Swedish agtech company Arevo has secured €7.3 million in funding to accelerate the scale-up of its bio-based fertiliser production and expand internationally. The company uses arginine, a naturally occurring amino acid, as a bio-based nitrogen source that promotes stronger root development and reduces nitrogen leaching.
The funding will support Arevo’s expansion beyond Europe, with plans to enter Brazil’s soy market by 2027, the world’s largest. Arevo is currently running over 60 field trials across 16 countries, spanning crops from soy, corn, and potatoes to tomatoes and winter wheat.
Yield gains and soil health
At the heart of Arevo’s offering is Arevo Booster, a seed coating for soy that has demonstrated yield increases between 1.25% and 12.97%, depending on conditions. More consistent field trials suggest a typical 4-6% yield boost per hectare, achieved through improved nutrient efficiency, stronger root systems, and enhanced resilience to drought and other stresses.
Beyond yield, Arevo Booster improves plant health metrics:
- NDVI (plant vigor): +6-8%
- Plant height: +8%
- Nitrogen fixation: Enhanced via more active root nodules
This allows soy plants to utilize nitrogen more sustainably, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers and cutting nitrogen emissions by up to 75% – and in some cases, nearly to zero.
From Northern Sweden to global fields
“We launched our soy product in Europe last year,” Ling Koay, Arevo’s Chief Marketing Officer, told AgTechNavigator. “We have already very good data from efficacy trials for our corn and potato products. Our plan is to launch our soy product in Brazil in 2027.”
Koay emphasized the unique properties of arginine: “It’s positively charged and binds to the negatively charged soil, so it sticks like a magnet reducing nitrogen leaching and waste of nutrients. Besides that, it’s a naturally occurring in the soil and a nutrition that plants prefer, promoting symbiotic benefits from its attraction and interaction with beneficial microbes in the soil.”
Farmer-centric
Asked about operational challenges it foresees in scaling production and distribution, Koay cited Bill Gates’ recent memo on sustainable fertiliser: “Farmers can already buy replacements for synthetic fertilisers without the climate side effects. The challenge is scaling production and helping farmers cut through the noise to find what works.”
She added: “I don’t think it’s an education issue with the farmers – they are smart and resourceful.” Instead, she believes they’re under pressure and need solutions that are proven, cost-effective, and easy to adopt. “We want to help farmers to find the best solutions that actually works.”
Arevo’s goal is to replace mineral fertilisers while improving farmer economics. “The cost per hectare should be positive. It should be worthwhile to choose the sustainable alternative.
The plan is to grow “step by step”, she said, whilst showing that research from northern Sweden can help change how the world farms. “We will build an industry out of this. It will take time, but we are on our way.”
