PowerPollen has successfully developed a groundbreaking technique to store pollen, a significant achievement after years of research. Founded in 2015, the company aims to enhance agricultural production by offering reliable pollination methods, addressing a longstanding issue in crop management.
Jason Cope, the founder and chief intellectual property officer, shared that the idea faced skepticism initially, with critics pointing to over a century’s worth of research claiming pollen storage is not feasible. “People much smarter than you have tried and failed,” Cope recalled hearing. However, he believed advancements in technology could lead to success in this area. He stated, “If you can solve a problem nobody else is working on because they’ve given up, don’t you have just the white space that you’ve always dreamed of?”
PowerPollen’s first notable achievement involved preserving pollen, which typically has a brief lifespan of about 45 minutes, for several days. This breakthrough allowed the company to intervene during a drought, restoring yield in a compromised field, which demonstrated the potential of their technology. “Milestones like those… basically say, ‘Yeah, this is what this technology can do once it’s broadly implemented,’” Cope noted.
Carl Cox, CEO of PowerPollen, reported that the company still has pollen preserved from Iowa collected nine years prior. He explained, “We then take some of that pollen out and we pollinate plants to ensure that it’s still viable,” highlighting their advancement in pollen preservation.
Cope emphasized the unpredictability of plant reproduction and how critical pollination is to overall yield. “There’s a lot of things that can go wrong with pollination,” he said. PowerPollen aims to manage this aspect of agriculture through its pollen preservation and collection systems, allowing for strategic application to improve crop yield.
Jeff Taylor, a fifth-generation farmer and board member for PowerPollen, stressed the importance of timing in pollination. He noted that environmental factors often hinder successful fertilization, which can lead to lower yields. “Being able to harvest that pollen and apply it directly to the silks improves the fertility, and you end up with more kernels on that cob,” he stated, labeling the technology as “earth-shattering.”
The company has evolved from manual pollen collection to utilizing high-tech vehicles that can cover substantial acreage efficiently. “We can go out and collect literally hundreds of pounds of pollen,” Cope explained. “We hold it in storage… and then go reapply it… to maximize yield.”
As PowerPollen transitions from research to commercial application, Cope highlighted its role as an intellectual property company, holding patents globally. The business model involves licensing its technology, allowing partners to share in the resulting value from increased yields. “We will share the upside because when you win, we win,” he affirmed.
PowerPollen continues to secure partnerships, having acquired equipment from Percival Scientific to enhance its pollen storage capabilities. Jake Oakland, the company president, praised PowerPollen’s innovative approach and resilience in overcoming challenges in the field.
As PowerPollen progresses, it aims not only to refine its technology but also to expand its commercial reach, showcasing the possibilities of advanced agricultural practices.
