Zymofix and the EIC Accelerator: Microbes Grown on Farm Waste

Zymofix, a Belgian company founded as N-Fix, grows beneficial microorganisms for farming, such as strains that help plants take up nutrients or resist stress, on low-value agricultural residues using solid-state fermentation, which it says is cheaper than the liquid fermentation normally used for such products. It was selected in the EIC Accelerator's June 2023 cut-off and received an EU grant of €2.50 million for N-Spire, "Novel and Scalable microbial products for REgenerative agriculture", a €4.39 million project that ran from February 2024 to January 2026, according to CORDIS. The aim was a manufacturing platform for affordable, stable microbial biostimulants for row crops.

The latest report, to May 2025, says the pilot-scale fermentation units were fully operational, the integrated process was proven at pilot scale with a microbe count above 10⁹ per gram and purity above 98%, the products kept longer in storage than commercial references, and 14 field trials were running in five countries, according to the CORDIS reporting page. It also records early agreements with an agricultural cooperative and international agrochemical distributors. On 30 September 2026 Zymofix announced a Series A led by First Imagine! and a €6 million manufacturing plant in Deinze, according to Zymofix.

Where Zymofix Stands Now

Zymofix says customer demand now exceeds its capacity. The Deinze plant is to produce 300 tonnes a year from the fourth quarter of 2027, enough to treat about one million hectares, and a further €25 million expansion to 2,000 tonnes is planned for 2028. In April 2026 it completed a feasibility study with Bayer's biologics team showing that its process "can produce commercial strains that meet the quality benchmarks of established liquid fermentation processes", according to Zymofix. In June 2026 it won €1.9 million from the Flemish agency VLAIO for research with Ghent University. The size of the Series A was not disclosed.

The Technology: Solid-State Fermentation

Most microbial products are grown in large stainless-steel tanks of liquid nutrients, which is expensive, and the resulting products often have a short shelf life. Solid-state fermentation grows the microbes directly on moist solid material, here farm residues, which Zymofix says lowers cost and yields tougher organisms. The EU wants farmers to use fewer chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and cheaper biological products would make that easier for large crops like wheat and maize.

What the EIC Award Promised, and What the Record Shows

The award promised a scalable manufacturing platform and products validated in trials. The platform was proven at pilot scale, shelf life improved, and field trials ran across five countries. Commercial agreements were at an early stage when the project closed, and the regulatory focus shifted to biostimulants because biocontrol approval in Europe is slower. The factory announcement and Bayer study show the platform is moving to industrial use.

1. Pilot manufacturingDeliveredProven at pilot scale.
2. Shelf lifeDeliveredBetter than references.
3. Field validationIn progress14 trials, 5 countries.
4. Industrial scaleCommittedPlant announced, 2026.

The Money

The EU paid 57% of the project. Zymofix raised €2 million in 2024 in a round led by High-Tech Gründerfonds, according to biotope, and a Series A of undisclosed size in 2026. It says the first plant will be financed partly by the equity round and partly by revenue from existing customer programmes.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

Europe's farm-to-fork goals rely on biological alternatives to chemicals, and the cost of making microbes has held them back. Turning crop residues into microbial products is also a circular use of waste. Zymofix has moved from pilot to factory planning with EIC support.

The Verdict

Zymofix and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.