Participated · Seed · Sep 2018

BioPhero develops and manufactures insect pheromones using microbial fermentation, aiming to replace chemical insecticides with sustainable, insect‑specific control methods. The company has scaled its production processes to tonne‑scale and says its methods use renewable raw materials and produce less waste than traditional chemical synthesis. BioPhero intends to ramp up production of several products and start commercial production of its first product, supplying pheromones at the cost, quality, and volumes required for major row crops such as wheat, maize, rice, and soybeans. Its pheromones are non‑toxic, do not harm pollinators or non‑target insects, and are presented as resistant to the typical development of insect resistance. The company was spun out from the Technical University of Denmark and led by founder Prof. Irina Borodina, with a team experienced in metabolic engineering, fermentation, chemistry, and process development. BioPhero positions its platform as a scalable, lower‑waste alternative to chemical synthesis to enable broad agricultural adoption. BioPhero develops insect pheromones as active ingredients to control crop pests by disrupting mating behavior. Its product recreates insect mating pheromones to lure pests away from crops, reducing pest pressure without impacting the plants. The company relies entirely on a proprietary fermentation‑based biotechnology process intended to produce synthetic pheromones at much lower cost than traditional multi‑step chemical synthesis. Founded as a 2016 spin‑out from the Technical University of Denmark, BioPhero is currently in an R&D phase addressing yield and cost challenges that have limited pheromone use to high‑value specialty crops. The company is using seed funding together with a Horizon 2020 OLEFINE grant to complete the next stage of development and pursue routes to market for row crops. BioPhero has recently reconstituted its board and management, appointing Kristian Ebbensgaard as CEO, Hadyn Parry as chairman, and Dr. Irina Borodina as research director.

Led · Equity · May 2011

Magma provides a collaborative platform aimed at streamlining magazine publishing workflows, offering tools for copywriters, editorial staff, layout designers and ad planning. Founded in July 2010 by Andrew Dahl and Sebastian Stockmarr, the company targets both print and online publishers amid renewed interest driven by devices like the iPad. Its platform is used by more than 100 publications and includes partnerships with digital publisher Issuu and the Danish Specialized Press. Magma says it will use new funding to expand its sales team and recruit former Zmags Sales Director Dirch Svenningsen as Sales Manager. The company was previously selected to participate in the Startupbootcamp European incubator. The article reports a $350k investment from Syddansk Teknologisk Innovation (SDTI); no revenue figures are disclosed.