SGB, in preparation to sell jatropha hybrids, raised $11 million in venture funding

In California, SGB has raised $11 million in venture funding as the company prepares to sell renewable jatropha. Investors included Thomas McNerney & Partners, Finistere Ventures and Flint Hills Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries.

The company used genetic technology to determine which plants had the most promising traits, then bred them, said Miguel Motta, SGB’s president and chief operating officer. The process, which began about seven years ago, started with 12,000 different lines of plants, chosen to ensure genetic diversity. SGB then selected the best candidates and grew them to demonstrate their yield. Today, Motta added, the company’s has developed three to five well-suited jatropha hybrids for each Southeast Asia, India, and Central America.

 
To read more about SBG’s competitive edge and technologies, check out the Digest’s 5-minute guide, published earlier this year.