b'PARTNER CONTENTTurning Data into Decisions:KWS-NoMaze Partnership Drives Innovation in Plant BreedingI n plant breeding, the challenge has never been a lackSince 2022, KWS and NoMaze have worked together to of data. Breeders have more data than ever: field trialsdevelop analytical programs that adapt to KWSs breeding across continents, seasons, soil types and stress sce- workflows. Today, NoMazes tools are used daily by breeders narios; genotypic information at massive scale; performanceat KWS to make decisions.data piling up year after year. The real challenge is turning that complexity into clear, confident decisions fast enough toFrom partnership to innovative practicematter. Many collaborations in agtech stall at the pilot stage. Tech-That is exactly what a partnership between KWS andnologies are tested, results are promising, but scaling proves NoMaze, now going on multiple years, aims to address. Afterdifficult, often because the technology does not adapt well to more than two years of close collaboration, KWS, a leadingthe realities of large, complex breeding organizations.plant breeding company and NoMaze, an agritech companyNoMazes modular architecture allows breeding teams to specializing in AI-driven decision support for plant breed- build and adjust analytical pipelines as their programs evolve. ing, are deepening their relationship, building on a foun- Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution, the platform dation that has already moved beyond pilots and proofs ofsupports customized approaches across crops, regions and concept. This is a signal that decision-support tools haveobjectives.matured and that the companies using them every day areThat adaptability has been crucial for KWS, whose now doubling down. The partnership reflects a shift towardbreeding programs are extensive and multiregional. The embedded, operational intelligence. ability to tailor analytics without rebuilding systems from scratch is what makes the depth of KWSNoMaze partner-Breeding complexity outgrows traditional tools ship notable.Modern plant breeding is complex because genetic materialOur partnership with NoMaze demonstrates how com-must perform across highly variable and increasingly un- bining breeding expertise and technology improves our data predictable conditions. Understanding those interactions atuse and decision-making, ultimately leading to better seeds scale requires statistical sophistication, advanced modelingfor farmers, says Stefan Schwarz, lead of scouting and licens-and the ability to explore scenarios quickly. ing at KWS. Usually, that kind of analysis involves specialized dataIt is speed, clarity and confidence in decisions that ulti-science teams, custom scripts and long turnaround times.mately affect farmer outcomes.For breeders, that often means either waiting for answers or relying on simplified summaries that mask importantTrust as a competitive advantagesignals. Over two years, the teams have built shared understanding NoMaze was built to address that gap. By using intuitiveof data structures and breeding realities, that allowed for the workflows, NoMaze enables breeders to explore complexdevelopment of trust that enabled deeper integration and a data without needing to code. The goal is not to turn breed- willingness to expand the partnership further.ers into data scientists, but to leverage systems that simplifyKWS has been an outstanding partner, says Jean-Pascal data analysis so breeders can focus on what they do best:Lutze, CEO of NoMaze. Our shared goals and collabora-asking the right biological questions and making informedtive spirit continue to drive meaningful outcomes for both selection decisions. companies.22/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2026'