Pivot Bio is transforming the fertilizer industry with innovative microbe technology that attaches directly to plant roots to continuously deliver nitrogen to the plant. This approach allows farmers to replace synthetic fertilizers, lowering their costs while reducing chemical runoff and carbon emissions. The company recently relocated its headquarters to Minnesota from California.

On this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, the company’s CEO, Chris Abbott, talks about where the fertilizer industry is headed and why Pivot Bio is well positioned. We joined their company’s tractor tour live from the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol to learn more. They discuss the company’s 1 Million Thanks tour, how supply chain disruptions impact farm margins and food costs, and why Minnesota is becoming a premier hub for the next era of crop nutrition innovation.

In this episode:

• 0:00 – Welcome to the Twin Cities Business Show (Live from a tractor!)
• 0:31 – The “1 Million Thanks” Tour: Highlighting farmer mental health and rural viability
• 2:05 – How Pivot Bio’s gene-edited microbes replace synthetic nitrogen
• 3:45 – Cutting runoff and emissions: Addressing the limits of 100-year-old fertilizer tech
• 5:38 – How scaling microbial nitrogen can lower farmer costs and impact global food prices
• 7:28 – Chris Abbott’s journey: Investing in 2018 to stepping in as CEO to scale the technology
• 9:30 – Navigating the founder-CEO dynamic and driving innovation with AI
• 11:53 – Scaling up: Expanding supply chain capacity to reach 150 million acres
• 14:40 – On-the-ground sentiment: How global conflicts continue to squeeze farmer margins
• 17:10 – Why Pivot Bio moved its headquarters from Berkeley to Minnetonka
• 18:20 – Minnesota’s ag tech ecosystem: Capital, talent, and regional momentum
• 20:18 – Policy at the Capitol: Creating a statewide crop nutrition platform in Minnesota
• 24:14 – Future-proofing the Farm Bill: Supporting new technology, precision ag, and biologics