Vilmorin & Cie Sells Genective’s IP to The Traits Company

Vilmorin & Cie, the fourth-largest seed company in the world, has announced the sale of the intellectual property developed by its subsidiary Genective to The Traits Company. This strategic move reflects Vilmorin & Cie's focus on innovation and its commitment to realigning resources toward emerging technologies.

Genective, established in 2013, was dedicated to the development of genetically modified traits. Since January 2025, the subsidiary has been wholly owned by Vilmorin & Cie. The sale of Genective’s intellectual property to The Traits Company, a technology partner of GDM, underscores Vilmorin & Cie's strategic decision to allocate resources toward technologies with strong long-term growth potential, such as genome editing and AI-enabled breeding tools.

According to Vilmorin & Cie, this transaction is part of the company's broader strategy to enhance its innovation capabilities. The Group believes that by selling Genective's intellectual property and reallocating resources, it can continue to create value through innovation while maintaining a focused and efficient investment strategy. Over the past years, Genective's teams have developed valuable scientific expertise and a portfolio of innovative traits addressing important insect-resistance challenges in corn and soybean production.

Vilmorin & Cie, a historical expert in plant breeding, has around 6,000 varieties in its portfolio and markets several hundred new varieties each year. The company aims to contribute to meeting global food requirements in a context of accelerating climatic, environmental, and demographic challenges. Vilmorin & Cie relies on research and development for its ongoing growth and the controlled internationalization of its business activities to durably strengthen its competitive positions in the long term.

This transaction reinforces Vilmorin & Cie's strategic focus on its next-generation innovation platforms, reflecting its commitment to innovation and sustainable growth in the agricultural sector. The sale of Genective’s intellectual property to The Traits Company is consistent with Vilmorin & Cie's approach to innovation investments. Through the sale and the reallocation of resources toward technologies with strong long-term growth potential, the Group reinforces its ability to create value through innovation while maintaining a focused and efficient investment strategy.

Over the past years, Genective's teams have developed valuable scientific expertise and a portfolio of innovative traits addressing important insect-resistance challenges in corn and soybean production. The sale of Genective’s intellectual property to The Traits Company and the reallocation of resources toward technologies with strong long-term growth potential reflect Vilmorin & Cie's strategic vision and its commitment to innovation in the agricultural sector.