Agrematch

Based in Rehovot, Israel, Agrematch operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence and agricultural science, developing sustainable products for the agriculture and food industries. The company was founded in 2017 by a team of experienced entrepreneurs and industry veterans, including Eitan Glick, Ifat Shub, and Yael Phillip. The leadership, including CEO Eyal Ben-Chanoch, brings prior experience from major agricultural companies like Monsanto and Bayer.

Agrematch's core offering is its proprietary generative AI platform, "AI4AI" (Artificial Intelligence for Active Ingredients). This system is engineered to discover novel bioactive compounds by running predictive algorithms across a vast database of billions of molecules. The platform's objective is to significantly reduce the time, cost, and risks associated with developing new agricultural products compared to traditional R&D methods. The company reports its technology can shorten the typical seven-year discovery and trial period by up to five years. The system identifies and designs molecules with specific functionalities, creating a shortlist of candidates for development.

The company monetizes its technology by building a pipeline of products for crop protection and crop nutrition, addressing a market valued at over $130 billion. Its business model involves both developing its own products and forming strategic partnerships. A key collaboration is a multi-year agreement with ICL Group, a global specialty minerals company. This partnership includes an investment from ICL and focuses on co-developing novel crop nutrition solutions and biostimulants to improve plant and soil health, thereby maximizing crop yield and resilience. Agrematch's product pipeline includes a natural herbicide, codenamed AS9057, which has shown positive trial results in controlling weeds resistant to synthetic herbicides.

The company's clients are primarily large agricultural corporations seeking to enhance their product offerings with sustainable and effective solutions. By providing access to its AI-driven discovery process, Agrematch helps these partners innovate more efficiently. The firm has secured funding through several seed rounds, with investors including ICL PLANET Startup Hub, Ocean Azul Partners, Blue Lagoon Capital, and Frost Gamma Investment.

Keywords: AI discovery, crop nutrition, crop protection, bioactive compounds, AgTech, biostimulants, sustainable agriculture, computational chemistry, natural herbicides, molecule database