Solynta Wins EUR20 Million EIB Support to Scale Up True Potato Seed Technology

Dutch biotech firm Solynta has received a €20 million venture debt facility from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to accelerate the development of climate-resilient and disease-resistant potato varieties. The financing is supported under the European Commission’s InvestEU programme and marks a significant step forward in the transition from traditional seed tubers to true potato seeds in global potato cultivation.

Solynta is pioneering the use of true potato seeds—small, lightweight, and non-perishable—as a more efficient and secure alternative to conventional tubers. The approach promises a substantial boost to global food security by enabling easier transport, longer storage, and reduced risk of disease transmission between growing seasons.

“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,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti. “The Solynta operation is a win-win in that sense. 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’s hybrid breeding platform, which does not rely on genetically modified organisms, enables rapid development of new varieties with tailored traits such as strong resistance to late blight—one of the most damaging fungal diseases affecting potatoes globally. The resulting varieties also require significantly fewer crop protection inputs, supporting more sustainable and cost-effective potato production.

“With this significant contribution from the EIB, we are well positioned to meet growing demand for new, robust potato varieties,” said 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.”

The investment aligns with the EU’s broader goals under the European Green Deal and its Vision on Agriculture and Food, which prioritise sustainability, resilience, and innovation in the farming sector.

“Food security is a key element of the new Vision on Agriculture and Food of the European Commission,” added Klasja van de Ridder, Head of the Representation of the European Commission in the Netherlands. “The loss of yield due to climate change is a threat to the EU and the rest of the world. Development of more resilient potato seeds will strengthen global food security. The Commission supports this initiative under InvestEU, as it contributes to the EU’s priority for long-term competitiveness and sustainability of the farming sector and welcomes the cooperation with Solynta and the EIB.”

The EIB has made over €27 billion in financing available for Dutch projects over the last decade, including key investments in R&D, clean water, sustainable mobility, and healthcare. The partnership with Solynta further demonstrates its commitment to agricultural innovation as a pillar of both economic and environmental resilience.