What Rifcon Gmbh does

RIFCON GmbH is an independent, privately-held scientific consulting firm headquartered in Hirschberg, Germany, founded in 2000 by Dr. Michael Riffel as BioConsult and rebranded in 2005. The company operates two integrated service lines: Agrosciences, covering regulatory affairs, dossier preparation, and GLP-certified field studies for plant protection products, active substances, biostimulants, and biocontrol agents; and Environment & Biodiversity, covering environmental planning, biodiversity assessments, Life Cycle Assessment, sustainability consulting, and the Faunomics eDNA monitoring unit. Approximately 200 employees serve regulatory authorities, the agrochemical industry, and academia across 36+ countries, with wholly-owned subsidiaries in Spain (RIFCON España S.L., 2024) and the Faunomics capability (2023).

The company's technical differentiators are proprietary scientific models — including eVole (small mammal population risk), BEEHAVE (honey bee colony simulation), DeEP-tool (toxicity assessment), and CPCAT (ecotoxicology abundance data) — combined with GLP certification since 2006 across categories 4-7 and exclusive European positioning as the sole provider of the enclosure semi-field test system. Field studies span pollinators, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and terrestrial organisms, supported by an effect modelling and statistics team described as the largest of its type in Europe.

RIFCON generates revenue through project-based, multi-year professional services contracts quoted on a per-engagement basis, delivered directly by its scientific team. Sales motion is sales-led, targeting enterprise agrochemical manufacturers, government regulatory authorities, and academic collaborators. Multi-language delivery (German, English, Spanish), SETAC-certified public workshops, and conference presence at SETAC, IBMA, and ABIM events constitute its go-to-market infrastructure. No external investors or parent company involvement is indicated.

Name

Rifcon Gmbh

Legal name

RIFCON GmbH

Website

https://rifcon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

RIFCON GmbH is an independent German scientific consulting firm providing GLP-certified regulatory affairs, ecotoxicology field studies, and environmental/biodiversity services for the agrochemical industry, regulatory authorities, and academia across 36+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agrochemical Regulatory & Environmental Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Advisory (AFACABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biological Control Services (Beneficial Insects, Microbials) (AFACAGAM), Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG), Stored Product Pest (SPP) & Commodity Protection (IMAIAHAM)

Keywords

• Regulatory affairs consulting
• Ecotoxicology field studies
• Pesticide risk assessment
• Environmental DNA monitoring
• Life cycle assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Hirschberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Regulatory Consulting Services: Scientific consulting for pesticide registration, regulatory affairs, dossier preparation and submission for active substances, products, MRLs, EU import tolerance petitions and JMPR reports
2. Field Studies: Conducting field studies under GLP conditions for environmental toxicity, ecotoxicology, residue studies, and mesocosm ecosystem studies
3. Environmental Planning Services: Environmental planning, biodiversity assessments, landscape planning, nature and species conservation services
4. Life Cycle Assessment Services: Sustainability assessments, LCA services, and sustainability tool development

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RIFCON GmbH provides independent scientific consulting for the registration and evaluation of plant protection products (pesticides and biostimulants) and for environmental planning. Services include regulatory dossier preparation, ecotoxicology, environmental fate and consumer safety assessments, GLP-compliant field studies on pollinators, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, biodiversity monitoring via eDNA analysis (Faunomics), and life cycle/sustainability assessments.

Product overview

RIFCON GmbH is an independent scientific consulting company offering a comprehensive portfolio of regulatory and environmental consulting services for the agrochemical industry. The company operates in two main divisions: Agrosciences (regulatory affairs for plant protection products and biostimulants) and Environment & Biodiversity (environmental planning, sustainability assessments, and species conservation). The Agrosciences division provides services organized around regulatory affairs and field studies, including GLP-compliant testing for toxicology, ecotoxicology, environmental fate, efficacy, and specialized field studies for pollinators, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. The Environment division offers biodiversity monitoring via eDNA analysis through the Faunomics unit, Life Cycle Assessment, sustainability consulting, and species conservation services. The company also provides effect modeling and statistical analysis services using proprietary population models like eVole. Services are delivered through scientific consulting engagements rather than a software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Faunomics: Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring and genetic analysis services for biodiversity assessment, species identification, and wildlife monitoring.

Products and services

• Regulatory Services (Registrierungsservice) Comprehensive regulatory affairs management for agrochemical clients, including preparation and submission of product dossiers, active substance dossiers, MRL dossiers, EU import tolerance petitions, and JMPR reports. Covers the full project lifecycle from strategy through submission to authorization.
• Analytics & PhysChem (Analytik & PhysChem) Regulatory analytical chemistry and physicochemical property determination services for pesticide registration dossiers, performed according to current EU guidelines.
• Toxicology (Toxikologie) Examination and evaluation of human toxicity for pesticide risk assessment, covering all aspects of consumer protection as part of the regulatory dossier.
• Consumer Safety (Verbrauchersicherheit) Risk assessment of consumer exposure and dietary risk for plant protection products, covering all aspects of consumer protection within regulatory submissions.
• Environmental Fate (Umweltverhalten) Environmental fate calculations and modelling using standard software tools to determine the behaviour of pesticide substances in water, soil and air for registration dossiers.
• Ecotoxicology (Ökotoxikologie) Risk assessments for aquatic and terrestrial species, evaluating the potential effects of pesticides on non-target organisms as part of regulatory submissions.
• Effect Modelling & Statistics (Effektmodellierung & Statistik) Development and application of effect models (including TKTD modelling) and statistical solutions for environmental risk assessment of pesticides, supported by a team described as the largest of its type in Europe.
• Efficacy (Wirksamkeit) Evaluation of product efficacy for plant protection products as part of the regulatory dossier submission.
• Biocontrol / Bioprotection Regulatory support for biological plant protection products, including semiochemicals, microbials, macrobials, natural substances, RNAi, peptides and biostimulants. Delivered as an IBMA member with over 25 years of regulatory experience.
• Precision Farming Use of precision application technology within product registration to assess the reduced environmental impact of precision farming techniques.
• Quality Assurance Services GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) compliance services ensuring regulatory standards are met for field and laboratory studies, supported by the national GLP Compliance Programme certification since 2006.
• Field Studies - Terrestrial Organisms Field studies on terrestrial organisms, including earthworms, soil microarthropods and other soil-dwelling organisms, conducted under GLP conditions.
• Field Studies - Pollinators Pollinator field studies covering honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees, including enclosure semi-field studies (for which RIFCON is the only provider in Europe) and BEEHAVE honey bee colony modelling.
• Field Studies - Environmental Fate Environmental fate field studies, including soil dissipation studies, residue decline studies and behaviour studies in agricultural settings.
• Field Studies - Birds & Mammals Avian and mammalian risk assessment field studies, including dehusking studies, telemetry studies and population modelling using the proprietary eVole model.
• Field Studies - Amphibians & Reptiles Field studies on amphibians and reptiles, including continuous reptile telemetry studies in crops across Europe.
• Field Studies - Enclosure Enclosure semi-field study system — RIFCON is described as the only provider of this test system in Europe, used for regulatory pollinator and non-target organism studies.
• Field Studies - Individual Study Designs Customised study designs tailored to specific regulatory or research requirements, including drone-based recording and multi-year monitoring programmes.
• Mappings (Kartierungen) Biodiversity mapping and species surveys for environmental impact assessments and conservation planning.
• Landscape Planning (Landschaftsplanung) Landscape planning services for ecological impact assessments and sustainable development projects.
• Nature & Species Conservation (Natur- & Artenschutz) Species protection measures including habitat management, wildlife marking, population studies and conservation programmes for endangered species, including the 111-species basket concept.
• eDNA Monitoring / Faunomics Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis service delivered through the Faunomics unit, providing non-invasive genetic detection of species communities, invasive species, pests and endangered species for biodiversity monitoring.
• Life Cycle Assessment (Ökobilanzierung) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) services at corporate and product level, including statistical analysis with Monte-Carlo simulation, ESG reporting support, and use of tools such as openLCA, bwMCFA, R and Excel.
• Sustainability Services (Nachhaltigkeitsleistungen) Sustainability consulting including research, project management, training and custom tool development for companies transitioning to sustainable practices, with experience in DGNB certifications and biodiversity assessments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25 years of experience in pesticide and biostimulant evaluation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FaunomicscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Specialists in genetic methods who offer analyses of environmental DNA as an addition to traditional inventories, bioacoustics, and geodata. Supports RIFCON's eDNA monitoring unit.
• Caring for Conservation Fund (C4C)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Non-profit limited company registered in Germany dedicated to supporting international nature conservation initiatives. Focus on Zambia where it operates through a local NGO. Channels funds into research, community engagement, and direct conservation action.
• Nsanga Conservation Zambia Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Public benefit organization based in Zambia working with various partners to provide valuable data to conservation stakeholders and support communities in wildlife areas. Focuses on ecological and social research including human-wildlife conflict investigation.
• HRworks GmbHminorOthersHuman resource and applicant management software solution provider. Operates RIFCON's recruitment website and application database under data processing agreement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Smithers: Smithers (formerly Smithers Viscient / Springborn Smithers) provides ecotoxicology, environmental fate, and regulatory testing for crop protection and chemical products. It is a direct competitor in GLP-certified ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment studies, with comparable client mix of agrochemical registrants.
• STAPHYT: STAPHYT is a France-based regulatory and field trial service provider for plant protection products, biostimulants, and biocontrol agents across Europe, North Africa, and South America. It is a direct peer in agrochemical registration consulting and GLP field studies with similar client base of crop protection manufacturers.
• SynTech Research: SynTech Research is a US-headquartered contract research organization providing regulatory affairs, field trials, and ecotoxicology services for crop protection and biocontrol products globally. It is a close direct peer in pesticide registration consulting and GLP-compliant field study design.
• ibacon GmbH: ibacon is a German contract research organization specializing in ecotoxicology and regulatory environmental risk assessment for chemicals and plant protection products. It directly competes with RIFCON in GLP-certified aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicology studies, residue analysis, and regulatory dossier preparation in Europe.
• Eurofins Agroscience Services: Eurofins Agroscience Services is a global contract research provider offering regulatory consulting, ecotoxicology, field studies, and residue analysis for crop protection products. It is the largest direct competitor to RIFCON in the European agrochemical regulatory and field study market.

Broad incumbents

• SGS Agriculture & Food: SGS is a global testing, inspection, and certification company with a dedicated Agriculture & Food division covering agrochemical field trials, residue testing, and regulatory support. It is a broader incumbent offering a much wider portfolio that overlaps with RIFCON's regulatory and field study services as part of a diversified testing business.
• Charles River Laboratories (Environmental & Agricultural Services): Charles River Laboratories' Environmental and Agricultural Services division provides ecotoxicology, environmental fate, and product registration studies for crop protection and chemical clients. It is a broad incumbent contract research organization whose ecotoxicology portfolio competes directly with RIFCON's GLP-certified test facility services.
• Ramboll Environment & Health: Ramboll is a major international engineering, consulting, and environmental services firm with an Environment & Health practice offering ecological risk assessment, biodiversity surveys, and environmental impact assessments. It is a broader incumbent whose environmental consulting and biodiversity service lines overlap with RIFCON's Umwelt division.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is a global environmental, health, safety, and sustainability consulting firm providing impact assessments, biodiversity services, and sustainability reporting for major corporate and infrastructure clients. It is a broad incumbent that competes with RIFCON in environmental planning, biodiversity assessment, and LCA/sustainability consulting for enterprise clients.

Others

• Wageningen University & Research: Wageningen University & Research is a leading Dutch agricultural and environmental research institution conducting ecotoxicology, biodiversity, and sustainability research with public and private sector partners. It is an ecosystem participant — sometimes a partner, sometimes a competitor — in the same European agro-environmental scientific research space as RIFCON.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rifcon

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Rifcon Gmbh