02 April 2026, New York: Paine Schwartz Partners (“Paine Schwartz”), the largest private equity firm dedicated to sustainable food chain investing, today announced the successful sale of AgBiTech, a global leader in biological crop protection solutions, to BASF Agricultural Solutions, a division of BASF.
Following the signing of a definitive agreement in January 2026 and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, the transaction closed on March 31, 2026, with BASF Agricultural Solutions assuming full ownership of AgBiTech on a go-forward basis.
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Founded in Australia in 2000 by a farmer and a scientist, AgBiTech develops and produces biological crop protection products that use naturally occurring viruses to control caterpillar pests in major row crops. Today, the company operates globally with manufacturing capabilities in the United States, Australia, and Brazil, and distributes products for a wide range of crops across the Americas and other key agricultural markets. In line with Paine Schwartz’s core investment theme of Productivity & Sustainability, AgBiTech’s mission is to make farming more profitable and sustainable by providing efficacious, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides.
During Paine Schwartz’s ownership, the firm partnered closely with management to accelerate the company’s growth, including expanding commercial capabilities across key agricultural markets, strengthening direct-to-grower distribution in Brazil, and supporting product innovation through continued investment in research and development. As a result, AgBiTech significantly expanded its global footprint and advanced its portfolio of non-toxic and non-hazardous crop protection solutions with highly targeted modes of action.
“AgBiTech has built a strong reputation for delivering effective, sustainable biological insecticide solutions to farmers in key agricultural markets,” said Kevin Schwartz, CEO and Managing Partner of Paine Schwartz. “We are proud of the growth the company achieved during our partnership and believe BASF Agricultural Solutions is the right strategic owner to support the next phase of AgBiTech’s development. This successful outcome reflects our approach of partnering with management teams to build high-quality businesses that are attractive to leading strategic acquirers.”
“Paine Schwartz has been an exceptional partner in helping AgBiTech expand our reach and leadership in biological crop protection,” said Adriano Vilas-Boas, CEO of AgBiTech. “Together, we have scaled our commercial capabilities, invested in innovation, and brought sustainable crop protection solutions to more growers in key countries. We are excited to join BASF Agricultural Solutions and believe their global platform will further accelerate the adoption of biological technologies in agriculture.”
“The biologicals market continues to grow rapidly, and acquiring AgBiTech strengthens our position in this attractive segment,” said Livio Tedeschi, President of BASF Agricultural Solutions. “AgBiTech’s proven biological technologies complement our existing portfolio and will help us expand biological solutions for farmers across important geographic markets.”
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