What KeyPlex does

KeyPlex is a Winter Park, Florida-based manufacturer founded in 1980 that develops and sells micronutrient nutritional supplements and botanical oil-based bio-pesticides for commercial agriculture. The company offers more than 50 products across four main categories: plant nutrition (including KeyPlex 120, PolyStart, JumpStart, IronPlex, and the DP-formula line of calcium, magnesium, boron, and specialty crop blends), bio-pesticides (AWP, Ecotrol Plus, Sporan EC, and KeyPlex 350 Organic), the Naiad sub-brand of soil penetrants for water management in agriculture, turf, and dust/erosion control, and EcoZAP Activator for mosquito abatement. Underlying technology includes proprietary complex chelation, mitochondrial energy boosting via KeyPlex 120, and botanical oil formulations that target insect octopamine receptors, supported by 40+ years of research, 700+ field trials, and $15 million invested in botanical compound analysis.

KeyPlex generates revenue through one-time product sales priced on a per-acre basis (e.g., KeyPlex 120 at approximately $5-$10 per acre) and distributed via a direct field-sales model with territory-based regional representatives across the US (Northeast, Midwest, California, Pacific Northwest, Florida, Southeast, Delta/Texas), Latin America (Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Dominican Republic), and early-stage contacts in Europe, the Middle East, and Japan. The company serves growers of specialty fruits, vegetables, citrus, tree nuts, row crops, greenhouse crops, and turfgrass, as well as mosquito abatement districts. Regulatory positioning includes OMRI listing, EPA exemption, USDA NOP compliance, and GRAS status for several botanical-oil products, supporting both organic and conventional channels.

Strategic positioning is anchored in scientific validation through university partnerships (University of Turin on citrus pathology, Iowa State University on mosquito resistance, Washington State University and the University of British Columbia on botanical modes of action) and in-house R&D that has yielded next-generation botanical insecticides in the regulatory pipeline. The company is privately held, led by President Gerald O'Connor, and remains independently operated without disclosed institutional investment or ownership changes.

Name

KeyPlex

Legal name

KeyPlex

Website

https://keyplex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KeyPlex manufactures micronutrient supplements and botanical oil-based bio-pesticides for commercial agriculture. The Winter Park, Florida-based company sells proprietary chelation-based nutrition products and OMRI-listed pest control solutions to growers across 16+ countries via regional field sales representatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Crop Nutrition and Biocontrols

NAICS

Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532), Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing (325314)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Micronutrient & Secondary-Nutrient Fertilizers (IMAEAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soil Health Activators & Biostimulants (Humates, Amino Acids, Seaweed Extracts) (AFABAKAJ), OMRI-Listed Crop Protection (Botanical & Mineral Pesticides) (AFABAKAA), Specialty Fertilizers for Horticulture & Controlled Environment (Greenhouse, Hydroponic, Nursery) (AFABACAL)

Keywords

• Plant nutrition products
• Botanical oil insecticides
• Agricultural micronutrient supplements
• Crop biocontrol products
• Soil water penetrants

Headquarters

HQ city

Winter Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plant Nutrition Products: KeyPlex generates revenue through the sale of micronutrient nutritional supplements including KeyPlex 120, Calcium-Magnesium-Boron Plus, JumpStart, PolyStart, IronPlex, and various DP formulas. These are applied as foliar sprays, drip irrigation, or aerial applications alongside macro or micronutrient programs.
2. Bio-Pesticide Products: Revenue from botanical oil-based bio-pesticides including AWP (essential-oil based insecticide), Ecotrol Plus, KeyPlex 350, Sporan EC (OMRI-listed fungicide). Products target navel orangeworm, whiteflies, mites, and other pests with multiple modes of action.
3. Naiad Water Management Products: Soil penetrant products for agriculture, turf, and construction sectors. Improves water infiltration, reduces runoff, and increases irrigation efficiency. Sold for agriculture, sports/landscaping, and dust/erosion control applications.
4. Next-Generation Botanical Insecticides: KeyPlex is developing new generation botanical oils with stronger potency and residual activity. First product expected to be available in 2-3 years pending EPA and European Food Safety Authority registration. Up to half a dozen new products expected to follow.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KeyPlex manufactures and sells agricultural plant-nutrition micronutrient supplements (foliar and starter fertilizers such as KeyPlex 120, PolyStart, JumpStart, and crop-specific DP formulas) and botanical-oil-based bio-pesticides (AWP, Ecotrol Plus, Sporan EC, KeyPlex 350, EcoZAP Activator). A sub-brand, Naiad, distributes soil/water penetrant products for agriculture, turf, and dust/erosion control. Products are sold to commercial growers and professional operators across citrus, fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, row crops, greenhouse, and turfgrass markets in 16+ countries.

Product overview

KeyPlex offers a comprehensive portfolio of plant nutrition and bio-pesticide products. The core nutrition line includes micronutrient supplements (KeyPlex 120, 250DP, 350DP, 445DP, 625DP, 1000DP, 1200DP, 1400DP), calcium/magnesium products, specialty blends for blueberries and citrus, and starter products (PolyStart, JumpStart). The bio-pesticide portfolio features botanical oil-based insecticides and fungicides including AWP, Ecotrol Plus, Sporan, and KeyPlex 350 (Organic). A subsidiary brand, Naiad, provides soil penetrant products (Naiad AG, Naiad Turf, Dust & Erosion) for water management. EcoZAP Activator is offered for mosquito control applications. Products serve specialty fruits, vegetables, citrus, tree nuts, row crops, greenhouse, and turfgrass markets across 16+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Naiad: Soil penetrant products for agriculture and construction that help water reach plant roots

Products and services

• KeyPlex 120 Highly concentrated nutritional supplement that works within the plant to enhance mitochondrial function, increasing the plant's ability to absorb nutrients, improving nutrient-uptake efficiency, yield, root mass, top growth, and overall crop quality; applied as a foliar spray at roughly 5 fl oz/acre (e.g., seedling tomatoes, post-harvest almonds) with multi-crop trial evidence showing 17–22% yield gains in greenhouse peppers/tomatoes and 20–25% root-mass/top-growth gains in seedling tomatoes.
• PolyStart 8-30-5 A starter nutrition product (NPK 8-30-5) designed for early crop development and applied as part of KeyPlex starter fertilizer programs for commercial growers.
• JumpStart 5-20-4 A nutrition product (NPK 5-20-4) for promoting early plant growth and root development in commercial crop programs.
• KeyPlex Calcium-Magnesium-Boron A micronutrient blend providing calcium, magnesium, and boron targeted at fruit set and flower development for commercial growers across multiple crop categories.
• KeyPlex Blossom Formula (Blossom DP) A nutrition product designed to support blossom development and fruit set, containing seaweed and nutrients that aid cell division in commercial flower and fruit crops.
• IronPlex A chelated-iron formulation containing alpha-keto acids that may facilitate utilization of micronutrients and increase plant resistance to environmental stress, used to correct iron chlorosis in crops and turf.
• KeyPlex Blueberry DP Formula A micronutrient blend designed specifically for the nutritional needs of commercial blueberry growers across the U.S. blueberry market.
• AWP (Essential-Oil Insecticide) An essential-oil-based insecticide with multiple modes of action targeting lepidopteran pests (including navel orangeworm on almonds/walnuts), mites, and other insects; features zero reentry interval, zero pre-harvest interval, and extended 21-day spray intervals in real-world almond/walnut programs.
• Ecotrol Plus A botanical-oil insecticide containing peppermint oil, rosemary oil, and geraniol that is EPA exempt, USDA NOP compliant, with zero pre-harvest interval and zero reentry interval; delivers 90%+ spotted-wing-drosophila reductions in BC blueberry fields and 100% mite-egg control in trials.
• Sporan EC An OMRI-listed botanical-oil fungicide/insecticide for crop protection, approved in 2022 and positioned for use in organic agriculture programs.
• KeyPlex 350 (Bio-Pesticide) A micronutrient product that aids in the prevention of plant diseases when applied as a foliar spray, including post-bloom fruit drop, greasy spot diseases of citrus, and bacterial leaf spot; combined with Magna-Bon CS 2005, has been used to control citrus canker and citrus greening in commercial operations.
• KeyPlex 350 Organic An OMRI-listed organic micronutrient that aids in the prevention of plant diseases when applied as a foliar spray, used in organic citrus and specialty-crop programs.
• EcoZAP Activator A natural synergist containing botanical blends that enhances the efficacy of conventional pesticides labeled for mosquito control against pyrethroid-resistant (KDR) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes; functions as an octopamine blocker and is sold to professional users including mosquito-abatement programs, government agencies, and military installations.
• Naiad AG (Soil Penetrant) A soil penetrant solution for agriculture that improves water infiltration, nutrient uptake, and reduces runoff by helping water penetrate compacted or hydrophobic soils; non-toxic, free from solvents and nonylphenols.
• Naiad Turf A soil penetrant for turf and sports fields that reduces compaction, improves moisture retention, and lowers water consumption for golf courses, sports turf, and lawn care operations.
• Naiad Dust & Erosion A soil penetrant for construction and dust control that reduces dust, protects against erosion, and promotes deep absorption in disturbed soils.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17-22% yield increase in greenhouse peppers and tomatoes
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• TransCannastrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020TransCanna and KeyPlex collaboration on innovative suite of agro products to boost yield, treat plant pests and disease. Partnership focused on developing products for cannabis and specialty crop markets.
• University of TurincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeyPlex signed contract with University of Turin (Dr. Vladimiro Guarnaccia) to help identify solutions for citrus fruit drop caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Glomerella cingulata. Dr. Guarnaccia co-authored 11-year study on citrus pathogens in Mediterranean basin. Partnership involves detailed studies on pathogen epidemiology and potential solutions.
• Iowa State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa State University conducted testing focused on controlling Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with verified pyrethroid (KDR) resistance. Research validated EcoZAP Activator as effective synergist against resistant mosquito strains. Testing proved product enhances efficacy of conventional pesticides.
• Florida Blueberry Growers AssociationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeyPlex VP Ryan Atwood serves as vice president of Florida Blueberry Growers Association, facilitating connection with blueberry industry and research priorities.
• Florida Citrus GrowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive collaboration with Florida citrus growers for field research. KeyPlex researchers collected and analyzed 1,450+ samples from groves across Central Florida. Growers provided access to properties for sampling and participated in research programs studying fruit drop pathogens.
• Washington State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partner studying how botanical oils affect beneficial insects. WSU studies proved that essential oil compounds actually attracted beneficials back into treated fields, 2.5-3 times more tolerant than feeding pests.
• University of British ColumbiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Professor Murray Isman (Entomology/Toxicology) on botanical oil modes of action, efficacy against whiteflies, spotted wing drosophila, and other pests. Studies on octopamine receptor targeting and resistance prevention.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFVNDW0k_PyR1K0TuQEmF7A
• Facebookfacebook.com/keyplex
• Instagraminstagram.com/keyplex_ag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keyplex

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 KeyPlex