Release time: November 8, 2024 | Information source: Yuan News
Recently, Shenbi Biology, located in the Silicon Valley of Hefei University of Science and Technology in Anhui Province, has just completed the delivery of a tens of millions of angel+ rounds of financing, exclusively added by Meihua Venture Capital. The smooth progress of this financing further demonstrates the market and capital institutions' high recognition of Shenbi Bio's innovation and development potential.
Shenbi Bio is an agricultural technology developer. In the agricultural field, Shenbi Bio is engaged in cutting-edge scientific research and experimental development, and is committed to research on improving crop quality, increasing yield, improving stress resistance and adaptability. Provide solutions for agricultural production through gene editing, genetic improvement and other technical means.
Plant commercial lighting reproduces the movie "Avatar"
Have you ever imagined that the plants that glow at night in the movie "Avatar" appear in real life? In the Silicon Valley of Hefei University of Science and Technology in Anhui Province, plants that glow like fireflies have become a reality.
In August this year, the R&D team of Hefei Shenbi Biotechnology Co., Ltd. located in the Silicon Valley of USTC successfully broke through the foreign technology monopoly. Through gene editing technology and other means, it introduced the luminescent genes of fireflies, luminous mushrooms and other organisms into plant cells, and continuously iterated to create the first gene-edited high-brightness self-luminous plant in the country at night.
"We have successfully achieved high-throughput expression of foreign genes in plant cells and broken down the barriers to gene expression," said Li Renhan, founder and general manager of the company.
The scientific research team also optimized the enzymes in the reaction process to improve the efficiency of the enzymes, superimposed multiple genes at the same time, and changed some of the limiting genes of the plants themselves, finally allowing the plants to reach a high-brightness state visible to the naked eye. Compared with similar international products, Shenbi Bio's luminous plants have obvious advantages in brightness.
Our plants do not require long-term camera exposure, and the luminous effect can be quickly seen with the naked eye in a dark environment, making commercial lighting possible. "Li Renhan said.
At present, Shenbi Biology has successfully achieved high-brightness self-luminescence on a variety of plants, including sunflowers, and is expanding the luminescence technology of other flower species, which will be applied in many fields such as landscaping in the future.
"We are transforming roses, roses, lilies and other flowers. We hope to see a variety of luminous plants appear on the market in the future." Li Renhan said: This technology has broad application prospects and may change the nighttime landscape of future cities. "
Luminous plants can be used in home decoration, children's night lights, and even park greening and municipal road greening. "The wonderful scenery in the movie "Avatar" will soon be used in Hefei and some scenic spots."
“USTS Silicon Valley is our first love for starting a business.” Li Renhan, 28, is a Ph.D. student at China Agricultural University. He is engaged in plant gene editing and mainly studies the gene modification of plants. He just graduated with his Ph.D. last year.
On the eve of graduation, he wrote a letter to Hefei High-tech Zone with the hope of starting a business, thus beginning his fate with Hefei and the Silicon Valley of HKUST.
"I wrote in the letter that I wanted to return to my hometown to start a business with my friends and create a company about plant gene editing." Li Renhan said.
He was still a student at the time, but he didn't expect to hear back soon. After communication, he quickly settled in the Silicon Valley of HKUST.
"With the help of the staff of the Silicon Valley Platform of HKUST, it only takes about one month from a letter to the completion of registration of a company," Li Renhan said. The reason why we chose to settle in the Silicon Valley area of HKUST is mainly because the area provides rich technical resources, strong policy support, excellent innovation ecology, extensive talent gathering and geographical market proximity.
"HKUST Silicon Valley has top universities and research institutions, providing R&D support and talent supply. At the same time, we also enjoy multiple policy benefits. In addition, the innovative atmosphere and technology-driven development strategy of HKUST Silicon Valley provide us with a good growth and cooperation environment, which is conducive to the technological innovation and market expansion of enterprises." After arriving in Hefei for the year, Li Renhan truly felt that Hefei is an innovative city.
"We have now established a base of more than 6,000 square meters in Luyang District, Hefei City, with a monthly production capacity of 500,000 plants. The current varieties include petunias, sunflowers, etc." Li Renhan told Yuan News: "In about one to two months, everyone will be able to see the launch of our luminous plants."
January 13, 2026
January 13, 2026
January 13, 2026