UK start - up Tropic Biosciences has raised $ 10 million in an oversubscribed series A funding round led by Pontifax AgTech and Five Seasons Ventures . In addition , Five Seasons ' Peter Belldegrun and Niccolo Manzoni joined the company 's board . Tropic is developing disease - resistant bananas and coffee with little or no caffeine levels using gene - therapy technology , including CRISPR . The company aims to grow young plants and licence its proprietary genetics to other growers . The global combined market for banana and coffee is valued at $ 50bn .
UK start-up Tropic Biosciences has raised $10m in an oversubscribed series A funding round led by Pontifax AgTech and Five Seasons Ventures. In addition, Five Seasons' Ben Belldegrun and Niccolo Manzoni join the company's board. Tropic is developing disease-resistant bananas and coffee with little or no caffeine levels using gene-editing technology, including CRISPR. The company aims to sell young plants and licence its proprietary genetics to other growers. The global combined market for bananas and coffee is valued at $50bn.