pivot Bio aims to transform the future of fertilizer.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 16, 2018 – Pivot Bio, the leader in crop nutrition through nitrogen production, today announced that it has added three senior leaders to its team. Natalie Hubbard, vice president of regulatory and government affairs; Mark Reisinger, marketing director; and Tracy Willits, vice president of communications have all joined Pivot Bio to launch the world’s first nitrogen-producing microbe for corn in 2019.

Doubling in size year-over-year, Pivot Bio has grown its team to nearly 50, including additional recent hires across the scientific team, talent development, and industry affairs. The company has significantly expanded its field development footprint, greenhouse, and supporting research facilities to accelerate the commercialization of the company’s innovation platform for agtech solutions.

“We’re simplifying crop nutrition alongside our grower partners. Our alternative to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is turning heads and breaking barriers in today’s bioag industry,” said Karsten Temme, CEO and co-founder, Pivot Bio. “As we prepare to launch a groundbreaking product, we are expanding our footprint and recruiting top talent in the agtech and scientific fields. I’m pleased to welcome these leaders to our team as we lead the charge to sustainable, eco-friendly crop nutrition.”

Hubbard brings 30 years of experience in regulatory policy advocacy, science-based policy, as well as registration and public engagement of crop and biological innovations in agriculture. Hubbard most recently managed regulatory affairs, registration and stewardship for biologicals and seed treatments at DuPont Pioneer.

With more than two decades of ag policy, trade and marketing experience, Reisinger will oversee the marketing and commercialization strategy of nitrogen-producing microbes currently being evaluated by Intent to Pivot partner farmers. Reisinger brings a deep ag marketing and industry relations background from his previous roles at DuPont Pioneer. Prior to this, he was the Iowa State Director for USDA Rural Development and later served as the CEO of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa.

Willits joined the team with 15+ years of ag experience and an extensive background in building successful public affairs programs, employee communications initiatives and C-suite visibility plans. Willits will spearhead engagement strategies and external communications to build out Pivot Bio’s brand as a leader in sustainable crop nutrition. Prior to joining Pivot Bio, Willits served as the global communications director at DuPont Pioneer, a provider of advanced plant genetics and agronomic support.

Pivot Bio has developed an in-field solution that has the potential to simplify current nitrogen application practices and significantly reduce leaching, runoff and denitrification. Pivot Bio identifies the rare microbes that have the innate ability to produce nitrogen that already live in the crop’s own microbiome. However, these microbes have gone dormant after decades of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use. Using a proprietary process, Pivot Bio scientists re-awaken the microbes’ natural ability to produce nitrogen. These microbes are applied in-furrow at planting or eventually as a treatment to the corn seed. As they live symbiotically with a plant, the microbes spoon-feed nitrogen to the corn plant throughout the growing season and have none of the adverse consequences of synthetic fertilizer.

Pivot Bio is presenting at several upcoming notable industry conferences, such as San Francisco Business Times BioTech Forum in the Bay Area; Forbes AgTech Summit in Salinas, CA; and the North American Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

About Pivot Bio

At Pivot Bio, we believe in meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Our unparalleled understanding of the crop microbiome will help create a future with cleaner water and air. We are dedicated to providing farmers with solutions so they can grow high-quality, environmentally-responsible and sustainably focused food crops that help feed families worldwide. For more information, visit www.pivotbio.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Tracy Willits
tracy@pivotbio.com
515-202-7714

LEARN ABOUT THE LATEST NEWS AND BREAKTHROUGHS FROM PIVOT BIO.

Pivot Bio is a leader in the field of precision microbial adaptation. Our unique process is designed to realize the full potential of microbes at the genetic level, allowing farmers to change the way they provide nutrition to crops, reduce usage of fertilizers and provide a sustainable approach to feeding our world’s growing population. For more information, contact us at: 1-877-495-3777 or info@pivotbio.com.