Plant Works

PlantWorks is a leading agricultural and horticultural research firm that specialises in sustainable, natural plant growth solutions. Based at the Kent Science Park and NIAB EMR, PlantWorks has a core science team embracing the disciplines of soil biology, bacteriology and plant science. PlantWorks is one of the largest producers of mycorrhizal fungi in Europe growing five well characterised strains within its controlled growing facilities split between East Malling Research and Kent Science Park. PlantWorks maintains a large collection of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) that it routinely cultures and formulates in support of farming trials and new product offerings. In 2014 PlantWorks commenced its farming programme that has seen it collaborate in joint research and trials programmes with the country’s leading agriculture research stations as well as many of the UK’s leading agronomy companies and directly with farming groups. This work has yielded the development of the SMART ROTATIONS programme, and associated products, that support the general concept of maintaining high levels of microbial activity in soil to increase natural plant efficiency, consequently reducing fertigation requirements and enhancing natural plant health and defences

Based in the UK, Plantworks produces biofertilizers using two types of bacteria: 1) arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and 2) plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offered under its “Smart Rotations” product suite launched in 2017. The company produces six species of AMF that are blended to produce its fertilizer products to be applicable for a range of crops including wheat, cereal, vegetable, beets, and spinach. The company claims that its bacterial products contain blends of up to four species of PGPR per product, each customized for specific crops.

Natural Fertilizers

PlantWorks

Based in the UK, Plantworks produces biofertilizers using two types of bacteria: 1) arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and 2) plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offered under its “Smart Rotations” product suite launched in 2017. The company produces six species of AMF that are blended to produce its fertilizer products to be applicable for a range of crops including wheat, cereal, vegetable, beets, and spinach. The company claims that its bacterial products contain blends of up to four species of PGPR per product, each customized for specific crops.Plants applied with AMF and PGPR have shown improved plant health, increased nutrient uptake, and improved yields. For example, in January 2021, Plantworks reported that its PGPR product, trialed in a wheat farm, resulted in a 15% increase in yield while cutting required nitrogen to 55% (from 70%). This also eventually resulted in a margin increase of GBP 202/ha (~USD 268/ha). As of 2022, Plantworks had been trialing the product for five years, with an average yield increase of 6% (without any alteration in nitrogen rates). The company began researching reducing nitrogen rates in 2020 to see if the bacteria would maintain yield, with trials having positive outcomes.Key customers and partnershipsAs of June 2022, Plantworks offers 11 PGPR and AMF blended fertilizer products that it sells online via its website and a network of distributors in the UK including ProCam, Agrovista, and Agrii. The company grows its bacteria strains in its facilities based in Kent Science Park and East Malling Research in the UK and claims to be the largest producer of AMF and PGPR in the UK, producing 150 tons of fertilizer per year. In November 2023, the company announced a strategic alliance with <a href="https://claytonpp.com/press-release-clayton-plant-protection-announces-exciting-strategic-alliance-with-plantworks-for-innovative-biosolutions-range/">Clayton Plant Protection</a> to develop an innovative BioSolutions range.

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 Based in Michigan, Gantec offers plant-based liquid fertilizers, micronutrient supplements, concentrates and biopesticides using a proprietary process called “Bio-Adaptive Supplementation” (BAS). BAS extracts properties from plants that thrive in extreme environments such as the neem tree and converts them into fertilizers. Gantec’s products can be applied to a range of crops, including field crops, root crops, vegetables, and tree and bush crops. The company initially began sourcing its raw materials from West Africa, and, as of May 2022,  sourced it from six continents.  
 
 
 Gantec’s BAS solutions claim to improve plant resiliency, nutrient uptake, yield, and growth. For instance, based on a trial conducted by the Saginaw Valley State University, applying the company’s GantecPro liquid fertilizer to cherry tomatoes increased the yield by 17%. For potatoes, based on another trial conducted by the Michigan State University, applying GantecPro increased the yield by 11%. 
 
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Gantec Inc

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 Based in Washington, Impact Bioenergy manufactures portable systems that convert organic waste to produce electricity and fertilizer. The company started manufacturing its own biofertilizer product called “ProBiotic Plant Food” (PBF)  in July 2020. PBF is a compost biofertilizer, which is made by first creating a “smoothie” from waste food such as spent yeast, curds, whey, and trub. This is then digested by microbes in a 30-day process to convert it into PBF. The final product is dried and pulverized to create a mix called “PBF Mix No 7.” Based on a trial conducted by Forest Garden Farm for a butternut squash tree, PBF increased yields by almost 30% compared to using a standard fertilizer. 
 
 
 The company also adds fish bone meal, poultry feather meal, biochar, and mealworm frass to the base product to produce different blends of PBF, which is offered as a dry blend or concentrated liquid blend that can be mixed with water to make a fertigation liquid. PBF initially was available to B2B customers on a subscription basis and then later targeted B2C customers selling online via ecommerce sites such as Amazon.  
 
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Impact bioenergy

Based in France, Toopi Organics converts human urine (which is naturally high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) into fertilizer called “BACTIPI" using a proprietary patented fermentation process. The process involves collecting and filtering ‘pure’ urine (not mixed with water) from public places including schools, stadiums, and amusement parks before fermentation. The company ferments the cleaned urine at its production facility in Loupiac de la Réole France using 5,000 liter fermentation tanks along with sugar and Lactobacillus paracasei lactic bacteria to create a 100% organic fertilizer.“BACTIPI” can be applied to field crops, vine crops, home gardening, and industrial crops and promotes the growth of microorganisms and solubilizes phosphorus in the soil, increasing plant and root growth. The company has demonstrated that its fertilizer has similar efficiency and is a cheaper alternative to other chemical fertilizers in the market.Toopi aims to partner with local companies including farmers, fertilizer distributors, and sanitation companies to set up and operate urine processing plants. Toopi will handle the production of the fertilizer, while the partnering company will handle distribution. As of May 2022, Toopi states had set up a subsidiary in Belgium and was actively working with companies in Benin and Kenya to commercialize its products. The company had also signed an agreement with a large fertilizer distributor in France (name undisclosed) to sell its fertilizer for the following three years. Toopi has received approval to sell its products in Belgium and expects to obtain the same in France in 2022.Financials and Funding:In <a href="https://techfundingnews.com/french-startup-toopi-organics-raises-95m-to-turn-human-urine-into-crop-biostimulants/">November 2023</a>, Toopi Organics raised EUR 8.4 million (~USD 9 million) from EIC Accelerator, a European innovation programme for deep tech startups. The funding comprises a EUR 2.4 million non-dilutive grant and EUR 6 million in equity to be invested in 2025. Also, in <a href="https://techfundingnews.com/french-startup-toopi-organics-raises-95m-to-turn-human-urine-into-crop-biostimulants/">September 2023</a>, the company raised EUR 16 million (~USD 17 million) in funding to expand its urine collection network.&nbsp;Previously, In <a href="https://www.eu-startups.com/2021/04/bordeaux-based-toopi-organics-scales-up-urine-recycling-network-in-france-with-e3-8-million-funding">April 2021</a>, The company received a EUR 3.8 million (~USD 4.1 million) grant from ADEME (The French Agency for Ecological Transition). The company planned to use the funds to build a network of urine recycling plants in partnership with toilet manufacturers, installers, and collectors.

Greentech TOOPI Organics

Reazent is a Canadian company that has developed a patented technology to organically replace agrochemicals. The company focuses on loading plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) to treat the soil and the plant. The company states that its technology can be applied across a wide range of crops such as soybean, peanuts, wheat, kale, and lettuce.Studies show that only 0.1% PGPR strains have been commercialized to date. Reazent claims that its competitive advantage is that it can work with up to 116 PGPR strains and has identified that soil bacteria have a second metabolite that can be used to up-regulate plant defense and root growth genes in plants. The company further claims that its technology helps in achieving an improvement of 5x in the plant’s immune system, thereby providing protection against pesticides as well.As of June 2022, the company has not commercialized and is actively working on obtaining regulatory approval for the sale of its products in Canada and the US. Based on trials conducted in 2020 across different growing conditions, its product has demonstrated a 400% increase in soybean root nodules, a 30% increase in peanuts above-ground biomass, and up to a 35% increase in peanuts pod dry weight when compared with synthetic and other organic products. In October 2020, the company reported that it had many trials underway, including for tomato, and was expecting results by December 2021. The company noted in November 2021 that it would be extensively trialing its fertilizer product for soybeans in North America, Brazil, and India during the following growing season.Funding and financialsIn May 2020, the company received CAD 350,000 (USD 250,000) in seed funding as part of joining IndieBio’s accelerator program. The funds were to be used to conduct trials for its prototype fertilizer product at the <a href="http://www.verschurencentre.ca/">Verschuren Center for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment </a>at Cape Breton University ass well as to develop its product for large-scale trials. In <a href="https://crushdynamics.com/news/natural-products-canada-supports-over-4m-in-commercialization-activity-for-seven-promising-canadian-food-and-agriculture-companies/">February 2023</a>, the company raised USD 15,600 from Natural Products Canada, a non-profit organization that supports Canadian bio-based innovation and commercialization to fast-track the development of a regulatory plan.

Reazent

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 Based in Spain, Ficosterra is a marine biotechnology company that offers seaweed and algae-based fertilizers and biostimulants, with applications in agriculture, landscaping, and turf. The company offers fertilizer under the brands “Ficosterra-g” (algae-based) and “Ficosgreen” (algae and seaweed-based), made using its “Biological Crop Booster” (BCB) technology. BCB combines microbes and algae extracts to produce soil-regenerating microbes.
 
 
 As of June 2022, Ficosterra operated two manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Spain and sold its products via its own online store, serving the local and overseas markets (launched across the US and Europe in 2019). 
 
 
 To expand the reach of its products in Spain, in October 2018, the company partnered with Sipcam Jardin, a Spanish multinational distributor of fertilizers, nutrients, and biostimulants, for the distribution of “Ficosterra-g,” Ficosterra’s algae-based fertilizer. In January 2021, Ficosterra also partnered with Algas Marinas (AlgaMar), a Mexico-based company producing algae-based products for agriculture and human consumption, to jointly launch “Ficosterra America,” which would serve both the American and European markets. Ficosterra and AlgaMar were to combine their seaweed and algae nutrient-extracting technologies to develop and produce fertilizer.
 
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Focisterra

Contain bacteria such as Rhizobia, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, and blue-green algae that transform nitrogen into organic compounds that can be absorbed by the plant

Contain bacteria and fungi capable of breaking down insoluble phosphates to make them available to crops

Contain rhizobacteria that can act as biofertilizers, bioprotectants

Contain organic matter such as animal dung which enriches the soil with microorganisms

Fertilizers derived from animal materials such as cow manure, crushed animal bones, animal blood, shellfish, and fish meal

Fertilizers made with plant material such as compost produced from plant waste, seaweed, cottonseed meal, and soybean meal

Fertilizers developed from natural elements like greensand, rock phosphate, and nitrogen from air

Provides a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers

PlantWorks

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