Founded April 2017; incubated July 2018
Stage Technology development
Investors The Trendlines Group, Bayer Trendlines Ag Innovation Fund
CTO Rony Oren Benaroya, PhD
IBI-Ag is discovering and developing new types of biological solutions that utilize environmentally friendly technology to control insects.
The breakthrough technology presents a new mode of action, making it an effective alternative to technologies that focus solely on the insect’s nervous system and are unsafe for human consumption.
Optimized target agent
10+ years’ R&D experience in biotech start-ups, including leading R&D in two incubator companies involved in virology and synthetic biology; postdoctorate, Weizmann Institute of Science; PhD, agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
25+ years’ experience in insect physiology, neurobiology, and behavior research; recently funded projects include Ministry of Agriculture’s Center of Excellence for developing novel approaches to fight locusts; professor, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University
A market for bioinsecticides is growing rapidly each year due to their low toxic impact on humans, animals, the environment, and increased legislation against traditional pesticides. With insects causing billions of dollars annually, the agricultural market is still largely dependent on synthetic pesticides for crop protection, despite their toxicity and reduced efficacy because of increased insect resistance. Broad crop distribution continues to spread the insect pest problem globally, producing a dire need for novel and effective organic formulations.
As chemical insecticides become less effective and are subject to increasingly stringent regulations, growers are more willing to try biological options because they cost less and offer a greener, more effective option. Today, biopesticides make up only 5% of the total crop protection market, approximately $3 billion in value worldwide (Olson et al., 2013).
The bioinsecticides sector is projected to reach $4.5 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 8.6%, to comprise more than 7% of the total crop protection market (Lux Research, Inc.). IBI-Ag is positioned at the forefront of developing new technologies in the biopesticides market as its novel solutions help solve the global insect epidemic.
