Ascribe Bio, a New York-based agricultural technology company focused on natural crop protection, has closed a $12 million Series A financing round, co-led by Corteva, through its Corteva Catalyst platform, and Acre Venture Partners. The financing also included participation from new and existing investors including Syngenta Group Ventures, Trailhead Capital, Silver Blue, Cultivation Capital and the Yield Lab. This funding round advances Ascribe’s small-molecule technology platform and supports the upcoming commercial launch of Phytalix, a biofungicide. A biofungicide uses beneficial microorganisms to suppress plant diseases. Phytalix is designed to provide the health and sustainability benefits of biologicals with the ease of use and affordability of traditional chemical crop protection products. With this financing, Ascribe will increase manufacturing and support early commercialization activities, ahead of Phytalix’s first regulatory approval expected later this year in Brazil, with the U.S. and other markets to follow.