BioPrime raises $6 million from Belgium’s Edaphon, others

Biotech startup BioPrime has raised $6 million in a funding round led by Belgium-based Edaphon, with equal participation from existing investors Omnivore and Inflexor.

This investment marks Edaphon’s first investment in Asia.

The funds will be used to advance research in crop protection, with a focus on co-developing new biofungicides and bioinsecticides.


“We will continue to pursue our strategic priorities of accelerating the development of industry solutions in the biologicals space. We look forward to enhancing the offerings to our existing business-to-business (B2B) customers and entering into strategic co-development and licensing with industry players,” said cofounder and chief executive Renuka Diwan.

Founded in 2016 by Diwan, Amit Shinde and Shekhar Bhosale, the Pune-based company develops biologicals using small trigger molecules that metabolically reprogramme plants to enhance climate resilience, lower carbon footprint, restore soil health and improve yields.

According to the startup, it has grown its workforce by 10x, tripled its product range, and operates across India and is expanding in Southeast Asia and the US.

The company plans to launch its existing range of biostimulants in North America, Brazil and Southeast Asia, with trials already in progress in the US.

Commenting on the investment, Vincent Vliebergh, managing partner of Edaphon, said, “We invested in BioPrime because of its impressive balance between a strong portfolio of commercial products and a high-potential innovation pipeline. The company has already demonstrated success in delivering impactful solutions to the market, while its advanced R&D platform is set to unlock significant future growth.”

“The climate crisis threatens the very future of agrifood systems and rural communities across India. The complex web of challenges threatening food security and rural livelihoods demands innovative approaches with potential for systemic change,” said Jinesh Shah, managing partner of Omnivore.