Alexandria R.E. Equities Launch New Agtech Initiatives in North Carolina

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC— Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. reports today that it has launched agricultural technology (agtech) initiatives geared to providing much-needed infrastructure and capital to this rapidly growing industry.

The Pasadena, CA-based life sciences and technology real estate firm, states that in conjunction with the agtech initiatives launch is the opening of the Alexandria Center® for AgTech – Research Triangle, which it touts as the country’s first and only integrated multi-tenant, amenity-rich agricultural technology R&D and greenhouse campus. The agetch campus opens with a fully leased first phase, a 175,000-rentable-square-foot redevelopment at 5 Laboratory Drive in the Research Triangle. The company has also initiated development of the campus’ second phase, a 160,000-rentable-square-foot property at 9 Laboratory Drive. Construction and pre-leasing of the development project are underway with expected delivery in 2020.

“Our mission is to create ecosystems and clusters that foster transformational discoveries to advance human health by fighting disease and improving nutrition,” says Joel S. Marcus, executive chairman and founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Alexandria Venture Investments. “We have spent the past 25 years creating and growing unique life science clusters that support trailblazing companies in the crucial fight to treat and cure disease. Now is the time to be at the vanguard of coalescing and growing this agtech cluster.”

He adds that Alexandria experienced a dramatic surge in capital invested in the agtech industry last year, with global venture capital funding up more than 40% to nearly $17 billion. Advances in precision farming, crop protection, gene editing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and the microbiome aim to revolutionize our food system from farm to table, Marcus notes.

“We are deeply focused on providing mission-critical infrastructure, strategic venture capital and impactful thought leadership to facilitate the breakthrough innovations that are vital to improving nutrition; ensuring a sustainable, accessible, cost-effective global food supply; and ultimately advancing human health,” Marcus says.

The Alexandria Center for AgTech is home to a broad ecosystem of high-quality entities, ranging from global to emerging agricultural companies, including Arysta LifeScience Inc., Boragen, Inc., Elo Life Systems, Inc., GreenLight Biosciences, Inc., Indigo Ag, Inc. and Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC.

The high-tech R&D and greenhouse campus has been designed to be highly collaborative and includes such amenities as state-of-the-art conference and event space and a fully equipped fitness center, and plans for a healthy all-day café and specialty coffee bar. The 5 Laboratory Drive building features highly adaptable and unique spaces, including a multifunctional lobby designed to serve as a place for informal sessions and meetings, as well as community and industry events.

In connection with this initiative, Alexandria has reportedly absorbed venture development firm AgTech Accelerator and its CEO John Dombrosky. Since its launch in 2016, AgTech Accelerator deployed $20 million in five portfolio companies, according to a published report in Ag Funder News.

“The global food system must address environmental, population, urbanization and human nutrition challenges through the assimilation and imaginative application of multidisciplinary technologies,” says Dombrosky, who is now SVP– AgTech at Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Alexandria Venture Investments. “We are introducing two new proprietary platforms, Alexandria LaunchLabs® – AgTech and its complementary agtech-focused Alexandria Seed Capital platform, to provide highly flexible turnkey laboratory, office and greenhouse space, supercharged entrepreneurial support, strategic programming and access to risk capital aimed at fostering the next generation of leading agtech companies to enable better nutrition and human health.”

 Alexandria LaunchLabs – AgTech, located at the Alexandra Center for AgTech at Research Triangle Park, is a full-service startup platform designed to dramatically accelerate the growth of early-stage agtech companies. It provides its member companies with move-in-ready office/laboratory and greenhouse space. Additional membership offerings include first-class support resources, shared equipment and plant growth chambers, strategic programming and mentoring, a highly experienced on-site operations team and access to seed capital through the Alexandria Seed Capital Platform – AgTech, a unique funding model that will catalyze investments in seed-stage companies. Alexandria LaunchLabs – AgTech is currently accepting applications for members. For more information or to apply, please visit www.alexandrialaunchlabs.com.

Last month, Alexandria Real Estate Equities launched a new product geared to providing post-seed-stage life science companies with turnkey, fully furnished office/laboratory suites.

The first “Alexandria GradLabs” property will be located in San Diego at 9880 Campus Point Drive. The 98,000-square-foot project is scheduled to be delivered by 2020 and will be built at the Pasadena, CA-based firm’s flagship San Diego property—Campus Pointe by Alexandria.