CEV

What CEV does

CEV S.A. is a privately-held Portuguese agricultural biotechnology company founded in 2006 in Cantanhede, Portugal, to develop and commercialize a patented protein-based biofungicide. The company's core technology centers on BLAD (Biologic Lupinus Albus Derivative), a naturally-occurring 20 kDa polypeptide water-extracted from germinated sweet lupine seeds (Lupinus albus). BLAD's fungicidal activity derives from a multi-site mode of action — binding to fungal chitin structures, disturbing the cell wall and membrane, entering the cell, and chelating divalent cations to disrupt metal homeostasis — classified in FRAC Code List as BM01, a new biological fungicide category. CEV was established to commercialize BLAD following its 1991 discovery at Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Lisbon University, and the antifungal properties of the molecule were characterized in 2001.

CEV operates four branded products derived from BLAD: ProBlad (the core liquid formulation containing 250 g/L of BLAD, used worldwide), ProBlad Verde (a U.S.-market variant compliant with the National Organic Program and OMRI-listed), BanEco (formulated for banana post-harvest crown rot control), and ProBlad T&O (formulated for turf and ornamentals). Manufacturing is handled through wholly-owned subsidiary Converde S.A., created in 2011 with a €33 million investment from investors, European funds (QREN), and banks, with the industrial plant completed in 2013. CEV sells exclusively through regional distribution partners — Certis Belchim across most of Europe, Nagase Sanbio and Kumiai Chemical Industry in Japan, IAP in Panama, Bancella in Kenya, and SymAgro in the USA — rather than via a direct sales force.

Revenue is generated through product sales (one-time license stream) and through licensing and registration of BLAD technology in target markets. Pricing is set by regional distributors and is not publicly disclosed. The company has achieved product registrations in over 40 countries since 2015, including the USA (2015 entry market), Canada, China, South Korea, Australia, Japan (2026), and a broad cluster of European Union member states, with the most recent expansions occurring in Romania, Ireland, Austria, Spain, Italy, and Hungary between 2024 and 2026. CEV holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (granted 2022) and won the SIVAL Innovation 2025 golden medal in the Plant Health category. End customers are commercial crop growers, ornamental producers, and organic and sustainable agriculture operations, with particular strength in high-value crops such as grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, stone fruits, bananas, and roses.

Name

CEV

Legal name

CEV, S.A.

Website

https://cev.com.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CEV S.A. is a Portuguese biotech company that develops and commercializes BLAD-based biofungicides derived from sweet lupine seeds, selling through regional distribution partners to commercial growers across more than 40 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Biotechnology - Biological Crop Protection

NAICS

Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532), Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (325320), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Fungicides (AFABAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Botanical Biopesticides & Plant Extracts (Essential Oils, Neem, Pyrethrins) (AFABAEAF), Crop Protection Chemicals (Herbicides/Insecticides/Fungicides) (IMAEAEAI)

Keywords

• Biological fungicides
• Crop protection products
• Agricultural biotechnology
• Plant-derived fungicides
• Sustainable agriculture solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Cantanhede

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. BLAD-based Biofungicide Sales: CEV generates revenue through the sale of BLAD-based biofungicide products including ProBlad, ProBlad Verde (USA organic), Baneco (banana post-harvest), and ProBlad T&O (turf and ornamentals). Products are sold through distribution partners in each market.
2. Product Licensing and Registration: CEV licenses its BLAD technology and obtains product registrations in target markets, with registration achievements in over 40 countries since 2015, including USA, Canada, China, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and multiple European Union countries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CEV S.A. develops, manufactures, and commercializes BLAD-based biological fungicides for crop protection. The company's core product line uses a proprietary polypeptide (BLAD) extracted from germinated sweet lupine seeds (Lupinus albus) to create liquid biofungicide formulations that control fungal plant diseases. Products are sold globally through regional distribution partners targeting conventional, organic, and specialty crop markets.

Product overview

CEV offers a portfolio of four BLAD-based biological fungicides derived from a naturally-occurring 20 kDa polypeptide extracted from germinated sweet lupine seeds. The core product ProBlad™ serves as the primary biofungicide for conventional agriculture worldwide. ProBlad Verde™ is a variant designed for the US organic market compliant with NOP and OMRI standards. BanEco™ addresses the tropical banana post-harvest market for crown rot treatment. ProBlad T&O™ targets the turf and ornamental plant segment. All products utilize BLAD's multi-site mode of action (FRAC BM01), which binds to fungal chitin structures, disrupts cell membranes, and chelates divalent cations to induce oxidative stress and apoptotic fungal cell death. The products are contact fungicides with translaminar properties, effective against multiple fungal life stages, exempt from MRLs, and compatible with most fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizers for tank mixing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ProBlad™: The first BLAD bio fungicide developed by CEV and most commonly used worldwide. Liquid formulation containing 250g of BLAD per Liter.
• ProBlad Verde™
• BanEco™
• ProBlad T&O™

Products and services

• ProBlad™

Quantifiable outcome

• Fungal cell death within 12-24 hours after application
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• International Agrobiologica Producta, S.A. (IAP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 March 2026IAP is the official distributor for PROBLAD fungicide (Reg. Nº 11293) in Panama, responsible for distribution and commercialization across a wide range of high-value crops including avocado, papaya, stone fruits, grapes, strawberry, tomato, banana, and others.
• Nagase Sanbio Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 March 2026Nagase Sanbio Co., Ltd. serves as the primary partner for introducing ProBlad to Japan, working with support from Zen-Noh. ProBlad was launched in Japan on March 17, 2026 as the first plant-derived polypeptide-based fungicide in the country, supporting Japanese Strategy MIDORI's objective of 50% reduction in risk-weighted use of chemical pesticides.
• Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 March 2026Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. is the designated distributor of ProBlad in Japan, ensuring local market access and commercialization of the product.
• Zen-Noh (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 March 2026Zen-Noh provides valuable support for ProBlad's introduction to the Japanese market, leveraging its position as Japan's National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations.
• Certis BelchimcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 November 2024Certis Belchim is the exclusive distributor of ProBlad in many European countries including France, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Austria, Ireland, Romania, Germany, Poland, and others. CEV collaborated with Certis Belchim on the Royal Society of Biology's 'Biology for a Better Tomorrow' series, highlighting their joint commitment to sustainable agriculture.
• BancellacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 September 2024Bancella is the designated CEV partner to distribute ProBlad T&O SL in Kenya, ensuring that Kenyan rose growers have access to this revolutionary fungicide for controlling botrytis and powdery mildew in roses.
• SymAgro (USA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015SymAgro distributes ProBlad Verde in the USA market. This formulation is specifically designed for compliance with the US National Organic Program (NOP) and is listed in the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).
• Converde, SAcoreOthers · 1 January 2011Converde, SA is a wholly-owned subsidiary company created by CEV in January 2011 with the main objective of installing and operating the industrial plant and being responsible for product commercialization worldwide. The industrial plant construction was concluded in January 2013 with an investment of 33 million euros.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Certis Belchim: European crop protection company specializing in biological and conventional fungicides, insecticides, and bionutrition. Comparable as a biofungicide specialist serving the same European grower base as CEV's ProBlad, and serves as CEV's exclusive European distribution partner.
• Koppert Biological Systems: Global leader in biological crop protection, pollination, and natural disease control. Comparable as a biologicals specialist offering biofungicides and biopesticides to commercial horticulture and agriculture worldwide, competing directly with BLAD in the residue-free and IPM-friendly segment.
• Marrone Bio Innovations (Bioceres Crop Solutions): Bioceres Crop Solutions (which acquired Marrone Bio Innovations) develops and commercializes biological crop protection products, including biofungicides. Directly comparable as a biologicals company selling microbial and plant-derived fungicides into specialty crops globally.
• BioWorks: US-based biological crop protection company offering biofungicides and biorational products to greenhouse, nursery, and specialty crop growers. Comparable as a smaller-scale biologicals specialist targeting similar use cases (botrytis, powdery mildew) in fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.
• Symborg: Spanish-origin agricultural biotechnology company developing and commercializing biological fertilizers and crop protection products, including biofungicides. Comparable as an Iberian biologicals peer with global ambitions and overlapping customer segments in fruit, vegetable, and specialty crops.

Emerging players

• Biotalys: Belgian agtech company developing protein-based biocontrol solutions for crop protection and food preservation. Highly comparable technology adjacency—protein-based active ingredients targeting fungal pathogens—making it an emerging technology peer even though its pipeline is at an earlier commercialization stage than BLAD.
• AgBiome: US-based agricultural biologicals company developing microbial-based crop protection products, including biofungicides. Comparable as a biologicals innovator leveraging natural-source actives, though at an earlier commercialization stage than CEV.

Regional players

• Seipasa: Spanish natural crop protection and biostimulant company focused on European, Latin American, and Mediterranean markets. Comparable as a regional biologicals peer offering natural-origin fungicides and insecticides to similar specialty crop segments, particularly in Iberia and Latin America where CEV also operates.

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science: Global agrochemical giant with a growing biologicals portfolio (acquired AgraQuest and others) and broad fungicide franchises. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same fungicide wallet share with much greater resources, particularly relevant as a competitive threat to BLAD in row-crop and large-acreage applications.
• Sumitomo Chemical (including Certis Belchim ownership): Japanese chemical and crop protection conglomerate with global biologicals ambitions and ownership stake in Certis Belchim (CEV's key European distributor). Comparable as a broad incumbent with both synthetic and biological fungicide portfolios, and strategically intertwined with CEV through the Certis channel partnership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cev-s-a

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 CEV