Azotic Technologies

Based in the UK, Azotic Technologies has developed a proprietary nitrogen-fixing fertilizer technology via its proprietary “N-Fix” platform. N-Fix is a patented liquid formulation based on the “gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus” (Gd) bacteria derived from sugarcane, which is applied to plant seeds as inoculant. N-Fix creates a symbiotic relationship with plants where the bacteria substitutes nitrogen in the soil with atmospheric nitrogen.

The company claims that N-Fix can provide upto 50% of the plant’s nitrogen requirement, and hence reduce nitrogen fertilizer usage, and improve crop yields. It also claims that it is the only company offering an “intracellular” (nitrogen-fixing property within the cells of the plant) strain of this bacteria in non-legumes and can be used in both foliar and in-furrow applications. As of April 2022, Azotic Technologies sold its products across the US, Canada, and the UK through retailers and distributors such as Nexus BioAg, Syngenta, and ADM. In early 2022, the company was also in open talks with major US distributors such as Winfield, GROWMARK, and Nutrien.

In 2018, the company conducted multiple field trials for its fertilizer on crops such as maize, soybean, and rice. For instance, based on nine soybean trials conducted thoughout the US in the company's 2018 grower program, 85% reported a yield increase of up to +8% bushels per acre. Following these successful trials, the company expanded to the US operating under the name “Azotic North America” and sold its fertilizer under the “Envita” brand name. By the end of 2018, Envita was available in 26 US states, and had sold fertilizer covering 1,000 acres across 100 corn growers in the Midwest. By 2021, Envita’s reach grew to 500,000 acres in the US and 250,000 acres in Canada, with Azotic expecting to increase coverage to 3 million acres and 1 million acres in the US and Canada, respectively, in 2022. As of March 2024, Envita SC had received approval from the California Department of Food and Agriculture to use the product in California.

Besides this, the company conducted field trials for rice, in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand during 2017–2020 to expand into the developing countries. Based on the 2020 trials, the company reported an average yield increase of +22% compared to the control.

Key customers and partnerships

To expand its reach in the UK and Ireland, the company signed an agreement with Gleadell Agriculture, a leading trader of grain, seed, and fertilizer, in December 2016 to develop and market the “Natural Plant Nutrition” (NPN4) technology. Azotic expanded its presence in Canada by partnering with Canada-based crop nutrition solutions provider Nexus BioAg for the nation-wide distribution of Envita (November 2020). In May 2022, Azotic further strengthened its presence in Canada by securing a distribution agreement with the Canadian division of Syngenta, the Switzerland-based agrochemical company.

Azotic also entered into a product development partnership with US-based crop protection and precision ag solutions manufacturer American Vanguard Corporation (AMVAC) in March 2022 to develop a version of Envita compatible with AMVAC’s “SIMPAS” precision spraying technology.

Funding and financials

In July 2021, the company raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Virya LLC, a global venture capital firm investing in clean energy. The funds were to be used to support the global expansion of Envita across the North American and Asian regions.