Paine Schwartz Partners, a global pioneer in sustainable food chain investment, has announced the successful completion of a strategic growth investment in Elemental Enzymes through its Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund VI. Elemental Enzymes, a leading innovator in commercial agriculture, focuses on developing naturally occurring enzymes and biochemicals. The financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed.
Founded in 2011 and based in St. Louis, MO, Elemental Enzymes delivers enzyme, peptide, protein, and biological chemistry solutions designed to enhance plant health, yield, and profitability. High potency and low volume usage rates characterize the Company’s products, enabling higher margins and lower capital expenditure requirements. The company’s effective go-to-market strategy utilizes substantial B2B customer capabilities, delivering fully integrated solutions for agricultural growers.
By 2023, Elemental Enzymes plans to introduce 17 products to the market, sold through global commercial partners across five geographies and supported by 345 patent applications. By 2027, the Company expects to launch a comprehensive portfolio of 115 products across nine Active Ingredients. With a strong position in the rapidly expanding biologicals sector of the crop protection market, valued at approximately $9 billion, the company is poised for considerable growth.
Elemental Enzymes’ innovative solutions address complex agricultural issues, from abiotic stress to Asian Soybean Rust and Citrus Greening. The Company’s products serve three primary purposes: enhancing Nutrient Use Efficiency, enabling effective Stress Mitigation, and assisting in Pest Pressure management.
The company will continue to be led by its Co-Founder and CEO, Dr. Brian Thompson, Co-Founder and COO, Dr. Katie Thompson, and Co-Founder and CSO, Dr. Ashley Siegel, who will operate the business with the added support of the Paine Schwartz team.
“This investment from Paine Schwartz ushers in the next stage in our endeavor to become the world’s premier supplier of sustainable agricultural inputs,” said CEO Brian Thompson. He added, “The Paine Schwartz team provides invaluable expertise and resources that will aid our business in launching new products, expanding our technical and R&D capabilities, and penetrating new markets and sectors.”
Kevin Schwartz, CEO of Paine Schwartz, commented, “Our strategic investment in Elemental Enzymes aligns perfectly with our long-term vision of identifying companies that sustainably enhance productivity in agriculture. Elemental Enzymes boasts a powerful suite of products, a strong R&D pipeline, trusted customer relationships, and a track record of rapid growth.”
This investment in Elemental Enzymes builds on Paine Schwartz’s successful history of investing in the input and distribution segments of Crop Productivity and Sustainability. Their portfolio includes AgBiTech, Advanced Analytics, AgroFresh, Axiota, and HGS Bioscience.
In 2012, Elemental Enzymes received additional funding from the Missouri Technology Corporation TechLaunch Funds Program, St. Louis Arch Angels, and Centennial Investors Angel Investor Network.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
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