What Terviva does

Terviva, Inc. is a US-based agricultural innovation company founded in 2010 in Alameda, California, that has spent 15+ years commercializing pongamia (Millettia pinnata), a climate-resilient leguminous tree, into a scalable "super crop." Through genomic and field evaluation of hundreds of cultivars across roughly 2,000 acres of trials in the US and Australia, the company developed an elite cultivar library, proprietary nursery propagation methods, patented bean processing systems, and low-cost mechanized harvesting techniques. Operations span the United States (Hawaii, Florida, California), Australia (Queensland), and India (Mumbai and field/wild-harvest networks supporting approximately 1,000 women community leaders), with stated expansion intent into Central America, South America, and Southeast Asia.

Terviva monetizes a single raw material — the pongamia bean — through multiple product streams: (1) crude pongamia oil sold under long-term offtake agreements to biofuel and SAF producers including Chevron Renewable Energy Group, Mitsubishi Corporation, Idemitsu Kosan, and Sumitomo Corporation; (2) Ponova branded food ingredients (mid-oleic oil, protein isolates, and flour) sold to CPG manufacturers, with ALOHA as an anchor customer; (3) pongamia meal sold as protein-rich animal feed in India and Australia; (4) high-value bioactive flavonoids (karanjin and pongamol) extracted for cosmetics, biopesticides, and analytical uses; (5) elite tree sales and management services to farmer partners; and (6) pre-sold carbon credits generated by plantations on degraded land.

The company sells exclusively through direct B2B enterprise relationships — there are no DTC channels — and structures pricing via bespoke long-term contracts with energy majors, food brands, and commodity/financial investors. Strategic corporate capital has come from Mitsubishi (Dec 2023), Chevron REG (Oct 2024), Idemitsu (Jan 2025), and Nomura (Aug 2025), and the company has received ISCC EU, ISCC+, RED II, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Kosher certifications relevant to its biofuel and food end markets.

Name

Terviva

Legal name

Terviva, Inc.

Website

https://terviva.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Terviva is a US-based agricultural innovation company that has commercialized the pongamia tree into a multi-product platform, selling crude oil to biofuel and SAF producers (Chevron REG, Mitsubishi, Idemitsu, Sumitomo), Ponova oil and protein ingredients to food brands (ALOHA), animal feed, bioactives, and carbon credits through direct B2B enterprise agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-based food ingredients and biofuel feedstock

NAICS

Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (11321)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Sweetener & Stimulant Specialty Crop Farming (Stevia, Guarana, Kola) (AFAGAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems (EUABABAD), Essential Oils & Forest Aromatics Distillation (NTFP-Based) (AFAMAFAG), Phytogenics & Botanicals (Essential Oils, Herbs, Saponins) (AFADALAN)

Keywords

• Pongamia cultivation
• Biofuel feedstock
• Plant-based protein
• Sustainable vegetable oil
• Regenerative agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Alameda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Crude Pongamia Oil (Biofuel Feedstock): Terviva sells ISCC EU and ISCC+ certified crude pongamia oil as a drop-in feedstock for biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The oil has a carbon intensity score less than half of soybean oil. Revenue is generated through long-term offtake agreements with energy companies including Chevron Renewable Energy Group, Mitsubishi Corporation, Idemitsu, and Sumitomo.
2. Ponova Food Ingredients: Terviva commercializes Ponova branded food ingredients including mid-oleic Ponova oil (food oil) and protein isolates derived from pongamia beans. Products are sold to food manufacturers and brands; Aloha uses Ponova oil in plant-based protein bars as a front-of-label ingredient.
3. Animal Feed (Pongamia Meal): Pongamia meal, a protein-rich byproduct of oil extraction, is sold as an animal feed ingredient. The meal has a carbon intensity score up to 50% lower than traditional feed ingredients. Markets include India and Australia for cattle, dairy, and poultry feed.
4. Carbon Credits: Terviva has pre-sold carbon credits generated from pongamia tree plantations. The trees absorb and store CO2 at approximately 100 MT carbon/acre over 20 years. Partners are eager to reduce their impact through both tree planting and product offtake.
5. Bioactive Compounds (K&P): High-value bioactive flavonoids karanjin and pongamol are extracted and purified for commercial applications in skin care, cosmetics, biopesticides, and analytical standards. Additional flavonoids identified include kanjone, pongapin, and ovalitenone.
6. Elite Tree Sales and Management Services: Terviva provides elite pongamia trees, planting services, and ongoing management support to farmers and partners. The company works with stakeholders worldwide in energy, food, and agriculture, offering elite trees, management services, and pongamia product expertise.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Terviva develops and commercializes high-yielding pongamia tree cultivars and processes pongamia beans into multiple products sold to enterprise partners: Ponova Oil and Ponova Protein (food ingredients), Crude Pongamia Oil (renewable diesel and SAF feedstock), Pongamia Meal (animal feed), and bioactive flavonoids (karanjin and pongamol). The company also provides elite trees, planting services, and agronomic management to farmers, and pre-sells carbon credits from its plantations.

Product overview

Terviva is an agricultural innovation company that has developed pongamia trees into a commercial 'super crop' platform. The company's offerings span three interconnected product lines: (1) Food ingredients including Ponova® Oil (mid-oleic cooking oil with buttery mouthfeel) and Ponova® Protein (high-quality protein isolates), sold to food manufacturers; (2) Energy/Biofuel products including Crude Pongamia Oil as a low-carbon feedstock for renewable diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF); and (3) Animal Feed (Pongamia Meal) with lower carbon intensity than traditional feeds. The company also offers Elite Pongamia Cultivars for farmers and bioactive compounds (Karanjin and Pongamol) for cosmetics and research applications. All products derive from the same pongamia bean, enabling cost efficiencies through shared processing infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ponova®: Premium food ingredients brand including Ponova oil (mid-oleic cooking oil with buttery mouthfeel and neutral flavor) and Ponova protein isolates. Products are Non-GMO Project Verified and Kosher Certified.
• Ponova™ Oil

Products and services

• Ponova Oil

Quantifiable outcome

• 3x oil yield per acre vs soybeans (1.5 MT pongamia oil vs 0.25 MT soybean oil per acre)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Mitsubishi CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerviva and Mitsubishi Corporation entered into a strategic partnership in December 2023 to bring crude pongamia oil to the liquid fuels market as a first-of-its-kind biofuel feedstock. Mitsubishi also provided financing to Terviva. The partnership combines MC's global networks and industry expertise with Terviva's pongamia cultivation and processing capabilities to accelerate low-carbon fuel production. Crude pongamia oil is ISCC Plus & EU Certified and meets RED II and global sustainability criteria.
• ALOHAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALOHA collaborated with Terviva to bring the world's first commercially available food product featuring Ponova oil to market. The Kona Bar (launched March 2023) was followed by the Pa'akai Bar (launched March 2024), with Ponova oil as a front-of-label sustainable ingredient. 10% of Pa'akai Bar proceeds are donated to Kupu, a Hawaii youth nonprofit.
• Stanmore ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStanmore Resources, an Australia-based coal resource company, partnered with Terviva and Idemitsu for a pilot pongamia plantation project. The trial covers approximately 50 hectares of land around coal mines in Queensland operated by Stanmore, leveraging degraded or buffer land for SAF feedstock production.
• Sumitomo CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSumitomo Corporation joined the Mulgrave Pongamia Project in December 2025, agreeing to participate alongside Idemitsu Kosan, Terviva, and Stanmore Resources in a pilot plantation project in Australia. The pilot covers approximately 50 hectares of land around coal mines in Queensland. This is Sumitomo's first participation in a SAF feedstock manufacturing business utilizing vegetable oils, accelerating its Energy Solutions business growth.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aemetis: Aemetis produces renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel from low-carbon feedstocks (waste oils, corn oil) under its 'Carbon Zero' platform. Most directly comparable to Terviva in combining proprietary feedstock development with downstream biofuel offtake to energy majors.
• CoverCress (now part of Bunge): CoverCress developed a novel winter oilseed cover crop (pencilflower/Thlaspi arvense) for biofuel feedstock between corn harvest and soybean planting. Closely analogous to Terviva as a company converting a non-traditional plant into a commercial low-carbon oilseed supply chain.

Emerging players

• Benson Hill: Benson Hill combines proprietary plant genetics with ingredient processing to produce plant-based food ingredients (soy protein, yellow pea). Comparable to Terviva's IP-driven cultivar selection + Ponova ingredient commercialization model for sustainable CPG applications.
• Cibus: Cibus develops non-GMO gene-editing traits in canola, rice, and other crops for plant-based ingredients. Comparable IP-led crop improvement model, though focused on row crops rather than pongamia tree cultivation.

Broad incumbents

• Gevo: Gevo is a publicly traded SAF and renewable hydrocarbons producer developing low-carbon alcohol-to-jet and isobutanol pathways. Broadly comparable as a SAF-focused player competing for the same off-taker demand pool.
• LanzaTech: LanzaTech produces ethanol and SAF from captured carbon emissions via gas fermentation. Adjacent in targeting SAF mandates but with a fundamentally different carbon-to-fuels platform; competes for the same corporate off-taker relationships.
• Neste: Neste is the world's largest producer of renewable diesel and SAF from waste and residue feedstocks. Represents the established incumbent whose supply chain Terviva must compete against — and potentially supply — in the biofuel feedstock market.
• Indigo Ag: Indigo Ag is an agricultural innovation platform working on microbial seed treatments, carbon farming, and sustainable crop supply chains. Comparable in combining agronomic IP with sustainability/carbon-revenue streams, though Indigo focuses on row crops rather than tree crops.
• Cargill: Cargill is a global agribusiness giant trading and processing grains, oilseeds, and animal feed — directly overlapping Terviva's downstream customers and supply chains. Could be a future offtake partner or competitive threat in the food and feed markets.
• ADM: ADM is one of the world's largest agricultural processors and ingredient suppliers across food, feed, and biofuel markets. Represents both a potential go-to-market partner for Ponova ingredients and an incumbent competitor in plant-based oils and proteins.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/terviva_inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/Terviva
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terviva

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Terviva