Krokos Bio Awarded $305k NSF SBIR Phase I Grant to Advance Domestic Saffron Production
Davis, California ⼁ August 19, 2025 — Krokos Bio Inc., a biotechnology startup creating new methods for high-value botanical ingredient production, announced today it has been awarded a $305,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). This non-dilutive funding will support the development of novel manufacturing techniques to produce saffron domestically through plant cell culture, addressing supply chain instability and the high costs of traditional saffron cultivation.
As the world’s most expensive spice, saffron continues to face severe supply constraints due to fragile farming conditions and limited growing regions. Krokos Bio’s production platform will establish a domestic source of saffron with reliable supply, consistent quality, and stable pricing; unlocking opportunities across food, wellness, and cosmetics markets.
“This award from the National Science Foundation marks a major step forward for Krokos Bio,” said Jacob Lang, Founder & CEO of Krokos Bio. “By starting with saffron, we’re laying the foundation for a new platform that will be capable of producing many of the world’s most valuable, at-risk botanicals. This technology has the potential to secure global supply chains and redefine how rare ingredients reach the market.”
The estimated duration for work performed under the grant is 18 months.
About Krokos Bio
Krokos Bio Inc. is an agricultural biotechnology company developing plant cell culture systems for high-value botanical ingredient production. The company’s mission is to create reliable, cost-effective, and domestically sourced alternatives to rare plant-derived ingredients, starting with saffron.
About America’s Seed Fund
America’s Seed Fund powered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million in non-dilutive funds to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. For more information, visit seedfund.nsf.gov.
NSF Funding Acknowledgment
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. 2528085. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Media Contact
Jacob Lang
Founder & CEO
jacob@krokosbio.com
