December 2, 2020

By Michelle Pelletier Marshall, Global AgInvesting Media

Belgian food and crop biological protection company Biotalys NV has had a busy year. In March, the company raised its Series C, announcing a second closing at €45 million (US$50 million), for a total raise to-date of €61 million (US$66 million). And in June, the company, which was formed in 2013, announced the expansion of its executive team and the establishment of a new U.S. headquarters at Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina.

Diego Angelo was tapped to head this new U.S. subsidiary, called Biotalys Inc., and appointed to the just-created role of chief business officer (CBO). Along with being new to the company and being tasked with creating an executive team at the RTP location, Angelo is preparing for the commercial launch of the company’s lead biofungicide – BioFun1.

To this end, Angelo noted in a Biotalys press release, “Biotalys’ disruptive technology and lead biofungicide, BioFun-1, are uniquely positioned to address unmet needs of the food value chain, from efficacy to residue control and shelf-life management. I look forward to working with the team on the launch of our multiple mode-of-action pipeline…”

Angelo brings substantial industry knowledge from his previous role as chief commercial office at Sound Agriculture, where he successfully engineered the launch of its first commercial product and secured multiple deals in the crop enhancement and epigenetics spaces. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at BASF, Bayer, and Monsanto, respectively, propelling the Bayer soybean seeds and traits business to a global franchise.

GAI News caught up with Angelo as he was working on solidifying his team at RTP, and establishing a new physical location under the restrictions of a pandemic.

1). Could you please explain more about Biotalys’ broad pipeline of innovative biocontrol products, and how they are differentiated by their safety and effectiveness?

 Biotalys uses its proprietary technology platform to discover, develop, and commercialize solutions to control diseases, insects, and bacteria. These solutions are unique, nature-based, and deliver novel modes of action to effectively control these pests in a more sustainable way. Our pipeline is rich with fungicides, insecticides, and bactericides and covers a broad spectrum of targets. We are proud to develop products that will deliver a high level of effectiveness while being extremely safe for workers, consumers, and the environment. Our vision is around “food protection” starting with the seed, continuing on-farm, and closing post-harvest up until the consumer. The safety of our solutions allows us to get into spaces where other products won’t be able to be applied.

2). By some estimates, nearly 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. ends up as food waste. Biotalys’ products have been touted to aid in food waste reduction – can you please explain this connection?

Given the high level of safety of our products, they can be applied in post harvest and potentially very close to when the consumer purchases it. This allows for extended shelf life across the supply chain – after the harvest, through storage and processing, shipping, and at the retail store. Increased shelf life will drive food waste reduction both before the product reaches the consumer and after the product is stored in their homes. 

3). The company’s latest funding was to finance the development, registration, and commercial scale production of its most advanced biofungicide. How is this diversification of funding progressing and what is the timetable for future investment opportunities with Biotalys?

We are progressing very well and approaching the launch of our first bio-fungicide in the U.S. in 2022. Next year will be an important year for us as we bring several exciting new projects into development, and funding will be key to support them.

 4). What’s the status of the commercial launch for BioFun-1? How is this product a disruptor in the space?

BioFun-1 is on track to be launched in the U.S. in 2022, with an initial focus in grapes, berries, and covered crops. The product has shown unmatched performance in our own trials as well as third-party independent trials from UC David and CalPoly in California. See: https://ucanr.edu/sites/eskalenlab/files/334906.pdf for the UC David results.

We are disrupting the space by developing products that deliver performance, consistency and reliability on par with traditional chemistry, while offering a superb safety profile. It will allow producers to grow safer food more sustainably. 

5). You have built out global networks in all major agricultural markets throughout your career. How, especially during a pandemic, is the progress with building out the RTP location and staff? Have you established a mission and goals for the U.S. team?

The pandemic has definitely created challenges, but we continue to push forward with our plans, including recruitment. We have brought a statistician to our team in RTP and are about to hire experts for two new roles in the next few months. Exciting times!

About Diego Angelo

Diego Angelo, a native of Argentina who now lives in North Carolina, USA, is Chief Business Officer and Head of Biotalys Inc.

He is passionate about the use of technology to address the most pressing global issues around food production and the protection of the environment.

Prior to joining Biotalys, Angelo was the chief commercial officer for Sound Agriculture, successfully engineering the launch of Sound’s first commercial product in the U.S. and closing multiple deals in the crop enhancement and epigenetics spaces.

Before that, and over 17 years, he held multiple commercial leadership roles at BASF, Bayer, and Monsanto in Crop Protection as well as seeds and traits businesses.

These opportunities took him and his family abroad multiple times: Argentina, St Louis, Mo., Germany, France, and Raleigh, N.C. They enjoyed the chance to get to know and learn new countries, cultures, and languages.

Angelo attended the UADE in Argentina earning a B.Sc. in agricultural management; he later completed his MBA at the University of CEMA.

~ Michelle Pelletier Marshall is managing editor for HighQuest Group’s Global AgInvesting’s GAI Gazette magazine and its WIA Today blog, as well as a contributor to GAI News and the Oilseed & Grain News. She can be reached at mmarshall@highquestgroup.com.