Hedera-22

Hedera-22 is a biotechnology company specializing in the discovery of novel biomolecules for the agricultural sector. A 2015 spin-off from the University of Liège, the company was founded by scientists and professors Denis Baurain, Marc Hanikenne, Sebastien Rigali, and Pierre Tocquin. Initially providing bioinformatics services, the firm shifted its focus in 2020 to discovering natural products for biopesticides.

The company's core is an intelligent discovery platform that combines predictive bioinformatics, proprietary machine learning algorithms, and DNA-based synthesis to identify high-potential natural products. This technology aims to accelerate the discovery of new herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, addressing gaps in the agricultural market. Hedera-22's business model is centered on B2B collaborations and includes providing a pre-characterized library of unique biomolecules available for screening under licensing agreements or partnerships with stakeholders in the bioprotection industry.

The company has secured multiple rounds of funding to advance its research and development. In 2020, it raised over €1 million in a round led by Globachem, with support from Noshaq and Belfius. More recently, in August 2024, Hedera-22 announced a fundraising of approximately €2 million from shareholders Aravis, Gesval, Noshaq, and K&E, supplemented by subsidies from the Walloon Region. This funding supports the 'Ab-Initio' project, launched in 2023 to further develop its discovery platform and build an extensive library of patentable molecules, with the first version of the platform anticipated in early 2026.

Keywords: biomolecule discovery, biopesticides, bioinformatics, machine learning, synthetic biology, agricultural technology, natural products, crop protection, sustainable agriculture, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, molecular library, DNA-based synthesis, agtech, R&D, licensing, biotech, metabolite discovery, green chemistry