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Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, BioPhero is an agricultural biotechnology company that utilizes microbial fermentation to manufacture insect pheromones for commercial agricultural crop protection. The organization produces biological active ingredients that disrupt pest mating cycles in large-scale row crops such as corn, soybeans, and rice, providing a non-toxic alternative to traditional chemical pesticides. Prior to its strategic exit, the enterprise raised $20.5 million in total venture funding, which included a $17 million Series A round to scale its industrial manufacturing processes. In July 2022, the business was acquired for approximately $65 million by FMC Corporation, having previously secured financial backing from prominent investors including Novo Holdings, DCVC Bio, and Syngenta Group Ventures. BioPhero was originally founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the Technical University of Denmark by Irina Borodina and Kristian Ebbensgaard.
BioPhero has raised $21.0M across 2 funding rounds.
BioPhero has raised $21.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
BioPhero has raised $21.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $17.0M Series A in March 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2021 | $17M Series A | DCVC BIO | John Hamer, Dcvc (data Collective), FINTOP Capital, Syngenta Group Ventures, Rick Holton, FMC Ventures, Novo Holdings, Syngenta Ventures | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2018 | $4M Seed | — | John Hamer, Syngenta Group Ventures, Thomas Grotkjær, Peter Smedegaard, Michael LEE | Announced |
BioPhero is a Danish biotechnology company that develops low-cost, bio-based pheromones for sustainable insect pest control in agriculture. It pioneered a yeast fermentation process to produce synthetic pheromones that disrupt pest mating cycles, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides with lower costs, reduced resistance risk, and compatibility with integrated pest management.[1][2][4] Serving large-scale farmers growing row crops like corn, soy, rice, and cotton—as well as specialty fruits and vegetables—BioPhero solves the problem of costly pheromone production that previously limited their use, expanding the addressable market while minimizing impact on beneficial insects.[1][2] The company achieved significant growth, raising over €17 million in Series A funding from investors like Novo Holdings and DCVC, before its acquisition by FMC Corporation in 2022 for approximately $200 million, integrating its technology as Sofero™ into FMC's biologicals platform with projections of $1 billion in pheromone revenue by 2030.[1][2][3]
BioPhero was founded in 2016 by Dr. Irina Borodina, a researcher at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), as a technology spin-out from DTU, with operations starting in 2018.[1][2][5] Borodina, now co-founder and chief scientific officer, leveraged her expertise in metabolic engineering to pioneer yeast fermentation for pheromone production, emerging from DTU lab research aimed at sustainable pest control via microbial processes.[1][2][5] Early traction came from assembling a world-class team in fermentation, chemistry, and process development, securing Series A funding exceeding €17 million, scaling production, and achieving first sales of active ingredients, fueled by Denmark's biosolutions ecosystem of academia, partnerships, and capital.[2] A pivotal moment arrived in 2022 with FMC's acquisition, valued at a "billion-kroner price tag," enabling global market acceleration through FMC's R&D, manufacturing, and distribution.[1][2][5]
BioPhero stands out in agricultural pest control through these key advantages:
BioPhero rides the global shift toward biologicals and sustainable agriculture, addressing insects devouring up to 20% of crops and the overuse of millions of tons of chemical pesticides annually.[3] Its timing aligns with rising demand for eco-friendly pest management amid regulatory pressures on synthetics, climate goals, and integrated pest strategies—Denmark's biosolutions ecosystem accelerated this via academic spin-outs and venture support.[2] Market forces like cost barriers to pheromones now favor BioPhero's biotech breakthrough, influencing the ecosystem by validating microbial engineering for crop protection and bolstering FMC's biologicals portfolio, which expands sustainable options for growers worldwide.[1][2][3]
Post-acquisition, BioPhero's technology will scale via FMC's infrastructure, targeting $1 billion in high-margin pheromone revenue by 2030 through pheromone-based products for row crops.[1] Trends like precision agriculture, biologicals growth, and anti-resistance innovations will propel it, potentially evolving its influence as a benchmark for biotech pest control in a net-zero farming era. This "game-changer" in bioprocessing cements BioPhero's legacy from Danish spin-out to global sustainability driver.[1][2]
BioPhero has raised $21.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
BioPhero's investors include John Hamer, DCVC (Data Collective), FINTOP Capital, Syngenta Group Ventures, Rick Holton, FMC Ventures, Novo Holdings, Thomas Grotkjær, Peter Smedegaard, Michael Lee.
