What FuturaGene does

FuturaGene is a plant genetic research and development company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Suzano S.A., the world's largest eucalyptus pulp producer. Founded in 1993 and acquired by Suzano in July 2010, FuturaGene develops genetically modified (GM) and gene-edited eucalyptus varieties for the global forestry, bioenergy, biofuel, and agricultural markets. The company operates research facilities in Itapetininga, Brazil and Rehovot, Israel, with historical operations in China, and has built an extensive regulatory portfolio — nine or more CTNBio approvals — including world-firsts for yield-enhanced GM eucalyptus (2015, approximately 20% more wood), herbicide-tolerant GM eucalyptus (2021 onward), insect-resistant Bt-expressing eucalyptus (2023), combined-trait and triple-stacked products (2023 and 2024), and the first-ever genome-edited eucalyptus classified as conventional (2025–2026).

The company's technology stack combines transgenic approaches (yield, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance via Bt proteins) with gene editing and an exclusive license to CSIRO's RNAi technology for eucalyptus in Brazil (patent BR199908967), supplemented by a reference genome co-developed with Corteva Agriscience and historical collaboration with Intrexon for gene construct design. These capabilities are deployed into a stacked-trait product pipeline aimed at sustainable intensification of plantation forestry.

Commercially, FuturaGene operates as Suzano's captive biotechnology division. Its eucalyptus varieties are deployed through Suzano's integrated forestry-to-mill operations and its partnership program with small landowners, who receive improved varieties royalty-free. Revenue derives from licensing and technology commercialization internally to Suzano and potentially to third parties, but no standalone financials are publicly disclosed. The business model is effectively B2B enterprise field sales to a single anchor customer (Suzano), with secondary distribution to smallholder partners and a stated but undemonstrated addressable market in bioenergy and agricultural verticals.

Name

FuturaGene

Legal name

FuturaGene Brasil Tecnologia Ltda. / FuturaGene Israel Ltd.

Website

https://futuragene.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

FuturaGene is a plant genetic R&D subsidiary of Suzano S.A. that develops genetically modified and gene-edited eucalyptus varieties, holding multiple world-first CTNBio approvals for yield-enhanced, herbicide-tolerant, insect-resistant, and gene-edited traits deployed through Suzano's forestry operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forestry Biotechnology

NAICS

Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210)

SIC

Forestry (800), Pulp Mills (2611)

akta.pro primary industry

Seed Collection, Processing & Storage (Provenance/Genetics) (AFAMACAB)

Keywords

• Plant biotechnology
• Forestry biotechnology
• Tree crop genetics
• Genetically modified eucalyptus
• Gene editing forestry

Headquarters

HQ city

Itapetininga

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Technology Commercialization: FuturaGene generates revenue through the commercialization of proprietary eucalyptus varieties. Technologies are developed from discovery through regulatory approval and field trials. The company shares benefits with partners through its forestry program, providing varieties to small landowners without royalty fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FuturaGene is a plant genetic research and development company that develops and commercializes genetically modified and gene-edited eucalyptus varieties with stacked traits including yield enhancement (~20% more wood), herbicide tolerance (glyphosate), and insect resistance (Bt proteins). The company operates research centers in Brazil and Israel, develops products from discovery through regulatory approval (CTNBio), and deploys them through its parent Suzano's forestry partnership program for the global forestry, pulp and paper, bioenergy, and agricultural markets.

Product overview

FuturaGene is a plant genetic research and development company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Suzano S.A. The company operates research centers in Brazil and Israel, developing genetically modified and genetically edited eucalyptus varieties for the global forestry, biopower, and biofuel markets. The product portfolio centers on GM eucalyptus with stacked traits: Yield Enhanced GM Eucalyptus (producing ~20% more wood), Herbicide Tolerant GM Eucalyptus (glyphosate tolerance), Insect Resistant GM Eucalyptus (Bt proteins for caterpillar control), Combined GM Eucalyptus (yield + herbicide traits), and Triple-Stacked GM Eucalyptus (yield + herbicide + insect resistance in one product). The most recent innovation is Genetically Edited Eucalyptus, classified as conventional by CTNBio. These products support sustainable intensification of forestry plantations by enabling more wood production on less land while reducing chemical inputs and environmental impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yield Enhanced GM Eucalyptus Genetically modified eucalyptus variety producing approximately 20% more wood than conventional clones, approved by CTNBio in April 2015 as the world's first yield-enhanced GM eucalyptus.
• Herbicide Tolerant GM Eucalyptus Genetically modified eucalyptus variety conferring tolerance to glyphosate herbicide for more efficient weed control in forest plantations.
• Insect Resistant GM Eucalyptus Genetically modified eucalyptus expressing Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) proteins for resistance against leaf-eating caterpillars, reducing pesticide application needs.
• Combined GM Eucalyptus (Yield + Herbicide Tolerance) Combined GM eucalyptus variety obtained through classical breeding crossing two previously approved GM eucalyptus lines, combining yield increase and herbicide tolerance traits in a single product.
• Triple-Stacked GM Eucalyptus First GM eucalyptus in the world containing three traits (yield increase, herbicide tolerance, and insect resistance) in a single combined product, approved by CTNBio in March 2024.
• Genetically Edited Eucalyptus Genetically edited eucalyptus variety classified as conventional by CTNBio, offering improved wood quality, higher cellulose yield, and potential reduction of chemical inputs and energy consumption in industrial processing. First regulatory approval of its kind worldwide.
• Eucalyptus Reference Genome High-quality, fully phased eucalyptus reference genome published in GenBank (BioProject ID PRJNA913125), developed in partnership with Corteva Agriscience to advance research for more resilient and productive trees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 20% more wood yield compared to conventional eucalyptus varieties
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Corteva AgrisciencemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2023Joint effort to publish a new high-quality, fully phased eucalyptus reference genome. The genome data was made publicly available through GenBank (BioProject ID PRJNA913125) for the scientific community. A hybrid clone of E. grandis and E. urophylla was used as the basis for sequencing.
• Intrexon CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2015Exclusive collaboration between Intrexon and FuturaGene to increase biomass in eucalyptus and poplar trees. Intrexon provides advanced gene construct design using their platform technology, while FuturaGene contributes plant yield enhancement expertise. Intrexon receives royalties on gross profits from resulting products.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2014CSIRO granted FuturaGene exclusive license for RNAi technology in eucalyptus in Brazil, with non-exclusive rights for other countries. The partnership, established in 2014 with patent issued in 2018, enables development of eucalyptus varieties resistant to pests and diseases or with improved wood properties.
• Suzano Papel e CelulosecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2010Suzano Papel e Celulose is the parent company of FuturaGene, having acquired the company in July 2010. Suzano is the world's largest eucalyptus pulp producer and a leading integrated forestry, pulp and paper company in Brazil. FuturaGene serves as Suzano's biotechnology division for developing advanced tree varieties.
• NCBI/GenBankminorOthersNational Center for Biotechnology Information database where FuturaGene and Corteva published the new eucalyptus reference genome (BioProject ID PRJNA913125).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mondi: Global packaging and paper group with integrated forestry assets in Europe and emerging markets. Comparable for plantation forestry sourcing and pursuit of fiber yield and quality improvements at scale.
• Sylvamo: Global uncoated freesheet paper company spun out of International Paper, with integrated forestry operations. Comparable for fiber sourcing strategies and plantation genetics partnerships.
• UPM-Kymmene: Finnish bioforestry leader with biomaterials, biofuels, and pulp operations alongside proprietary tree breeding programs. Comparable for end-market overlap and parallel pursuit of biotech-enabled plantation intensification.
• Stora Enso: European integrated forest products major with operations across pulp, paper, packaging, and wood products, plus active forest genetics R&D. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose end-markets and sustainability mandates mirror FuturaGene's value proposition.
• Weyerhaeuser: One of the world's largest private owners of timberlands with substantial internal tree-improvement programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent integrating genetics, plantation management, and wood products at industrial scale.
• International Paper: World's largest pulp and paper producer with significant timberland holdings and fiber-improvement initiatives. Comparable for downstream demand for high-yield, sustainable planting material.

Emerging players

• Tropic Biosciences: Ag-biotech company applying gene editing to banana, coffee, and rice. Comparable as an emerging gene-editing platform player in tropical crops with similar regulatory navigation and trait-stacking approach to FuturaGene's edited eucalyptus work.

Regional players

• Klabin: Brazil's largest integrated paper producer and exporter with its own pine and eucalyptus plantations. Comparable as a fellow Brazilian forestry operator and a potential regional customer or competitor for biotech eucalyptus planting stock.
• Mercer International: North American and European pulp and lumber producer with timberland assets and active forest management programs. Comparable for fiber supply economics and plantation yield priorities.

Direct peers

• ArborGen: The closest direct competitor to FuturaGene — ArborGen is a global forestry biotechnology company developing improved eucalyptus and pine seedlings via conventional breeding, molecular genetics, and genomic selection, serving plantation forestry markets that overlap directly with FuturaGene's customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/futuragene-ltd.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 FuturaGene