$1.35 B Soy Superstar to Chapter 11—Benson Hill’s Crop Crash in One Season
Vitals:
- What it sold: high-protein soy and pea seeds made with AI genetics.
- Peak value: $1.35 billion (2021 SPAC).
- March 2025: filed Chapter 11; selling assets to Confluence Genetics for about $120 M.
What Went Right
- ESG investors loved “better crops, less land.
- $625 M SPAC + BlackRock PIPE
- Signed pilot deals with Cargill and Tyson.
Where the Blood Flow Stopped
- Factory overrun: new soy-crushing plant cost double the plan.
- Falling soy price: profit premium vanished.
- High burn: lost ~$10 M each month.
Prescription
- Build one smaller plant, prove profit, then expand.
- Hedge against crop-price swings.
- Fund long science with short, paid services (e.g., gene testing for other firms).
Take-away
“Grow one greenhouse first; prove it pays for itself before planting a farm.”
Nominate the next unicorn for Sunday’s slab 👇
Disclaimer: discovery-stage analysis compiled from public sources; figures may update and errors are mine alone.