- Pivot Bio, which sells an alternative to synthetic nitrogen fertilizers
- Pivot Bio will lay off 62 people, according to a WARN notice
- The number of layoffs may increase or decrease in coming weeks
Pivot Bio, which sells an alternative to synthetic nitrogen fertilizers for farms, said the move to St. Louis is one of consolidation.
Berkeley-grown agricultural technology company Pivot Bio, which began as a small startup in 2011 and has become a multi-state giant employing 95 people at its campus near Berkeley Bowl West, is leaving the city and permanently relocating its research operations to St. Louis, where the company has a large manufacturing plant.
Pivot Bio will lay off 62 people, according to a WARN notice filed with the state on May 28. It’s the biggest mass layoff reported in the city this year
The number of layoffs may increase or decrease in coming weeks, as some employees who were offered continued employment if they relocate are still weighing their decision, company officials stated.
About Pivot Bio¹
Founded by two UCSF Ph.D. students, both UC Berkeley alumni, Pivot Bio has pioneered genetically modified bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into soil-based nitrogen compounds that are accessible to plants.
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The company claims its technology will help farmers reduce their dependence on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, a $200 billion industry that is responsible for 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Also, company released its first commercial product in 2019, targeting corn, and by 2023 had surpassed $100 million in revenue, company officials stated.
Berkeley is the only site that will close in coming months, company officials stated, adding that the Hayward facility had once been used as a greenhouse but is no longer used by the company.
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