Microbial nitrogen provider Pivot Bio, Berkeley, Calif., on Feb. 2 announced the opening of its new $14 million, 36,000-square-foot Customer Success Center in the Iowa State University Research Park. The company said the facility underscores its commitment to developing microbial nitrogen solutions that allow farmers to reduce their reliance on synthetic fertilizers.
The facility will serve as Pivot Bio’s commercial hub for its microbial nitrogen products, as well as an education and collaboration nexus for farmers, researchers, and industry experts.
The building also includes approximately 15,000 square feet of open high bay that will support work on agronomy equipment. This will include hands-on training and calibration for seed treatment equipment that supports the continued scaling of the company’s PROVEN® 40 on-seed product. Launched last year, the on-seed product now makes up most of Pivot Bio’s sales and allows corn farmers to plant seeds with up to 25% of the nitrogen fertilizer needs already in place.
Pivot Bio said it collaborated on an independent research study with ISU and the Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council in 2022 that demonstrated how PROVEN® 40 microbial nitrogen can increase biomass in corn plants, contributing to healthier, more productive crops while reducing nitrous oxide emissions and synthetic nitrogen losses due to leaching.