What Vegenov does

Vegenov is a French applied plant-research center organized as a non-profit association under Loi 1901, headquartered in Saint-Pol-de-Léon (Finistère, Brittany). Founded in 1989 and ISO 9001 certified since 2004, it operates as a Centre de RessourcesTechnologiques (CRT label) and is a component of the Institut Carnot Agrifood Transition. Its function is contract R&D for plant biotechnology: it delivers applied research services to seed companies, agricultural input firms, producer organizations, and regional cooperatives across France and Europe.

The technical platform comprises five dedicated laboratories (cellular biology, molecular biology, microbiology and plant pathology, biochemistry, and sensory analysis), a 1,500 m² greenhouse, six controlled-environment growth chambers, and a documentary base exceeding 20,000 references. The four primary service lines are Plant Improvement & Traceability (including the proprietary qPFD® pollen viability tool, now extended to grapevine), Plant Protection & Nutrition (biocontrol, biostimulants, biosolutions), Sensory & Nutritional Quality (consumer-panel and biochemical profiling), and Training & Innovation Support. Active R&D programs as of 2024-2026 include COLLEG (anthracnose in legumes), PLATOON (clubroot management), the national REMED biosolutions network, and RMT HoloPilot (holobiont-based plant management with ARVALIS and INRAE).

The business model is contract-based B2B research services with no public pricing. Revenue flows from project fees paid by seed companies (e.g., Vilmorin-Mikado, HM Clause, Nouvelle France Genetics), vegetable producer organizations (Saveol, Sica Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Solarenn, Cooperl Innovation), agricultural input firms (OBS Innovation), and public funding via the Carnot network and European consortia such as BRESOV. Because Vegenov is a non-profit association with the CRT label, its clients can claim the French Crédit d'Impôt Recherche (CIR) on eligible projects, which is itself a structural go-to-market advantage.

Name

Vegenov

Legal name

Vegenov-BBV (Association Loi 1901)

Website

https://vegenov.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vegenov is a French applied plant-research center providing contract R&D in plant improvement, plant protection, and sensory/nutritional quality to seed companies, agricultural input firms, and producer organizations across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-pol-de-léon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. R&D Services and Consulting: Vegenov provides research and development services, technical consulting, technology transfer, and training to companies in the plant and agricultural sectors. Revenue is generated through contractual R&D projects, service fees, and training programs for professionals in the seed and plant industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vegenov is an applied research center providing contract R&D services, technical consulting, technology transfer, and professional training to companies in the plant and agricultural sectors. Its offering spans plant improvement (molecular markers, phenotyping, doubled haploids, speed breeding), plant protection and nutrition (biocontrol and biostimulant efficacy testing), and sensory and nutritional quality characterization. Services are delivered through specialized laboratories and 1,500 m² of greenhouse infrastructure to seed companies, breeders, biocontrol/biostimulant developers, and producer organizations in France and Europe.

Product overview

Vegenov is an applied research center providing R&D services to plant sector businesses for sustainable agriculture. The offering consists of four main service areas: Plant Improvement and Traceability (genetic improvement, molecular markers, phenotyping, speed breeding), Plant Protection and Nutrition (biocontrol, biostimulation, integrated pest management), Sensory and Nutritional Quality (consumer studies, sensory profiling), and Training and Innovation Support. These services are delivered through specialized laboratory facilities including Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Biochemistry, and Sensory Analysis laboratories, plus greenhouse facilities (1500 m²) and controlled growth chambers. The center also conducts collaborative research projects focused on early disease detection, climate adaptation, biosolutions development, and organic farming. The overall portfolio functions as a service-based model where research capabilities and laboratory facilities serve agricultural industry clients, rather than a packaged software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plant Improvement and Traceability (Amélioration et traçabilité des plantes)

Quantifiable outcome

• Developed molecular markers for detection and quantification of problematic seed pathogens for multiple species
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

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

• Institut Carnot Agrifood TransitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVegenov is a component of the Carnot Agrifood Transition institute, which brings together public research laboratories and companies to facilitate research partnerships. This affiliation enables collaborative R&D projects and provides access to the CIR (Research Tax Credit) for partner companies.
• Association des Sélectionneurs Français (ASF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVegenov actively participates in ASF activities, including animating the 'Tools and Methods for Varietal Creation Support' section. Céline Hamon serves as administrator and Charlotte Roby now leads the section animation.
• ARVALIScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARVALIS co-leads the RMT HoloPilot network with Vegenov and INRAE, focusing on plant microbiota management for more productive, sustainable, and resilient agricultural systems (2026-2030).
• INRAEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINRAE co-animates the RMT HoloPilot network with Vegenov and ARVALIS, with scientific, technical animation, and training responsibilities shared among multiple institutions.
• InnôzhmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnôzh co-organizes selection technology training with Vegenov and Nouvelle France Genetics, including sessions on haplométhodes, marker-assisted selection, NGTs, and genomic selection (held at CNRS Roscoff Station).
• Nouvelle France GeneticsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based seed company co-organizing selection technology training programs with Vegenov and Innôzh, covering modern breeding technologies.
• CTIFLmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTIFL leads the CAMELIA project on spray quality characterization for strawberry and tomato crops, with Vegenov contributing biotechnological expertise and spray quality analysis using biochemical markers.
• CEVAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEVA leads the FAMOUS project on algae fermentation, with Vegenov contributing sensory characterization of fermented algae products and biochemical analyses.
• ADRIAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the FAMOUS project collaborating on algae fermentation and microorganism qualification.
• LUBEMmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLUBEM coordinates the BATMAN project on Fusarium biocontrol, with Vegenov conducting phytotoxicity testing and efficacy evaluation of formulated microorganisms.
• Institut Carnot 3BCARmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInter-Carnot collaboration between AgriFood Transition and 3BCAR institutes for the SHIVA-D project on biostimulant potential of digestates.
• OBS InnovationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCauliflower breeder collaborating with Vegenov on phenotyping tools development for drought stress tolerance selection.
• HM ClausemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreeding company partner in CLIMATVEG project developing cauliflower phenotyping capabilities for climate adaptation.
• Vilmorin-MikadomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreeding company collaborating on phenotyping tools for drought stress tolerance in cauliflower through the CLIMATVEG project.
• Cooperl InnovationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the SAPHIR project developing biostimulants from animal co-products, with new industrial hydrolysis knowledge developed.
• GaïagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany partner in the SAPHIR project developing new biostimulant evaluation protocols and product portfolio expansion.
• Organisation Bretonne de SélectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlant breeding organization with artichoke and onion collections visited during ASF genetic resources seminar.
• Conservatoire Botanique National de BrestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner hosting visits to endangered tropical plant collections during ASF genetic resources management seminar.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CTIFL (Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes): French technical institute for fruit and vegetables; collaborates directly with Vegenov on the CAMELIA project for spray quality. Operates R&D programs and laboratory services aimed at fruit and vegetable producers and breeders, mirroring Vegenov's applied research center model.
• ARVALIS - Institut du Végétal: French applied agricultural research institute specialized in field crops (cereals, maize, potatoes). Co-leads the RMT HoloPilot network with Vegenov and INRAE. Comparable as a French applied research center providing R&D services and biocontrol/phenotyping work for the plant sector.
• Innôzh (Pôle de compétivité agritech Bretagne): Brittany-based agritech innovation cluster that co-organizes Vegenov's selection technology training. Comparable as a regional applied research and innovation intermediary serving plant sector companies with R&D project facilitation and training.
• ITAB (Institut Technique de l'Agriculture Biologique): French technical institute for organic agriculture; also structured as an Association Loi 1901 like Vegenov. Provides applied research, technical references, and training to organic farmers and breeders on topics such as biocontrol and organic seed production — directly overlapping with Vegenov's plant protection and breeding focus.
• Terres Inovia: French technical institute for oilseed, protein and hemp crops. Operates applied research programs, phenotyping platforms, and field trial networks serving crop breeders and producers — closely paralleling Vegenov's applied research center model in another plant segment.
• CEVA (Centre d'Étude et de Valorisation des Algues): French applied research center for algae and marine biotechnology. Collaborates with Vegenov on the FAMOUS algae fermentation project. Comparable as a French applied research center providing R&D, biochemical analysis, and sensory characterization to industrial clients.

Broad incumbents

• INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement): France's largest public agricultural research institution. Co-animates the RMT HoloPilot network with Vegenov and ARVALIS, and provides foundational plant science research that Vegenov commercializes. Overlaps with Vegenov in plant breeding, biocontrol, and phenotyping but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement): French public research center specializing in tropical and Mediterranean agriculture. Conducts applied plant breeding, pathology, and biocontrol research similar to Vegenov, but at much larger scale and with an international development mandate.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global commercial laboratory testing services group with agricultural and food testing capabilities including pesticide residue, microbiological, and molecular biology assays. Represents the scaled, commercial alternative to Vegenov's specialized plant testing services.

Emerging players

• Station Biologique de Roscoff (CNRS / Sorbonne Université): CNRS-affiliated marine biology research station that hosts Vegenov's selection technology training sessions. Adjacent to Vegenov in providing scientific infrastructure and training for the plant/biotech sector in Brittany, but focused on marine biology rather than plant science.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/vegenov
• Xx.com/vegenov

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Vegenov