Dutch Biotech Solynta Lands €20M EIB Boost For Sustainable Potato Breeding

Solynta specialises in hybrid potato breeding. The funds will help the company develop climate-resilient and disease-resistant potato varieties and advance research into using true potato seeds instead of tubers for cultivation.

“Climate action and adaptation are at the heart of our financing, as is the successful scaling up of innovative European companies so that they grow and thrive. The Solynta operation is a win-win in that sense,” says EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti. “Potatoes are a food staple around the world, making sure that they can grow in increasingly difficult climates and with higher chances of a good yield is extremely important.”

Solynta, led by Peter Poortinga, is a Dutch seed company focused on developing true potato seeds to improve food security and sustainability.

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Their non-GMO breeding method allows for quick adaptation to challenges like disease resistance (e.g., late blight) and climate change. Unlike bulky tubers, true potato seeds are lightweight, don’t spoil easily, and store well—helping ensure better harvests globally.

Solynta’s innovation supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals by reducing hunger, poverty and environmental impact through fewer chemical inputs and more resilient crops.

“With this significant contribution from the EIB, we are well-positioned to meet growing demand for new, robust potato varieties,” says Solynta Chief Executive Officer Peter Poortinga. Potato growers around the world need access to disease-free starting material with strong resistance against diseases like late blight. With our new potato varieties, propagated via true seeds instead of the traditional tubers, we bring new varieties to the market that require fewer chemicals for crop protection and help improve global food security, particularly for local communities.”

About Solynta

Founded in 2007, Solynta is revolutionising sustainable agriculture with hybrid potato breeding. Just 25g of its true potato seeds can plant 1 hectare—replacing 2,500kg of tubers. Focused on global food security, Solynta partners worldwide to deliver stronger, cost-effective crops and a resilient future through innovative seed technology.