Originally established in Belgium in 2013, Biotalys, a food and crop protection innovator, was incorporated in the United States in May 2020. Since then, they have rapidly been expanding their efforts to protect the food supply of Americans.
Diego Angelo, chief business officer, says the most important factor when considering the expansion was the presence of a strong foodtech ecosystem. The prevalence of agtech and biotech companies, as well as the extensive ag-related infrastructure in the area, made Research Triangle Park a clear choice. On top of this, Diego has come to find that RTP is a wonderful place to both work and live. All these factors serve to facilitate what he calls truly meaningful work: something that positively impacts communities all over the world.
When it comes to our food, the journey from farm to table is often taken for granted. We’ve come to expect stores to carry fresh produce from the other side of the world, but just a generation ago, the type of food distribution we use today wasn’t possible. While these advances in the food supply chain have satisfied the preferences of the masses, reducing the amount of that produce which is wasted has now become a major global initiative.
That’s where Biotalys comes in: they’ve invented a unique protein-based biocontrol solution that combats decay. Through much research, Biotalys discovered an immune system that produces antibodies which combat fungi, mold, and other diseases. By extracting the proteins from these antibodies, the Biotalys team learned that they could mass-produce their solution to extend the useful lifetime of produce (namely fruits, like grapes and strawberries).
The company’s solutions address ways to make food safer and last longer both in the fields and after harvest so that more people eat better produce. Although this technology is not yet commercially available, Biotalys aims to provide it globally to farmers, post-harvest companies and food retailers to combat crop loss, food waste and decay along every part of the food supply chain. Their efforts are making food safer to eat, safer for workers and safer for the environment.
Biotalys has come a long way since May of 2020, and Diego is optimistic about the company’s future. “People are eager to get their hands on solutions like the ones that we’re bringing to the market, so that’s pretty encouraging,” he says. Biotalys is backed by major global investors and was most recently awarded a €1.1 million research grant from Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). The company will be seeking to expand their North American team by hiring multiple roles in marketing, sales and development in the next two years, and is excited to continue to connect with the community in RTP to impact communities across America and around the world.