Aplantex
Aplantex is a Québec-based green biotechnology company that uses proprietary photosynthetic phytoreplicators to produce certified plant-based polyphenols and flavonoids for B2B customers in cosmetics, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agri-food industries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Aplantex does
Aplantex is a Quebec-based green biotechnology company that produces plant-based active compounds for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agri-food industries. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Montréal with a 12,000+ sqft research and production facility in Boucherville, the company has 11–50 employees and is led by CEO Patrick Charest and CSO Mourad Sabri, Ph.D. Its core technology is a proprietary platform of photosynthetic phytoreplicators — controlled indoor systems that produce plant biomass continuously year-round, with an average doubling time of 48 hours and carbon content up to 40% of dry weight, capturing atmospheric CO2.
The platform extracts certified high-value polyphenols and flavonoids (including apigenin, orientin, vitexin, luteolin, and hydroxyacetophenone) for use as active ingredients in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-aging applications. Aplantex serves B2B enterprise customers through direct sales and strategic partnerships, with Symrise AG publicly disclosed as a core commercial partner. The company's go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with industry-event presence (Vitafoods, Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, Making Cosmetics) and acceleration programs such as Go Global: Québec. Revenue is generated through ingredient supply contracts with quote-based, multi-year pricing; revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.
The business model is supported by cumulative disclosed funding of approximately CAD $13.3M raised across seed, Series-equivalent, and bridge rounds between 2023 and 2026, plus a CAD $2.2M research grant with Université Laval. Aplantex is currently transitioning from research to production-oriented operations, with active expansion of IP (3 patents and 6 breeder's rights filed in 2026), partnerships (Investissement Québec demonstration plant, Université Laval AI platform), and international growth programs. The company's positioning emphasizes supply-chain security for plant-based molecules, ESG compliance for buyers, and a carbon-negative production footprint.
Aplantex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aplantex
- Legal name
- Aplantex Bio
- Website
- https://aplantex.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aplantex is a Québec-based green biotechnology company that uses proprietary photosynthetic phytoreplicators to produce certified plant-based polyphenols and flavonoids for B2B customers in cosmetics, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agri-food industries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aplantex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-based Active Ingredients
- NAICS
- Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411)
- SIC
- Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Antioxidants & Phytochemicals (Carotenoids, Tocopherols, Flavonoids, CoQ10, Resveratrol) (AFAJAKAI)
Keywords
Where Aplantex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Aplantex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Plant-Based Active Ingredients Sales: Sale of certified high-value plant molecules (polyphenols, flavonoids) to cosmetics, pharmaceutical, agri-food, and natural health industries. Revenue generated through supply agreements with enterprise customers like Symrise AG. Production of molecules including apigenin, orientin, vitexin, luteolin, and hydroxyacetophenone.
- Strategic Partnership Revenue: Revenue from strategic partnerships with major ingredient buyers like Symrise AG, including development fees and long-term supply contracts for hard-to-source plant-based molecules.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise B2B ingredient supply |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Aplantex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aplantex produces certified plant-based active compounds, primarily polyphenols and flavonoids (including apigenin, orientin, vitexin, luteolin, and hydroxyacetophenone), using proprietary photosynthetic phytoreplicators in controlled indoor environments. The platform delivers continuous, local, year-round supply of high-value molecules for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agri-food industries, operating on a carbon-negative basis with renewable hydroelectric power.
Product overview
Aplantex offers a unified green biotechnology platform centered on proprietary photosynthetic phytoreplicators that produce continuous, sustainable supplies of certified plant-based active molecules. The platform enables local production of polyphenols and flavonoids (including apigenin, orientin, vitexin, luteolin, and hydroxyacetophenone) for the cosmetics, natural health, agrifood, and pharmaceutical industries, with immediate ESG compliance for customers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Green Biotechnology Platform Aplantex's proprietary and customizable industrial platform that produces abundant plant biomass locally and continuously in a strictly controlled indoor environment using photosynthetic phytoreplicators, from which high-value polyphenols and flavonoids are extracted for the cosmetics, natural health, agrifood, and pharmaceutical industries.
- Photosynthetic Phytoreplicators Proprietary plant-based production units that rapidly reproduce biomass with desired genetic characteristics in a controlled indoor environment, enabling continuous production of certified molecules with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-aging properties. Six breeder's rights have been filed for the underlying proprietary plant clonal lines.
- Polyphenol and Flavonoid Extracts High-value plant-based active ingredients including apigenin, orientin, vitexin, luteolin, and hydroxyacetophenone (4-HAP) produced through the green biotechnology process, sold as certified ingredients for cosmetics, nutraceuticals, pharmaceutical, and agri-food formulations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90 tons CO2/year reduction per production line vs competing processes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Aplantex
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Aplantex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Aplantex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- Université Lavalcore$2.2 million joint research project funded by Genome Canada and Génome Québec to develop high-throughput platform combining AI, genetic transformation, and hyperspectral imaging for accelerated selection of high-yielding plant clonal lines. Project aims to significantly increase production of bioactive phytochemical compounds. Led by Dr. Davoud Torkamaneh, assistant professor in Department of Plant Science.
- Investissement QuébeccorePartnership giving Aplantex access to Investissement Québec's technological demonstration plant for sustainable chemistry in Québec City, along with technical innovation experts. Enables refinement of extraction processes for molecules with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-aging properties. Strategic asset supporting commercialization efforts.
- Symrise AGcoreStrategic partnership for developing and producing hard-to-source plant-based molecules using Aplantex's green biotechnology platform. Aplantex has successfully produced several antioxidant molecules (apigenin, orientin, vitexin, luteolin) for Symrise. Partnership represents major commercial opportunity confirming technology strength. Dr. Jakob Ley, Director of Biobased Ingredients Research at Symrise, noted Aplantex's strong potential to secure access to rare plant-based molecules.
- IQ InnovationminorIQ Innovation stimulates industrial and digital innovation within Quebec SMEs. Aplantex participates in their vox pop clips and promotional activities, highlighting their green biotechnology process.
- SVG Ventures/THRIVEmajorPartner in Go Global: Québec program for international expansion. Provides mentorship, investor connections, corporate partner access, and industry leader guidance for 13-week intensive program culminating in Thrive Summit in California.
- Zone AgtechminorCollaborating partner in Go Global: Québec program supporting international growth of agtech and biotechnology companies.
- Esplanade QuebecminorQuebec accelerator focused on socio-ecological transition through entrepreneurial innovation. Aplantex selected for Transformation program for scaling support, with coaching from Lauren Rathmell, co-founder of Lufa Farms.
- Solar Impulse FoundationminorFoundation recognizing efficient solutions for environmental protection. Aplantex moves forward with Solar Impulse Foundation for sustainable solution validation.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aplantex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Naturex (Givaudan): Plant-extract specialist now part of Givaudan, producing botanical extracts for food, nutraceutical, and personal care. Most directly comparable on extraction methodology and plant-ingredient portfolio overlap, though much larger and incumbently positioned.
- DSM-Firmenich: Global ingredients major combining DSM's nutrition/health business with Firmenich's F&F and botanical actives portfolio. Comparable because it sells bio-based, plant-derived ingredients into the same pharma, cosmetics, and nutraceutical customers Aplantex targets, with much broader scope and scale.
- Givaudan: World's largest F&F company with an Active Beauty division selling botanical actives to cosmetics and personal care majors. Comparable customer base and active ingredient categories to Aplantex, but operates at global incumbency scale across a much broader portfolio.
- Chr. Hansen (Novonesis): Global biotech producing microbial and fermentation-based ingredients for food, health, and agriculture. Comparable as a platform biotech producing bio-based specialty ingredients at industrial scale, though broader scope (probiotics, enzymes, cultures) than Aplantex's flavonoid focus.
Direct peers
- Evolva: Swiss biotech producing fermentation-derived ingredients (e.g., vanillin, resveratrol, stevia) for F&F, nutraceutical, and personal care. Highly comparable as a biotech platform producing high-value plant molecules via fermentation/biotechnology rather than agriculture, targeting overlapping customers.
- Indena: Italian global leader in plant-based active ingredients for pharma, nutraceutical, and cosmetics. Directly comparable to Aplantex in target customers (F&F, cosmetic, and nutraceutical majors), botanical extraction focus, and B2B ingredient supply model, though using traditional agricultural extraction rather than Aplantex's phytoreplicator approach.
- Sabinsa: US-based manufacturer of standardized herbal extracts, cosmeceuticals, and nutraceutical ingredients. Comparable in producing high-purity plant-derived active compounds (including flavonoids) for pharma and personal care customers, with vertically integrated extraction and supply.
- Euromed: Spanish/European producer of standardized botanical extracts and natural active ingredients for pharma, nutraceutical, and cosmetics. Closely comparable in customer verticals, botanical extraction methodology, and ingredient categories overlapping with Aplantex's flavonoid/polyphenol portfolio.
- Botanic Healthcare: Indian producer of standardized botanical extracts, phytochemicals, and nutraceutical ingredients. Comparable in producing flavonoid and polyphenol ingredients (including apigenin, luteolin) for pharma, nutraceutical, and cosmetics customers — direct molecule overlap with Aplantex's product range.
Emerging players
- Kuehnle AgroBio: Hawaii-based biotech using plant cell culture to produce high-value specialty ingredients for cosmetics and health. Closely comparable to Aplantex in core approach (plant-cell/biomass cultivation rather than field extraction) and target customer verticals.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aplantex social profiles
Digital presenceAplantex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aplantex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Aplantex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aplantex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aplantex
What does Aplantex do?
Aplantex produces certified plant-based active compounds, primarily polyphenols and flavonoids (including apigenin, orientin, vitexin, luteolin, and hydroxyacetophenone), using proprietary photosynthetic phytoreplicators in controlled indoor environments. The platform delivers continuous, local, year-round supply of high-value molecules for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agri-food industries, operating on a carbon-negative basis with renewable hydroelectric power.
Is Aplantex a public or private company?
Aplantex is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Aplantex founded?
Aplantex was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aplantex based?
Aplantex is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Aplantex make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Plant-Based Active Ingredients Sales are the primary driver. The others are strategic Partnership Revenue.
Who are Aplantex's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Naturex (Givaudan), DSM-Firmenich, Givaudan and Chr. Hansen (Novonesis). Direct peers are Evolva, Indena, Sabinsa, Euromed and Botanic Healthcare. Kuehnle AgroBio is listed as an emerging player.
Does Aplantex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aplantex.
What industry is Aplantex in?
Aplantex's product category is Plant-based Active Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAJAKAI, Antioxidants & Phytochemicals (Carotenoids, Tocopherols, Flavonoids, CoQ10, Resveratrol). Its NAICS code is 325411 and its SIC code is 2833.