SoluBio invests in startup Biotecland for the production of microalgae OnFarm

SoluBio, a company that works with the production of bioinputs on farms, will invest in the startup Biotecland, which specializes in microorganisms, to, for the first time in Brazil, produce microalgae in the system OnFarm. The combination of solutions offered by the brands has the power to regenerate the soil, absorb more CO², help combat pests and bring more resistance to plants, with less cost and more sustainability. According to the CEO of SoluBio, Alber Guedes, in this first year R＄ 1,4 million will be invested to install 10 pilot projects, which will be divided into different regions of the country.

“We saw the possibility of algae production OnFarm and we designed a business model for Biotecland like the one we already carry out at SoluBio, which is on a lending basis, from end to end, with all the professionals necessary to carry out everything from implementation to maintenance of the application. It is a low-cost production model for the producer, it costs between R＄40 and R＄50 to apply a load of 6 to 8 liters per hectare”, says Alber.

The only difference between the model already followed by SoluBio and the one that will be implemented, later this harvest, for Biotecland is the structure necessary for the production of microalgae. According to Alber, instead of the containers that are located on farms housing the biofactories that produce bio-inputs, agricultural greenhouses with photobioreactors will be installed, since algae need light for photosynthesis.

Researcher Dágon Ribeiro, responsible for Biotecland, explains that the startup, founded in 2020, in Brasília, is the only one in Brazil to work with microalgae. Previously, with a team of eight employees, the solution was provided as an off-the-shelf product, called Primafert, but now, with the investment from SoluBio, it will prioritize the model OnFarm, which is more sustainable.

“Microalgae have the ability to improve soil quality, as they promote greater NPK availability; capture greater amounts of carbon in the soil; and improve fertilization efficiency. Furthermore, they increase leaf and root growth in the plants' vegetative cycle, making them more resistant to climate change and stronger to combat attacks from pests and diseases in the field”, says Dágon.

The companies' expectation is that, within three years, the new solution will reach revenues of R＄ 23 million. If this value is reached, SoluBio will own 51% of Biotecland.