A made-in-Ontario startup is helping Canadian farmers, seed companies, and agribusinesses gain access to cutting-edge genomics technologies once only reserved for the biggest global players. Turnkey Genomics, founded in 2023 by Chris Grainger, is building on the groundwork of his first agri-tech venture to deliver faster, more affordable DNA testing tools for plant breeding, crop protection, and farm-level monitoring.
The company has already attracted the backing of seasoned agri-tech investors like London's RHA Ventures, who took an early interest in Grainger's business, as well as support from the Grand River Agricultural Society's impact investing program.
"RHA has been very influential in the next iteration of Turnkey and our ability to leverage networks that are truly national," says Grainger, who previously spent more than two decades working in various roles at the University of Guelph developing and applying genomic technologies.
Although DNA tools have long been used in major crops like corn and soybeans, Grainger sees opportunities across Ontario's diverse mix of field, orchard, vineyard and greenhouse crops. That diversity, he says, is what makes Ontario a hotbed for applying genomics to agriculture.
Read more at Farmtario
