Atlas Venture, Monsanto ally to find new life sciences investments

By Michelle Lang

Big VCs slow to invest; small funds see opportunity [February 20, 2009]

Net Gains: Y Combinator's move West creates stir in Boston [February 6, 2009]

Inside Life Sciences & Medical Frontiers: VCs housing life science startups speed and boost payout [January 23, 2009]

Helicos stock sale to bring in $18M [December 19, 2008]

Atlas Venture, a Cambridge venture capital firm focused on early-stage tech and life sciences companies, is teaming up with St. Louis, Mo.-based biotech giant Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON), which focuses on agricultural products, to discover new life sciences investment opportunities.

The multi-year collaboration between the two companies will target areas of interest to agriculture, including genomics, biology and informatics, according to a news release today. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the companies did mention that two people working with both Atlas and Monsanto will be dedicated to finding potential investment opportunities.

Atlas Venture partner Jean-Francois Formela said in a statement that the alliance gives the VC firm “access to technology platforms and deep expertise right from the beginning of the company building process.”

In March, Monsanto was hit with a lawsuit from Public Patent Foundation, on behalf of the Massachusetts chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, challenging Monsanto’s patents on genetically modified seed.

On Tuesday, Atlas Venture made news for leading a $12.5 million funding round for security software company Bit9 Inc.

Comments

If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.