What Lithos Crop Protect does

Lithos Crop Protect GmbH is an Austrian agricultural technology startup founded in 2015 and headquartered in Ennsdorf, Austria. The company develops and commercializes environmentally friendly pest control products based on natural pheromones as an alternative to chemical pesticides. Its core offering is a patent-protected sprayable pheromone technology that enables cost-effective application on large agricultural areas, addressing the historical limitation of conventional pheromone dispensers which were uneconomical at scale.

The product portfolio centers on the flagship sprayable pheromone product targeting maize pest control, with additional research and development across biocontrol solutions, biostimulants and fertilisers, and a lithos natural zeolite line. The company's go-to-market relies on a mix of distribution channels: an international distribution channel for cross-border sales, a dedicated Austria distribution network for domestic mid-market customers, and an e-commerce storefront on the company website for direct-to-grower purchases. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Revenue is not yet reported, and the first commercial product is described as undergoing regulatory approval as of 2023.

Lithos has raised funding across three disclosed rounds (2019, June 2022, and October 2023), with the European Innovation Council (EIC) as a repeated institutional investor alongside regional investor Invest AG. The company is led by founder and CEO Franz Reitbauer and operates with a small team (1–10 employees). No parent company, subsidiaries, acquisitions, or management changes beyond the founder-led structure are recorded in the available data.

Name

Lithos Crop Protect

Legal name

Lithos Crop Protect GmbH

Website

https://lithosprotect.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lithos Crop Protect is an Austrian startup developing patent-protected sprayable pheromone products for sustainable agriculture. It targets maize and other crop growers with natural, eco-friendly pest control alternatives to chemical pesticides, distributed internationally and via direct channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Crop Protection / Biopesticides

NAICS

Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Pest Management Products (Pheromones, Attractants, Repellents) (AFABAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

OMRI-Listed Crop Protection (Botanical & Mineral Pesticides) (AFABAKAA), Crop Protection Chemicals (Herbicides/Insecticides/Fungicides) (IMAEAEAI)

Keywords

• Sustainable crop protection
• Pheromone pest control
• Biopesticide products
• Agricultural inputs
• Integrated pest management

Headquarters

HQ city

Ennsdorf

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Lithos Crop Protect develops and sells sprayable, pheromone-based crop protection products for sustainable agriculture. Its patented spray technology enables economical application of natural pest control on large agricultural areas, offering an alternative to chemical pesticides. The first product targets maize pest control and is currently undergoing regulatory approval.

Product overview

Lithos Crop Protect is an Austrian startup offering a novel, environmentally friendly pest control technology based on natural pheromones. The company's product portfolio centers on its patented sprayable pheromone technology, with its first product targeting maize pest control. Research areas include Pheromones (core technology), Biocontrol solutions, Biostimulants and fertilisers, and lithos natural zeolite. The company distributes products internationally and in Austria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sprayable Pheromone Pest Control Product (Maize) Sprayable pheromone-based pest control product using patented spray technology that enables economical application on large agricultural areas; intended as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides, with the first commercialization targeting maize pest control.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science: One of the world's largest crop protection and seed companies with an expanding biologicals business. Comparable to Lithos as a broad incumbent whose biocontrol offerings overlap with pheromone-based solutions for major field crops including maize.
• Koppert Biological Systems: Global leader in biological crop protection including biopesticides and pheromone-based products. Comparable to Lithos as a broad biocontrol incumbent, though significantly larger and operating across many products and geographies.
• Biobest Group: Major biological control and pollination company offering biopesticides, beneficial insects, and pheromone products. Comparable to Lithos as a competitor in biocontrol and pheromone-based crop protection, with broader portfolio and global scale.
• Suterra: One of the largest global suppliers of pheromone-based pest control products for agriculture. Highly comparable to Lithos Crop Protect as a direct category peer in mating disruption, though Suterra operates across many crops globally and is the established category leader.
• Syngenta: Global crop protection and seeds company with a growing biologicals portfolio. Comparable to Lithos as a broad incumbent in crop protection whose investment in biocontrol and biopesticides competes for the same sustainable-agriculture demand.

Direct peers

• Pherobank: Netherlands-based supplier of pheromone lures and related IPM products. Directly comparable to Lithos as a specialist pheromone-product company serving European agricultural and research markets.
• Russell IPM: UK-based manufacturer of pheromone-based and other biorational pest control solutions for agriculture. Directly comparable to Lithos as a pheromone-product peer focused on IPM for crops.
• ISCA Technologies: Developer of pheromone-based and other semiochemical pest control solutions for agriculture, forestry, and urban pest management. Comparable to Lithos as a peer specializing in pheromone-based pest control formulations.
• Trécé Inc. US-based manufacturer of pheromone and kairomone-based insect monitoring and control products used in integrated pest management. Directly comparable to Lithos as a pheromone-product specialist serving agricultural growers.

Emerging players

• NovAgrica (Novakem): European innovator in pheromone-based delivery formulations for agricultural pest control. Comparable to Lithos as a smaller European pheromone-focused R&D player operating in a similar niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lithos-crop-protect-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 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 Lithos Crop Protect