Avalo
Mariano is leading Avalo’s scientific and technical team to accelerate breeding and plant improvement. Passionate about computation for biology, sustainability, good food, and wild places. His biology interests include gene-environment interactions, the evolution and architecture of complex traits, phenotypic plasticity, and "weird" selection. His machine learning interests include representation learning, variable selection in high dimensional space, and the modeling of complex and hierarchical systems. That all translates to better, more resilient crops!
Avalo uses AI-empowered discovery methods for identifying the traits in crops that are more resilient, sustainable and profitable – more efficiently than ever.
When Mariano Alvarez and his team at Avalo look at the future of agriculture, they see farmers growing crops resilient to climate extremes that don't deplete natural resources. Avalo, a plant biology company, is accelerating the development of climate-resilient crops by harnessing the power of machine learning and natural genetic diversity.
"We had this moment where a farmer told us how a lake they depended on for irrigation had dried up," Mariano recalls. "He said, 'If we can grow our crops without depleting these resources, that’s a win for us...That’s what keeps us going—the possibility of giving farmers tools to protect their communities and future generations."
Avalo’s approach is both innovative and rooted in nature. By using machine learning, the company rapidly identifies and harnesses natural traits that promote climate resilience, improved yields, and even better flavors in crops. Mariano emphasizes that their work doesn’t involve genetic modification; instead, Avalo builds on traditional breeding practices with modern data-driven techniques.
"We’re essentially using computers to speed up what nature has already given us," he explains. "For instance, cotton in the wild can survive on rainwater alone and still produce high-quality fiber. We’re working to reintroduce those traits into modern farming systems to reduce reliance on irrigation and synthetic fertilizers."
Avalo’s mission is twofold: to support farmers and to meet the needs of agricultural product users. Farmers face razor-thin profit margins, increasing climate variability, and rising input costs. Avalo helps them grow more resilient crops that require fewer resources, increasing both profitability and sustainability.
At the same time, multinational companies, as major users of agricultural products, are pushing for lower carbon footprints in their supply chains. Avalo collaborates with both groups to identify ways to reduce emissions, such as minimizing the use of diesel-powered irrigation and synthetic fertilizers.
"In Texas, for example, many cotton farms rely on diesel-powered pumps for irrigation," Mariano notes. "By developing varieties that can thrive without additional water input, we not only reduce carbon emissions but also save farmers money."
Design is a core part of Avalo’s process, though it’s influenced more by natural systems than conventional product design. Mariano describes how Avalo once struggled to efficiently crossbreed plants until they decided to let bees handle the task. "Replicating what happens in nature saved us half a million dollars a year in labor costs and improved our outcomes," he says.
However, balancing competing demands in agriculture remains a challenge. Avalo’s team carefully considers the needs of farmers, consumers, and ecosystems in every decision. “We want to make sure our products reduce carbon footprints, withstand extreme weather, and still deliver the high-quality food and fiber people expect,” Mariano emphasizes.
For Avalo, success means creating a new agricultural paradigm where small family farms thrive, nutritious and sustainable crops dominate markets, and consumers develop a deeper appreciation for the connection between nature and their food.
“I hope the next generation of agriculture preserves the values we cherish today,” Mariano reflects. “With innovation no longer the bottleneck, we’re focused on driving demand for these solutions—making sustainability the inevitable next step in agriculture.”
By integrating technology, nature, and design, Avalo is building a future where agriculture is both productive and regenerative—one seed at a time.
For Investors: Reach out to Mariano to support this work https://www.avalo.ai/.
For Founders: To elevate your own brand or product design, reach out to shiftmakers@allelodesign.com.
For General Supporters: Stay informed, advocate for more data-backed innovations, and support companies that prioritize social and environmental impact.