BioLumic appoints industry veteran to lead global rollout of light-activated seed trait technology

BioLumic, a US-New Zealand agtech firm developing non-GMO seed trait technologies, has appointed industry veteran Greg Levow as Chief Operating Officer to lead the commercial scaling of its proprietary xTraits platform. The company is positioning its light-activated seed enhancement method as a sustainable alternative to genetic modification and chemical treatments in major crop and forage markets.

The hire comes as BioLumic transitions from research and development into full-scale commercial deployment. The company’s xTraits technology, which uses precision light signals to activate desirable traits in seeds, is already in use by several seed companies and is undergoing further rollout across North and South America, Europe, and New Zealand.

Levow, who brings over two decades of leadership experience in agricultural technology and analytics, is tasked with overseeing operations, delivery infrastructure, and partner engagement as BioLumic scales its trait activation offering across corn, soybean, rice, and pasture grasses. His previous roles include co-founder and president of Agronomic Technology Corp, global digital agronomy lead at Yara, and COO of Verblio.

“As we shift from R&D to large-scale commercialization, having Greg on board is a defining step for BioLumic,” said Steve Sibulkin, CEO of BioLumic. “He builds efficient systems and drives execution across technical and commercial teams.”

The company’s technology offers seed developers and producers a non-invasive method to improve plant traits such as yield, nitrogen-use efficiency, vigor, and forage quality. A one-time, pre-plant light treatment modifies gene expression in parent seeds without altering DNA, and the resulting benefits carry over to the next generation. BioLumic emphasizes that the platform avoids both chemical inputs and genetic modification—an approach increasingly attractive to seed companies and farmers navigating regulatory constraints and shifting consumer preferences.

The expansion of xTraits into forage crops for dairy systems has brought BioLumic into partnership with Fonterra and AgriZero. With Fonterra, the company is developing light-activated traits that improve dry matter yield and metabolizable energy in pasture, enhancing milk solids production. Its earlier work with AgriZero targets increased lipid content in forage grasses to reduce enteric methane emissions—an area under rising scrutiny as global dairy firms face pressure to meet climate commitments.

The timing of BioLumic’s commercial push reflects broader market dynamics. Seed producers are under pressure to deliver productivity gains without expanding land use or increasing synthetic input reliance. Meanwhile, rising fertilizer costs and climate-linked volatility have spurred interest in alternative agronomic solutions that can boost efficiency at scale.

By launching in core row crops and high-volume forage systems, BioLumic aims to demonstrate that its light-activated seed treatment is viable not only as a sustainability tool but also as a performance enhancement with near-term commercial returns.

Levow said BioLumic’s combination of agronomic value and sustainability alignment sets the company apart: “It’s rare to find a technology that can truly deliver win-win outcomes. We already have partners using xTraits to improve field performance, and I’m excited to scale that value globally.”