Agtech: two companies specialising in biocontrol agents for crops gain momentum 

The Angers-based startup Green Impulse, which develops and markets sustainable alternatives to conventional fungicides, is raising €5 million to finance a new family of antifungal molecules. Another company, the Canadian firm Premier Tech, is also raising funds for its Atlantic France site to support the production of plant substrates which enable biostimulation and biocontrol of crops.

The Atlantic France region has lots of fertile ground for companies specialising in sustainable plant protection solutions. The startup Green Impulse, a specialist in biocontrol synergies for plant protection, is closing a €5 million fundraising round to structure its growth and R&D, while the Canadian group Premier Tech is investing €8 million in its Vivy site, which specialises in growing substrates. 

Green Impulse: a new family of antifungals for crop protection

Selected to join the French Tech Agri20 programme, Green Impulse offers sustainable alternatives to conventional fungicides and fertilisers, known as “biocontrol”, which can be used in organic farming. After a first round of financing in 2019, which enabled the deployment of a first biocontrol product, Angers-based startup is now raising €5 million from Bpifrance, Go Capital, Pays de la Loire Développement and the participative financing platform GwenneG.

This operation will enable the financing of two of its new molecular products until their arrival on the market, first in the United States and then in Europe, which is expected to happen in 2025 and 2027 respectively. This new round of financing will make it possible to fund a new family of antifungal molecules called ARPIs (Adaptative Response Pathway Inhibitors), which the company intends to develop for crop protection. 

Premier Tech: biotisation of crop substrates and biosourced materials

The Canadian group Premier Tech is also investing €8 million in its Atlantic France production site located in Vivy, which specialises in growing media and was acquired in 2013. It had already invested nearly €9 million from 2015-2020 at this site, which is the group’s European headquarters for horticulture and agricultural activities. This new financing will enable the company to double production capacity through the extension of the packaging workshop (+1,200 sqm), to replace the five bagging lines with three new high-performance lines and it wil also allow for the digitalisation of the site. 

With this investment, Premier Tech aims to specialise this site in growing substrates for the general public, a market that has been growing rapidly since the current health crisis. The company also plans to strengthen its presence in the green biotechnology segment. At Vivy’s site, Premier Tech is working in particular on the incorporation of microorganisms into crop substrates for biostimulation and biocontrol of crops, and on biosourced materials as alternatives to peat.

Programmes supported by France Relance and France 2030 

Premier Tech and Green Impulse are both supported by BpiFrance as part of the France Relance and France 2030 investment plans. The programme deployed by Premier Tech in Vivy is supported by France Relance to the tune of €200,000. It is accompanied by the creation of 19 jobs. 

For its part, Green Impulse has concluded an operational partnership with the water quality label Terres de Sources to facilitate the deployment of current and future solutions in the Atlantic France region.