M2i Life Sciences completes a historic fundraising of 60 million Euros

To support its strong growth, M2i Life Sciences has concluded a capital increase of 60 million Euros with five leading investors (ADM Capital, Eurazeo Growth, Téthys Invest, Creadev and France 2i fund managed by RAISE Impact).

Within 6 years, M2i Life Sciences (M2i) has established itself as a key player in ecological transition. M2i is the European leader and one of the world's leading players in the pheromone market. Pheromones are odours naturally emitted by insects and reproduced by bio-mimicry in the laboratory and applied in crops, to effectively fight against invasive insect pests, replacing conventional insecticides.

To face the new growth challenges of a greener, more efficient and environmentally friendly planet, pheromones, which are selective and respectful of biodiversity, are the most promising solution.

With more than 60 products marketed in 25 countries, 19 patent families, around ten marketing authorizations worldwide and thanks to high technology processes in synthesis, formulation and field application, M2i provides innovative solutions to effectively, sustainably and economically replace chemical pesticides in agriculture (corn, cotton, orchards, vineyards, vegetables...), and also in parks and gardens (palm trees, pines, boxwood...).M2i's goal is to ensure a leadership position worldwide in the Biocontrol sector.

To strengthen its status as a technological and commercial reference in a market growing at24% per year (source: IBMA France, July 2019), supported by strong societal expectations with new demands from consumers or producers, as well as a favourable global regulatory context, M2i opens its capital to new reference partners: ADM Capital (through the Cibus Fund), Téthys Invest(investment holding company of the Bettencourt-Meyers family), Creadev (investment holding company of the Mulliez family)and France 2i Fondation de France’s fund managed by RAISE Impact, while continuing to rely on its historical shareholder Idinvest Partners,and more specifically, its growth capital team, which is now called Eurazeo Growth.

This capital increase of 60 million Euros, supported by partners committed for the long term, combining knowledge of the agricultural mechanisms, expertise in the field of activities with strong environmental impact and know-how in distribution, will enable the company to continue expanding its range of products and commercialising in France and internationally.

The objective of M2i is to significantly expand its portfolio of products approved worldwide by 2022, while quickly rolling out its new biological protection products.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome today to M2i's capital new partners of high quality. This transaction, led by ADM Capital, is a key step in our development. Having such investors alongside us reinforces both our position in the innovative strategy initiated since 2013 and our ambition to rapidly roll out globally our market-ready products for biological treatment in field crops and specialty crops" says Philippe Guerret, President of M2i Life Sciences Group. "This major operation in the field of AgTech confirms the growth potential of alternative solutions for sustainable and responsible agriculture. This is a strong marker of the dynamics of the sector which should represent 30% of the plant protection market before 2030 (source: IBMA France, July 2019). This reinforces our long-term commitment to the world of agriculture of tomorrow" says Alastair Cooper (Head of Venture Capital atthe Cibus Fund, ADM Capital).