Adrian Ferrero Of Biome Makers: How We Are Helping To Create A Resilient Food Supply Chain

The cascading logistical problems caused by the pandemic and the war in Eastern Europe have made securing a reliable supply chain a national imperative. What must agriculture companies and policymakers do to ensure secure and resilient food supply chains? In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders who can share insights from their experiences about how we can address these challenges. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adrian Ferrero.

Adrián Ferrero is the Co-Founder & CEO of Biome Makers. With recognition from the Spanish Government, Illumina Accelerator, and MIT Technology Review — Adrián is a self-described entrepreneur on a mission to improve the world. He holds a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Salamanca and a Master of Environmental Management from the Turku School of Economics and Business Administration.

Growing up in an agricultural region of Spain inspired Adrián to co-found, together with Alberto Acedo, Biome Makers Inc., and create its patented BeCrop® technology. From there, Biome Makers has received many awards worldwide (AgSum in Japan, agripreneur 2019 in Greece, WINnovation in US, or Best innovative startup by AgFunder) and attracted over $24M from investors. Prior to Biome Makers, Adrián has founded three start-ups and worked as an innovation consultant for more than nine years.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

I’m Adrian Ferrero, originally from a small city in the northwest of Spain. Agriculture is vital in this region, and it’s where my passion for innovation in farming began.

I moved to the Bay Area of California, with my childhood friend, Alberto Acedo, who specialized in molecular biology, and me in business innovation and environmental technologies. Together, we started a business, leveraging our skills to tackle the degradation of the landscape and environment caused by farming practices. We knew farmers didn’t have the tools they needed to solve these issues, and we saw an opportunity to bring change. In 2015, we had the chance to enter the Illumina accelerator, we took it. We’ve been very lucky and successful in engaging with excellent investors who support us. This was critical to helping us bring new technologies to solve key problems in agriculture. Today we’ve developed a technology called BeCrop. Our patented BeCrop Technology combines advanced genomics, microbial networks, and machine learning to provide insights into specific functions being performed by the entire soil microbiome. With the largest global taxonomic database of microorganisms and an advanced functional and ecological model, BeCrop is an essential product development and recommendation tool. Unlike others focusing on species-specific metagenomic approaches, Biome Makers utilizes a patented index analysis incorporating ecological interactions, beyond species abundance, and patented computing, improving our robustness over time. As such, Biome Makers has built the largest taxonomic reference database in the world.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Biome Makers started with a dinner I had with winemakers in a city called Toro. My colleagues and I were conducting genetics and DNA sequencing in human diseases at the time. We started discussing the problems the winemakers faced in the industry. They discussed that they wanted to learn more about the different microbes involved in wine fermentation and that there was really basic knowledge about these interactions. This triggered the idea to focus on agriculture, and we started working with wineries and soil samples to profile the microbes involved in wine fermentation. We found that vineyards were a great starting point because the industry was open to innovation, which helped us develop the proof of concept. With that idea, we went to the Illumina accelerator program, and after three months, they invited us to join the accelerator in San Francisco. We later expanded to help solve agronomic problems in up to 170 different crops. We launched a product called Big Crop that provides a functional interpretation of the community of microbes in the soil. Our goal is to help farmers improve the way they manage their crops in terms of spraying strategy and inputs.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

As the Co-Founder & CEO of Biome Makers, my success as an entrepreneur can be attributed to several character traits, with three being most instrumental: staying curious, creating win-win opportunities and collaborating, and being brave. These traits have helped me to tackle challenges and overcome obstacles in my pursuit of improving the world.

Staying curious has enabled me to learn and seek new opportunities continuously. Growing up in an agricultural region of Spain inspired me to co-found Biome Makers with my childhood friend, Alberto Acedo. I recognized that farmers lacked the tools they needed to solve issues, and I saw an opportunity to bring change. This curiosity and desire to learn more is evident in my pursuit of knowledge, where I hold a Master of Science in Economics and a Master of Environmental Management. I always look for new ways to solve problems and make a difference.

One crucial factor that has contributed to my success as an entrepreneur is the ability to create meaningful and intentional partnerships. I recognized early on that I could not tackle the challenges in the agriculture industry alone and needed to collaborate with others who had complementary skills and knowledge. At Biome Makers, we have established partnerships with universities, industry stakeholders, crop advisors, and farmers to develop solutions that benefit all parties involved.

By collaborating with universities, we gain access to cutting-edge research and knowledge that can inform our work and ensure we develop innovative solutions. Working with industry stakeholders allows us to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and challenges facing the agriculture industry and tailor our solutions to meet their needs. Crop advisors and farmers play a critical role in providing feedback and testing our solutions in the field, ensuring they are effective and practical.

Creating these partnerships requires intentionality and a willingness to work collaboratively toward a shared goal of supporting sustainable agriculture and restoring soil health. It is not just about getting what we need from others, but rather creating mutual benefits and adding value to each other’s work. By doing so, we have been able to develop solutions that not only improve soil health and crop yields but also benefit our partners in the industry.

Being brave has enabled me to take risks and pursue my goals. When we had the chance to enter the Illumina accelerator in 2015, Alberto and I took the opportunity, which turned out to be a critical move in helping us bring new technologies to solve key problems in agriculture. Our success in engaging with excellent investors has been instrumental in developing BeCrop technology and growing Biome Makers into a successful company.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, Biome Makers is working on an exciting new project called BeCrop® Rate, which aims to establish a single metric to measure changes in soil biodiversity life that are affected by management practices. This new technology will provide a consistent metric to support certifications, revealing how far a farm has progressed on its way to soil recovery and sustainability. The BeCrop® Rate simplifies the complexity of soil nutrition, biodiversity, and pathogen testing into one specific number on a scale from 0–100. This rating system is easy to understand and recognize, indicating which management practices are being used in the field. The Rate measures the intensity of agricultural practices, with the soil microbiome serving as the indicator. Soil biodiversity and a healthy soil microbiome are critical for sustainable land, promoting high levels of microbial networks that carry out various functions to ensure soil health and healthy, nutrient-dense food. The BeCrop® Rate is a valuable tool for sustainable agriculture, providing a standardized metric that can be presented to consumers in stores, indicating the sustainability of the land in which the products are produced. With the use of a QR code, end consumers can see precisely where the food was grown and what management practices the land receives. This technology will facilitate the transition to a regenerative and sustainable agri-food system by enabling conventional producers to transition as they adopt management practices with less human intervention. This technology holds enormous potential for promoting sustainable farming practices that enhance the health of the soil microbiome, leading to a sustainable food chain and healthy ecosystem services for many generations to come.

Can you help articulate the weaknesses in our current food supply chain systems?

1. Decreased food security: Soil degradation can lead to lower crop yields and reduced food production, making it more difficult to meet the growing demand for food, especially in regions where soil health is already compromised.
2. Increased food costs: When soil health is poor, it can take more inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, to produce a crop, leading to higher costs for farmers and ultimately, higher food prices for consumers.
3. Environmental degradation: Soil degradation can contribute to environmental problems such as erosion, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, which can harm biodiversity and contribute to climate change.
4. Inadequate nutrient content: Soil degradation can lead to reduced nutrient content in crops, making it more difficult for people to get the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy diet.

Can you help define what a nationally secure and resilient food supply chain would look like?

A nationally secure and resilient food supply chain is able to meet the food needs of a country even in the face of challenges, such as natural disasters, pandemics, and economic instability. The key characteristics of a nationally secure and resilient food supply chain include:

1. Sufficient food production: The food supply chain is able to produce enough food to meet the needs of the country, even in times of crisis.
2. Accessibility and affordability: The food supply chain is able to distribute food to all parts of the country, and the food is affordable for consumers, especially in times of crisis.
3. Diverse and flexible: The food supply chain is able to produce a diverse range of crops and is flexible enough to quickly adapt to changing circumstances, such as pandemics or natural disasters.
4. Sustainable and regenerative: The food supply chain is sustainable and regenerative, promoting soil health, reducing dependence on inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, and promoting environmental sustainability.
5. Resilient to shocks: The food supply chain is able to withstand shocks, such as natural disasters, pandemics, and political instability, reducing the risk of food shortages and price spikes.
6. Transparent and accountable: The food supply chain is transparent and accountable, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about their food and ensuring that all stakeholders, such as farmers and food producers, are treated fairly.

Can you share with our readers a few of the things that your organization is doing to help create a more secure food supply chain?

1. Decoding soil biology: Biome Makers uses advanced genomics, microbial networks, and machine learning to provide insights into the specific functions being performed by the entire soil microbiome. This helps farmers optimize their farming practices and improve soil health.
2. Connecting soil biology to agricultural decision-making: Biome Makers uses its patented BeCrop® technology to connect soil biology to agricultural decision-making, helping farmers make informed choices about the best practices for improving soil health and increasing crop yields.
3. Revitalizing soil functionality: By providing farmers with the information they need to improve soil health, Biome Makers is helping to revitalize soil functionality and agricultural sustainability worldwide.
4. Improving nutrient content of crops: By improving soil health, Biome Makers is helping to increase the nutrient content of crops, making it easier for people to get the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy diet.

What are a few threats over the horizon that might disrupt our food supply chain that we should take action now to correct? Can you please explain?

1. Climate change: Climate change is causing more frequent and intense natural disasters, such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves, which can disrupt food production and distribution. To address this threat, we need to invest in more resilient food production systems that can withstand these challenges.
2. Soil degradation: Soil degradation can reduce crop yields and make it more difficult to meet the growing demand for food. To address this threat, we need to invest in soil health and build more sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.
3. Pests and diseases: Pests and diseases can quickly spread and cause widespread damage to crops, leading to food shortages and price spikes. To address this threat, we need to invest in more robust pest and disease management systems and build more resilient food supply chains that are less dependent on a few key crops.

Ok, thank you. Here is the main question of our interview. What are the “5 Things We Must Do To Create Nationally Secure And Resilient Food Supply Chains” and why?

1. Invest in soil health: Improving soil health is critical for increasing crop yields, reducing dependence on inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, and building more sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.
2. Build flexible and resilient food supply chains: Flexible and resilient food supply chains are better able to adapt to changing circumstances, such as pandemics, natural disasters, and political instability, reducing the risk of food shortages and price spikes.
3. Foster innovation in food production and distribution: By investing in new technologies, such as precision agriculture, we can increase the efficiency and sustainability of food production and distribution, reducing waste and improving the environmental footprint of food systems.
4. Increase consumer education and engagement: By educating consumers about the importance of soil health, crop diversity, and sustainable food production, we can increase demand for more sustainable food products, driving innovation and investment in this area.

Are there other ideas or considerations that should encourage us to reimagine our food supply chain?

1. Leveraging soil data: By using soil data to inform agronomic decision making, we can optimize farming practices, improve soil health, and increase crop yields. Biome Makers’ BeCrop® technology, for example, uses advanced genomics, microbial networks, and machine learning to provide insights into the specific functions being performed by the entire soil microbiome, helping farmers make informed decisions about the best practices for improving soil health.
2. Importance of soil health and biology education: By educating farmers and consumers about the importance of soil health and biology, we can increase demand for more sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, driving innovation and investment in this area.
3. Utilizing soil technology and ecological modeling: By using advanced soil technology and ecological modeling, we can better understand the interactions between soil biology, crop health, and environmental factors, such as water and nutrient availability. This information can then be used to make more informed decisions about the best practices for improving soil health and increasing crop yields.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I believe that collaboration is the key to creating positive change in the world, especially when it comes to the food system. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, such as universities, crop advisors, input companies, and farmer organizations, we can combine our expertise, resources, and passions to make a greater impact. As the CEO of Biome Makers, I have seen the power of collaboration firsthand. For example, through partnerships with universities, we have provided researchers with cutting-edge research and technology to improve our understanding of the soil microbiome. By working with input companies, we have been able to bring our solutions to a wider audience and understand the impact that input products have on soil health. And by collaborating with farmer organizations, we have been able to understand farmers’ needs and create solutions tailored to their specific needs. Collaboration is about achieving a common goal and creating a positive and lasting impact on the world.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

https://biomemakers.com/

This was very inspiring and informative. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this interview!