SOLASTA Bio Secures £1.3m for development of eco-friendly pesticides

The team at EBS is delighted that Glasgow University spinout, SOLASTA Bio has just secured seed investment of £1.3 million to support ongoing development of its unique nature-inspired pesticides.

Established in May 2020 after 4 years of research funded by UKRI BBSRC and the EC, and commercialisation support from Scottish Enterprise’s High Growth Spinout Programme, the company has developed the world’s first technology platform for creating neuropeptide-based insect control products that are nature-inspired. These products effectively target insect pests while preserving beneficial pollinators such as bees in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. With this latest funding, SOLASTA Bio is aiming to take the trials of its biopesticides out of the laboratory and into real-world settings and hopes to bring its first biopesticides to market in 2027, around half the time traditionally taken by synthetic pest control products.

The company was co-founded by award-winning scientist and entrepreneur Professor Shireen Davies (CEO), world leader in insect biology and functional genomics Professor Julian Dow (CSO), former BASF senior executive Paul Bernasconi (CTO); and Professor Robert Liskamp, peptide technology. EBS had the pleasure of working with Professor Davies throughout her 2-year Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship.