BIOM raises €2M to fight olive-killing bacteria with biotech
What's the deal? Bioinspired Materials (BIOM)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a biotechnology spin-off from Spain's Universitat Pompeu Fabra, has raised €2 million in an early-stage round led by Swanlaab Innvierte Agrifood Tech Fund. BeAble CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an existing investor focused on science equity, also took part, as did swanlaab venture factoryDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The money will fund industrial and commercial development of BIOM's technology platform, with a focus on its Qsystem and Probio products.
What's the endgame? BIOM develops biotech solutions that keep microorganisms alive in a dormant state to improve their survival and activity once applied. A key line of work targets Xylella fastidiosa , a bacterium the European Union classifies as a priority pest for its economic and environmental damage to olive and almond trees.
Thirteen years after its first detection in Europe, there is still no field cure for infected trees. The European Food Safety Authority says the bacterium has killed 21 million trees in Puglia, Italy, and estimates EU-wide spread could cause annual production losses of €5.5 billion.
Where the money goes: BIOM's lead product, Qsystem, is a biological technology in development that has shown early results in field trials with infected olive and almond trees. The funding will expand those validations and prepare the studies and documentation needed for future registration, alongside scaling production and launching its wider product portfolio.
What could go wrong? The path to revenue is long. "Bringing innovative technologies like Qsystem to market demands proving their efficacy, scaling production, and meeting the regulatory requirements of different international markets," said chief executive officer Inés Arteaga (translated from Spanish), adding that it "requires significant effort, time, and investment before generating commercial revenue."
Why now? The round fits Swanlaab's recent run in agrifood tech. The fund backed MOA FoodtechDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s €3.3 million round in September and RawDataDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → with €1 million in October. BIOM stands apart by funding applied biotech for the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural and industrial processes, rather than digitisation or ingredient fermentation.
The signal: At €2 million, this is a modest raise that sits in the 47th percentile by deal size — a bet placed early, when risk is highest. Its payoff depends on whether BIOM can turn lab science into products farmers can buy.
Read more: elreferente.es
Image credit: cameraclub231
