PheroSyn
PheroSyn is a UK agricultural biotech spin-out of Rothamsted Research that develops and sells species-specific insect pheromone lures for monitoring midge and weevil pests in legume, cereal, and pear crops, plus semiochemical bee attractants for strawberry pollination, via direct e-commerce to farmers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersHarpenden, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What PheroSyn does
PheroSyn Ltd. is a privately held UK agricultural biotechnology company spun out of Rothamsted Research in 2018 and headquartered in Harpenden. The company develops and sells species-specific insect pheromone products for agricultural pest monitoring and control, targeting non-lepidopteran pests — primarily midges and weevils — that traditional commercial pheromone producers cannot supply. PheroSyn's core product line comprises five pheromone lure SKUs (Pea Midge, Pea & Bean Weevil, Saddle Gall Midge, Orange Wheat Blossom Midge, Pear Gall Midge) sold individually at £6.00–£8.78 per unit, plus a Bee Attractant semiochemical technology under field trial for strawberry pollination. Synthesis is performed using proprietary Green Chemistry techniques developed from over 40 years of Rothamsted chemical ecology research.
The company operates a direct-to-consumer, e-commerce-only distribution model with global shipping from pherosyn.com, targeting UK and European field pea, bean, cereal, pear, and strawberry growers as its primary customer segment. PheroSyn supplements product revenue with grant-funded R&D from Innovate UK and equity investment from agri-food focused VCs including Rockstart AgriFood, Tall Grass Ventures, Sustainable Ventures, and prior backers Nutrien and Radicle Growth. Strategic consortium partnerships with CHAP, AgriSound, Biobest UK, and NIAB position the company to expand from pest monitoring into pollination management for protected horticulture.
Commercially, PheroSyn is at an early stage: the team comprises 1–10 employees plus a deep scientific advisory network, revenue is not publicly disclosed, and unit economics rely on consumable, one-time purchases with defined shelf life rather than recurring contracts. Field trial outcomes are strong — up to 100% pesticide reduction and 40% yield increases in UK pea trials, and yield loss reduction from 30% to 3% in pea midge studies — but the company has yet to demonstrate scaled commercial adoption.
PheroSyn firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PheroSyn
- Legal name
- PheroSyn Ltd.
- Website
- https://pherosyn.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- PheroSyn is a UK agricultural biotech spin-out of Rothamsted Research that develops and sells species-specific insect pheromone lures for monitoring midge and weevil pests in legume, cereal, and pear crops, plus semiochemical bee attractants for strawberry pollination, via direct e-commerce to farmers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PheroSyn industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural pest management
- NAICS
- Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (325320), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253)
- SIC
- Agricultural Chemicals (2870)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Semiochemicals & Pheromone-Based Control (Mating Disruption, Attract-and-Kill) (AFABAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integrated Pest Management Products (Pheromones, Attractants, Repellents) (AFABAAAN), Insect Traps & Lures (Sticky, Light, Pheromone) (CRAJAHAC)
Keywords
Where PheroSyn is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Harpenden
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
PheroSyn business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Pheromone Product Sales: Direct sales of pheromone-based insect monitoring and control products (pheromone lures and traps) to farmers and growers via the company's e-commerce storefront. Products are sold as individual units for one-time use with defined shelf life. The proprietary production methods allow for cost-effective creation of previously unavailable pheromone products.
- Grant-Funded Research & Development: PheroSyn receives grant funding from public bodies (e.g. Innovate UK) to fund research projects in pheromone applications and pollination technology. These grants support development of new products, supply chains, and innovative applications.
- Pollination Technology Services: Deployment of proprietary semiochemical technology for pollination management in protected crops. Revenue derived from novel bee attractant products and associated monitoring services for horticulture growers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual pheromone lure products sold at fixed unit prices |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
PheroSyn product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PheroSyn develops, manufactures, and sells species-specific pheromone-based insect monitoring and control products (pheromone lures and traps) for agricultural pests, with particular focus on non-lepidopteran species such as midges and weevils that cannot be produced via traditional commercial routes. The company also develops semiochemical bee attractant technology for pollination management in protected cropping. Products are sold directly to farmers and growers through the company's own e-commerce storefront.
Product overview
PheroSyn offers a portfolio of pheromone-based insect monitoring and control products. The core product line consists of five pheromone lures targeting specific agricultural pests: Pea Midge Pheromone Lure, Pea & Bean Weevil Pheromone Lure, Saddle Gall Midge Pheromone Lure, Orange Wheat Blossom Midge Pheromone Lure, and Pear Gall Midge Pheromone Lure. Additionally, the company has developed a Bee Attractant semiochemical technology for pollination management. These products work as targeted monitoring tools that enable farmers to detect pest activity early and time control measures precisely, reducing reliance on broad-spectrum chemical pesticides while preserving biodiversity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pea Midge Pheromone Lure
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 100% reduction in pesticide use in pea crops (field trials, UK data)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use PheroSyn
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
PheroSyn technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
PheroSyn partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core and flagship.
- Oakford FarmsecondaryWest Country farm managed without chemical pesticides or herbicides since 1968. Partner in the 12-month Innovate UK-funded 'Trialling a Novel Bee Attractant to Improve Strawberry Pollination' project. Field trials conducted across four polytunnels at Oakford Farm, which is recognised for its regenerative, nature-focused farming approach.
- Crop Health and Protection (CHAP)coreCHAP leads a consortium with PheroSyn, AgriSound, Biobest UK, and NIAB on a 24-month Innovate UK-funded project to develop acoustic sensors for monitoring pollinator activity and tools to modify pollinator behaviour in strawberry farms. PheroSyn contributes pheromone research in controlled environments as a long-term company goal.
- AgriSoundcoreUK agri-tech company delivering real-time insights into pollinator activity through bioacoustic monitoring (Polly devices). Partnered with PheroSyn on two Innovate UK-funded projects: strawberry pollination monitoring and bee attractant technology. AgriSound provides acoustic sensor technology complementing PheroSyn's semiochemical solutions.
- NIABcoreUK horticultural and agricultural research institute. Partner in the strawberry pollination project, conducting field trials to investigate efficacy of pollination technologies and the effect on strawberry quality, nutritional content and shelf life.
- Biobest UKcoreBiological pest control and pollination solutions provider. Member of the CHAP-led consortium developing pollinator monitoring and management technologies for strawberry production.
- Rothamsted ResearchflagshipWorld-renowned agricultural research institute founded in 1843. PheroSyn is a spin-out from Rothamsted's chemical ecology research group, which has led the insect chemical ecology field since the mid-1980s. Rothamsted scientists (Dr. David Withall, Dr. John Caulfield, Dr. Michael Birkett) serve as scientific consultants and collaborators, providing core expertise in pheromone identification, synthesis, and deployment.
- PGROsecondaryProcessors and Growers Research Organisation. Listed as an industry partner and collaborator supporting PheroSyn's research and product development for pulse and legume crop protection.
- Andermatt BiocontrolsecondaryBiocontrol solutions provider. Listed as an industry partner and collaborator supporting PheroSyn's sustainable pest management initiatives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PheroSyn competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Suterra: Suterra is one of the world's largest producers of pheromone-based insect control products for agriculture, offering mating disruption and monitoring systems across orchard, vineyard, and field crops. Directly comparable to PheroSyn as a pheromone-product specialist serving growers, though focused primarily on lepidopteran pests.
- Trécé Inc: Trécé is a US-based manufacturer of insect pheromone lures, traps, and monitoring kits used in integrated pest management programs for tree crops, vines, and row crops. Directly comparable to PheroSyn as a specialty pheromone lure/trap producer targeting agricultural pest monitoring.
- BioPhero: BioPhero (now part of FMC) pioneered yeast-based production of insect pheromones and represents the most direct technology parallel to PheroSyn's pheromone production platform. It is a directly comparable peer in specialty pheromone manufacturing, though at significantly larger scale post-FMC acquisition.
- M2i Group: M2i is a French manufacturer of pheromone-based biocontrol solutions for agriculture, forestry, and urban pest management. Closely comparable to PheroSyn as a European specialty pheromone producer serving field and orchard growers with species-specific products.
- Biobest Group: Biobest is a global leader in biological pest control and pollination, including bumblebee pollination for protected crops. Already a PheroSyn consortium partner (CHAP strawberry project), it is directly comparable in the pollination/semiochemical adjacency.
- Andermatt Biocontrol: Andermatt Biocontrol is a Swiss-headquartered producer of biopesticide and semiochemical products, including pheromone-based monitoring and mating disruption. Directly comparable to PheroSyn as a specialty pheromone producer; also listed as a PheroSyn industry partner.
- Bedoukian Research: Bedoukian Research is a US specialty chemical manufacturer producing insect pheromones and other semiochemicals for agricultural pest management. Directly comparable to PheroSyn as a specialty pheromone producer, particularly in custom synthesis and small-volume high-purity production.
Emerging players
- Semios: Semios is a Canadian precision agriculture platform combining pheromone-based mating disruption with IoT sensors, weather data, and analytics for tree crops. Comparable to PheroSyn in using pheromones within an IPM stack for growers, though it bundles broader data and hardware services.
Broad incumbents
- Koppert Biological Systems: Koppert is a global market leader in biological crop protection and pollination, offering a broad portfolio of biocontrol agents, pollinators and increasingly pheromone-based monitoring. Comparable to PheroSyn as a specialist in IPM inputs, but at much larger scale and product breadth.
- Syngenta: Syngenta is one of the world's largest crop protection companies with a growing biologicals and biocontrol portfolio. Comparable as a potential strategic acquirer and as a developer of IPM-adjacent solutions, with senior ex-Syngenta executives now on PheroSyn's board.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PheroSyn social profiles
Digital presencePheroSyn financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PheroSyn leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
PheroSyn funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PheroSyn 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 PheroSyn
What does PheroSyn do?
PheroSyn develops, manufactures, and sells species-specific pheromone-based insect monitoring and control products (pheromone lures and traps) for agricultural pests, with particular focus on non-lepidopteran species such as midges and weevils that cannot be produced via traditional commercial routes. The company also develops semiochemical bee attractant technology for pollination management in protected cropping. Products are sold directly to farmers and growers through the company's own e-commerce storefront.
Is PheroSyn a public or private company?
PheroSyn is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was PheroSyn founded?
PheroSyn was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is PheroSyn based?
PheroSyn is headquartered in Harpenden, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does PheroSyn make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Pheromone Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are grant-Funded Research & Development and pollination Technology Services.
Who are PheroSyn's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Suterra, Trécé Inc, BioPhero, M2i Group, Biobest Group, Andermatt Biocontrol and Bedoukian Research. Semios is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Koppert Biological Systems and Syngenta.
Does PheroSyn have an API?
No public API is recorded for PheroSyn.
What industry is PheroSyn in?
PheroSyn's product category is Agricultural pest management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAEAG, Semiochemicals & Pheromone-Based Control (Mating Disruption, Attract-and-Kill), with a secondary code of AFABAAAN, Integrated Pest Management Products (Pheromones, Attractants, Repellents). Its NAICS code is 325320 and its SIC code is 2870.