The next generation of biologicals for growers

Bayer and Kimitec announced today a new strategic partnership focused on accelerating the development and commercialization of biological crop protection solutions and biostimulants. As part of a global agreement, both companies will become key partners to advance and establish biological solutions derived from natural sources: crop protection products that address pests, diseases and weeds, as well as biostimulants to promote plant growth.

Kimitec operates the MAAVi Innovation Center, Europe’s largest biotechnological innovation hub with 15 years of experience in the research and discovery of natural molecules and compounds for agriculture and food sectors, to provide farmers and growers with all types of natural agricultural products. By leveraging Bayer’s unparalleled product development expertise with Kimitec’s proven discovery capabilities, biological product development will be accelerated to build integrated crop management solutions that can scale and develop through Bayer’s global infrastructure backbone. This includes field testing, product support and commercialization.

“Bayer is committed to providing growers with the benefits of biological solutions as part of an integrated crop management system backed by our leading traits, crop protection products and digital tools,” said Dr. Robert Reiter, Head of R&D for Bayer’s Crop Science division. “Every farmer can benefit from biologicals, from seed treatment to pest control, and Bayer will be bringing together systems of solutions to provide more value by providing farmers greater flexibility.”

With this agreement, Kimitec becomes a key partner for the acceleration of Bayer’s pipeline of Biologicals. As a world leader in biologicals R&D, Kimitec’s MAAVi Innovation Center will provide its expertise and its unique disruptive technology, including AI as an enabler of faster time-to-results. This will fuel Bayer’s ability to market the next generation of biological solutions.

“Our work with Kimitec offers a unique accelerated path to innovative biological solutions that will help us deliver on our shared vision for a new generation of effective, safe, and sustainable solutions derived from nature,” said Benoit Hartmann, Head of Biologics for Bayer’s Crop Science division. “Being able to partner with Kimitec is exactly how Bayer is going to leverage the open innovation ecosystem to work with our different strategic partners and bring the next generation of biologicals to growers.”

The biologicals market is expected to grow to nearly €25 billion by 2028¹, as consumers’ demand for low- and no-residue food products, and retailer food sourcing standards drive growers to look for new innovations in crop protection. Since 2007, Kimitec has been developing effective biologicals that provide effective alternatives and complementary options to synthetic crop protection, aligning them well with Bayer’s strategy to provide best-in-class solutions for growers through the integration of future and existing technologies.

"15 years ago, Kimitec had a clear vision to change the way food was produced. Our agreement with Bayer will help us get closer than ever to materializing our vision as it allows us to expand our global footprint and bringing our technology to millions of growers for the first time,” said Félix García, Chief Executive Officer for Kimitec. “As a world leader in biological solutions R&D and manufacturing, Kimitec delivers natural and sustainable solutions without a compromise in efficacy or productivity to the farmer. This agreement with Bayer is closely aligned with our 360 Open Innovation strategy, to partner with world leading innovation companies to bring meaningful and sustainable solutions for the farmer, the consumer, and the planet."

About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

About Kimitec
Kimitec positions itself as the alternative to agricultural products based on synthetic chemistry, putting consumer health, the respect for the environment and natural productivity at the heart of the agricultural production system. Currently, the company operates in over 94 countries and have branch offices in the USA, Brazil, LATAM and China. In 2019, Kimitec opened its MAAVi Innovation Center, Europe's largest biotechnology innovation hub focused on the research and development of natural molecules and compounds, to facilitate the transition from synthetic chemistry to a more natural system in the agricultural and agri-food industries. MAAVi stands for “Making a Vision” and represents a unique way of producing food with natural solutions, without jeopardizing efficacy and productivity, and focusing on the environment and human health. Kimitec has currently over 50 independent research projects in the pipeline, all of them focused on developing natural, effective, productive, residue-free solutions for the main issues facing the farming industry worldwide. For more information, go to www.maaviic.com.

¹ Source: DataM Intelligence, 2021: Global Agriculture Biologics Market 
Market Size, Share and Forecast; Market Outlook, Opportunity and Data Analysis 2021-2028

Find more information at www.bayer.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.