Biobest Valuation, Funding & Investors

Biobest is valued at $1.5B as of September 2023.

Last Biobest valuation

$1.5B

Undisclosed stage · Sep 2023

Last Biobest funding round

$387M

Undisclosed stage · Sep 2023

Cumulative funding Biobest raised

$410M

across 2 funding rounds

Key investors in Biobest

Biobest Overview

About Biobest

Biobest is a Belgium-headquartered supplier of biological crop protection and pollination systems. Based in Westerlo, it offers bumblebees for pollination, beneficial insects and mites like Phytoseiulus persimilis, nematodes, biopesticides, sticky traps, and pheromone lures to growers internationally.


Founded

1987

HQ

BelgiumWesterlo

Status

Privately held

Customer focus

B2B

Revenue model

Product sales

Valuation

$1.5B (Sep 2023)

Biobest Valuation

Biobest is currently valued at $1.5B, based on its undisclosed-stage round in September 2023.

The $387M round included Unigrains, Tikehau Capital, M&G Investments, Sofina and Sofiproteol.

Biobest valuation by funding round

Biobest valuation by funding round
DateStageValuation
Sep 2023Undisclosed stage$1.5B

Biobest Funding History

Biobest has raised a total of $410M across 2 funding rounds.

Biobest's first fundraising round was a $23M undisclosed-stage round in September 2018. The most recent completed round was a $387M undisclosed-stage round in September 2023.

Biobest funding rounds

Biobest funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedValuationDeal Summary
Sep 2023Undisclosed stageUnigrains; Tikehau Capital; M&G Investments; Sofina; Sofiproteol$387M$1.5BBiobest is a global leader in biological control, pollination, and sustainable crop management, offering beneficial insects, predatory mites, bumblebees, biopesticides, and related IPM solutions for greenhouse, berry, and open-field crops. The company operates production and distribution in over 22 countries with an extensive network in 50 more, employing over 2500 people, and pursues aggressive M&A to expand in biologicals including biopesticides, biostimulants, and inoculants. In September 2023, Biobest closed a EUR 365 million capital increase with participation from existing shareholders (Sofina, Belgian families, management) and new investors (Tikehau Capital, M&G Investments, Unigrains, Sofiprotéol, and families linked to majority shareholder Floridienne) to finance the acquisition of approximately 85% of Biotrop in Brazil at an enterprise value of BRL 2.8bn (EUR 532m) on a fully diluted basis, with the remaining 15% to follow after three years. The funding supports Biobest's transformation into a major biologicals player in agriculture, targeting top-10 global position by 2034. Around this period, Biobest completed acquisitions like BioWorks in July 2023 (biopesticides manufacturer in North America) and earlier US Plant Products in 2022, strengthening its biopesticides and distribution capabilities. The company won Growth Company of the Year at the 2023 Belgian Private Equity Awards, highlighting its performance and investor confidence.
Sep 2018Undisclosed stageMérieux Equity Partners (lead)$23M-Biobest is a Belgium-headquartered company specializing in pollination and biological control, serving growers in over 60 countries through subsidiaries with production sites, sales, and technical support globally. It is majority owned by Floridienne, a Belgian industrial group active in specialty chemicals, recycling, gourmet food, and lifesciences. In May 2018, Mérieux Développement (now Mérieux Equity Partners) committed up to €20 million in equity financing to accelerate Biobest's commercial expansion and position it as the global market leader in biological control. Later rounds include a February 2023 Private Equity - II at $1,071.53 - $1,177.08M valuation and a September 2023 Private Equity - III for $128.27M, with investors like Tikehau Capital and prior involvement from Sofina and Merieux Developpement.

Who has invested in Biobest?

6 investors have backed Biobest across its funding rounds, including Sofina, Tikehau Capital, M&G Investments, Mérieux Equity Partners, Unigrains and Sofiproteol.

Lead investors include Mérieux Equity Partners.


Biobest Investors

Investors in Biobest by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check
UnigrainsFranceParis1ParticipantSep 2023
Tikehau CapitalFranceFrance1ParticipantSep 2023
M&G InvestmentsUnited KingdomLondon1ParticipantSep 2023
Mérieux Equity PartnersFranceLyon1LeadSep 2018

This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all 6 Biobest investors.

Start Free Trial

Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples

Sign up to see data on 350K+ funding rounds and disclosed revenue and EBITDA valuation multiples, from seed, through growth stage, to pre-IPO.

Start Free Trial

Acquisitions by Biobest

Biobest has acquired 2 companies to date.

Last acquisition by Biobest was on December 26th 2023. Biobest acquired Biotrop for $560M.


Latest Acquisitions by Biobest

Biotrop
Real IPM
Description
Biotrop is a Brazil-headquartered agtech company developing biological inputs like biofungicides and biostimulants for crop protection. Based in Curitiba, it markets products such as Bt-based insecticides and Trichoderma formulations to soybean and corn growers in South America, emphasizing reduced chemical use through microbial consortia.
Real IPM is a Thika-based manufacturer of biological control agents for integrated pest management in East African horticulture. Produces predatory mites including Phytoseiulus persimilis against red spider mites on roses, Amblyseius californicus for broad mite control, and nematodes targeting soil pests like fungus gnats. Supplies floriculture exporters in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia since 1999. Operates insect rearing facilities and research greenhouses to deliver pesticide alternatives reducing chemical residues.
HQ CountryBrazilKenya
HQ City
Vinhedo
Thika
Deal Date26 Dec 20235 Dec 2016
Valuation$560Mundisclosed
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Biobest acquisitions and their M&A valuation multiples.

Start Free Trial

Investments by Biobest

Biobest has invested in 1 company to date.

Latest investment by Biobest was on June 2nd 2021. Biobest invested in Arugga AI Farming in their $4M Series A round.


Latest Investments by Biobest

Arugga AI Farming
Description
Arugga AI Farming is a Neve Yarak-headquartered agtech company revolutionizing greenhouse vegetable production with autonomous robotics. The firm's GrowBot navigates rows to monitor individual plants via computer vision, applying precise irrigation, fertilization, and pest control based on real-time data. Deployed in commercial greenhouses in Israel, Europe, and North America, Arugga boosts yields by 30% while cutting labor and inputs for crops like tomatoes and strawberries.
HQ CountryIsrael
HQ City
Even Yehuda
Deal Date2 Jun 2021
RoundSeries A
Raised$4M
InvestorsTerra Venture Partners; Cresson Management; Equicelar; Smart Agro
Valuationundisclosed
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Biobest investments and their VC round multiples.

Start Free Trial

Biobest Competitors

Biobest competitors include listed companies like CVR Partners, FMC, Genus and K+S, and private ones like Sangon Biotech and Bluepha.

Public and private companies comparable to Biobest
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
CVR PartnersUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$606M$211M$1.4B3.1x
FMCUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$3.5B($1.5B)$1.3B1.4x
GenusUnited KingdomUnited KingdomPublicly listed$903M$122M$1.9B2.2x
K+SGermanyGermanyPublicly listed$4.2B($1B)$3.4B0.8x
Sangon BiotechChinaShanghaiPrivate$102M-$1.4B13.7x
BluephaChinaBeijingPrivate--$1B-

Biobest Public Comps

Biobest is still privately-owned, but its public comps include MP Evans, Borregaard, Corbion, CVR Partners, Tessenderlo Group, Adecoagro, SLC Agricola, Premier Group, Sildarvinnslan and Société de fabrication des boissons de Tunisie.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
MP Evans$371M$166M3.8x3.7x8.6x8.1x
Borregaard$807M$169M2.2x2.2x10.7x9.4x
Corbion$1.5B$221M1.4x1.4x9.2x8.7x
CVR Partners$606M$211M3.1x3.1x8.9x-
Tessenderlo Group$3.2B$181M0.5x0.5x8.3x4.4x
Adecoagro$1.4B$349M2.7x1.9x11.1x6.7x
SLC Agricola$1.9B$513M2.0x2.1x7.5x7.4x
Premier Group$1.3B$170M1.5x1.2x11.1x8.7x

This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Biobest competitors and their valuation data.

Start Free Trial

Common questions about Biobest

When was Biobest founded?Biobest was founded in 1987.
Where is Biobest headquartered?Biobest is headquartered in Westerlo, Belgium.
Is Biobest publicly listed?No, Biobest is a private, VC-backed company.
What is Biobest's valuation?Biobest was last valued at $1.5B in its undisclosed-stage round in September 2023.
How much funding has Biobest raised?Biobest has raised $410M across 2 funding rounds.
What was Biobest's last funding round?Biobest's last funding round was a $387M undisclosed-stage round in September 2023.
Who are Biobest's investors?Biobest's investors include Unigrains, Tikehau Capital, M&G Investments, Mérieux Equity Partners, Sofina and Sofiproteol.
Which companies are comparable to Biobest?Companies comparable to Biobest include CVR Partners, FMC, Genus, K+S, Sangon Biotech and Bluepha.
How many companies has Biobest acquired?Biobest has acquired 2 companies, including Biotrop and Real IPM.
What was the largest acquisition by Biobest?The $560M acquisition of Biotrop in December 2023 is the largest acquisition Biobest has made to date.
How many companies has Biobest invested in?Biobest has invested in 1 company, including Arugga AI Farming.
What was Biobest's last investment?In June 2021, Biobest invested in Arugga AI Farming's $4M Series A alongside Terra Venture Partners, Cresson Management, Equicelar and 1 other investor.

See companies similar to Biobest

Start Your
Free Trial Today

Try Multiples for free for 3 days. Got questions or need a demo? Schedule a call with us below.

Start Trial