Benson Hill Biosystems
Durham, US · Founded 2012 · Delaware corporation · 16 known investors
Find your way into Benson Hill Biosystems
Sign up to see every warm intro you have to Benson Hill Biosystems
- Paths you didn't know you had: your email and LinkedIn already hold routes to the Benson Hill Biosystems team. We find them for you
- 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections: the friend-of-a-friend routes that take hours to manually find through your inbox or LinkedIn
- Answers now, not in days: momentum is everything in a raise. Skip asking around whether someone knows someone
Days of research, done the moment you sign in, with every route ranked by how warm it is.
Confluence Genetics (operating at bensonhillbio.com) is a seed innovation company that develops soybean genetics using AI-driven plant science and proprietary tools such as eMERGE Genetics and CropOS. Its VIA product platforms include ProVIA high-protein soybeans for animal feed, FortaVIA high-oleic soybeans for dairy nutrition and food oils, and NutraVIA food-grade soybeans for specialty domestic and export markets.
Founders & leadership
Benson Hill Biosystems was founded in 2012 by Matthew B Crisp.

Board
Investors · 16
How we know: funding news · seedworld.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · seedworld.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · seedworld.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · seedworld.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · seedworld.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · seedworld.com · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · prnewswire.com · Not right? Tell us
Also in the syndicate · 2
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$289.9M disclosed across 6 rounds · 2014–2020
▶$159.1MraisedDec 2020 · 21 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Rebecca A BortolottiExecutive Officer
- Andy WheelerDirector
- DeAnn L BruntsDirector
- Matthew B CrispExecutive Officer, Director
- Natalie DiNicolaExecutive Officer
- Chris C WilkinsExecutive Officer
- Michael B WainscottExecutive Officer
- Mark G CuptaDirector
- Stephan DolezalekDirector
- Adrienne D ElsnerDirector
- Michelle J GloecklerDirector
- Daniel JacobiDirector
- Sanjeev KrishnanDirector
- Offering amount
- $159.1M
- Amount sold
- $159.1M
- Sales commissions
- $6.1M
- Placement agents
- Wedbush Securities Inc., William Blair & Company L.L.C., Lazard Freres & Co. LLC
- First sale
- Jul 2020
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$32.6MraisedAug 2019 · 17 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Mark G CuptaDirector
- Daniel M WatkinsDirector
- Daniel JacobiDirector
- Michael WainscottExecutive Officer
- Matthew B CrispExecutive Officer, Director
- Nadine CarozziExecutive Officer
- Andy WheelerDirector
- Adrienne D ElsnerDirector
- Michelle J GloecklerDirector
- Sanjeev KrishnanDirector
- Offering amount
- $32.6M
- Amount sold
- $32.6M
- First sale
- May 2019
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$65MraisedNov 2018 · 23 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Dan JacobiDirector
- Matthew B CrispExecutive Officer, Director
- Michael WainscottExecutive Officer
- Andy WheelerDirector
- Mark G CuptaDirector
- Dan WatkinsDirector
- Nadine CarozziExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $65M
- Amount sold
- $65M
- First sale
- Aug 2018
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$25.1MraisedMay 2017 · 16 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Dan WatkinsDirector
- Nadine CarozziExecutive Officer
- Mark CuptaDirector
- David RussellDirector
- Scott R HornerDirector
- Matthew B CrispExecutive Officer, Director
- Lee N PallesExecutive Officer
- Thomas B KlevornDirector
- Dan JacobiDirector
- Offering amount
- $25.1M
- Amount sold
- $25.1M
- Minimum investment
- $50K
- First sale
- Mar 2017
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2012
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$7.3MraisedAug 2015 · 10 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Daniel J BroderickDirector
- Bruce A JamersonDirector
- Lee PallesExecutive Officer
- Matthew B CrispExecutive Officer, Director
- Nadine CarozziExecutive Officer
- Todd C MocklerExecutive Officer
- Thomas BrutnellExecutive Officer
- Walter P SiggelkoDirector
- Gregg BogosianDirector
- Offering amount
- $8.5M
- Amount sold
- $7.3M
- Minimum investment
- $50K
- First sale
- Aug 2015
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2012
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$800KraisedSep 2014 · 4 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(c)
- Gregg BogosianDirector
- Bruce A JamersonDirector
- Matthew B CrispExecutive Officer, Director
- Todd C MocklerExecutive Officer
- Walter P SiggelkoDirector
- Lee PallesExecutive Officer
- Nadine CarozziExecutive Officer
- Thomas BrutnellExecutive Officer
- Daniel J BroderickDirector
- Offering amount
- $1M
- Amount sold
- $800K
- Minimum investment
- $40K
- First sale
- Apr 2014
- Incorporated
- Corporation, North Carolina, 2012
- Federal exemptions
- 06c
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Non-dilutive funding · 5 SBIR/STTR awards
Federal grants — no equity taken| Agency | Phase | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Phase I | 2018 | $99.9K |
| Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Phase I | 2018 | $99.8K |
| National Science Foundation | Phase ISTTR | 2014 | $224.2K |
| Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Phase I | 2014 | $99K |
| National Science Foundation | Phase ISTTR | 2013 | $223.5K |
Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.
In the news
Frequently asked questions
- What does Benson Hill Biosystems do?
- Confluence Genetics (operating at bensonhillbio.com) is a seed innovation company that develops soybean genetics using AI-driven plant science and proprietary tools such as eMERGE Genetics and CropOS. Its VIA product platforms include ProVIA high-protein soybeans for animal feed, FortaVIA high-oleic soybeans for dairy nutrition and food oils, and NutraVIA food-grade soybeans for specialty domestic and export markets.
- Who founded Benson Hill Biosystems?
- Benson Hill Biosystems was founded by Matthew B Crisp in 2012.
- Who are Benson Hill Biosystems's investors?
- Benson Hill Biosystems's investors include Activant Capital, Alexandria, BioGenerator Ventures, Cultivation Capital, Fall Line Capital, GV (Google Ventures), iSelect Fund, Lewis & Clark Ventures and 6 more.
- How much funding has Benson Hill Biosystems raised?
- Benson Hill Biosystems has disclosed $289.9M raised across 6 rounds.
- Where is Benson Hill Biosystems headquartered?
- Benson Hill Biosystems is headquartered in Durham, US.







