Marrone Bio Innovations

Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) was an agricultural technology company focused on the discovery, development, and sale of biologically-based products for pest management and plant health. The company was founded in 2006 by Dr. Pamela Marrone, a serial entrepreneur in the agricultural biotechnology space. Her journey in this field began with a childhood fascination with entomology after seeing caterpillar infestations destroy trees. This passion led her to earn a B.S. in Entomology from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in the same field from North Carolina State University. Before founding MBI, Dr. Marrone started her career at Monsanto, founded Entotech Inc. for Novo Nordisk, and established AgraQuest, which was later acquired by Bayer Crop Science.

MBI targeted the agricultural sector, serving growers of specialty crops like fruits, nuts, and vegetables, as well as row crops and the turf and ornamental markets. The company's business model revolved around creating environmentally responsible alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides. Revenue was generated through the sale of its portfolio of proprietary products. The company's research and development program screened thousands of naturally occurring microorganisms and plant extracts to create its solutions, which were supported by a portfolio of over 500 issued and pending patents.

The product lineup included biofungicides, bioinsecticides, and bionematicides. Key products included REGALIA®, a plant extract-based biofungicide that promotes plant health, and GRANDEVO® and VENERATE®, which are microbial-based insecticides. Another product, Zequanox®, was developed to control invasive zebra and quagga mussels in water systems. These products offered growers a way to manage pests and diseases, potentially increase yields, and reduce the environmental load of chemical residues.

A significant milestone for MBI was its initial public offering on the NASDAQ stock exchange (as MBII) on August 2, 2013. In 2019, the company expanded its offerings by acquiring Pro Farm Technologies OY, a Finnish company specializing in nutrient and biostimulant products for seed and foliar treatments. However, the company also faced challenges, including an accounting scandal in 2016 that led to a restatement of financial results and a penalty. Dr. Marrone retired as CEO in 2020. In July 2022, Marrone Bio Innovations was acquired by the Argentinian firm Bioceres Crop Solutions in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $236 million, combining the two companies' portfolios to create a larger entity in sustainable agricultural solutions. Following the merger, MBI was set to continue its operations as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bioceres under the name ProFarm.

Keywords: biological crop protection, biopesticides, biofungicides, bioinsecticides, plant health, sustainable agriculture, agricultural biotechnology, Pamela Marrone, Bioceres Crop Solutions, Regalia, Grandevo, Venerate, Zequanox, crop nutrition, integrated pest management, agtech, natural products, microbial pesticides, seed treatments, sustainable farming, ProFarm, bionutrition, biostimulants, environmental farming