BeCaps
BeCaps is an AgBioTech start-up solving a concrete problem in agrifood systems: although biological inputs can improve yields, protect crops and regenerate soils, their adoption remains low (an estimated 5–10% of farmers globally). The reason is that most bioinputs are fragile formulations that lose viability, with short shelf-life (6 months on average), cold-chain requirements, high logistics costs and poor compatibility with conventional inputs. In the field, this often makes them inconsistent and difficult to integrate into a grower’s standard practices.
BeCaps has developed a microencapsulation platform that starts from a comprehensive characterization of each bioinput. Building on that analysis, it uses AI to identify the most suitable protectants and wall materials and to define the optimal encapsulation parameters, transforming traditional liquid formulations into solid, concentrated and stable microcapsules. This delivers a tailor-made formulation for each microorganism and application, achieving substantially higher concentrations (up to 10¹¹ CFU/g, up to 1,000× current alternatives), extended shelf-life at room temperature (up to 24 months), a drastic reduction in logistics, weight and volume (up to 100×), and compatibility with conventional inputs and other bioinputs, for example, urea coating or seed treatment. This combines modes of action and accelerates the adoption of biologicals that are genuinely simple to use and scalable.
Commercially, BeCaps operates under a B2B model, licensing its technology and co-developing formulations with leading bioinput and fertilizer companies. It has signed its first licensing agreement and has pilots underway with global players such as Corteva and Rizobacter, validating performance at scale and building a portfolio of encapsulated bioinputs. In parallel, our roadmap moves toward proprietary, differentiated products sold on a per-hectare-treated basis, starting with multi-strain biofertilizers/biostimulants and progressively expanding into multi-strain biocontrol.
Your IFA Innovation Platform Profile
What collaboration are we looking for?
BeCaps is seeking partnerships with fertilizer manufacturers and formulators interested in enhancing their solid products with microencapsulated biological inputs. Our primary focus is on urea and nitrogen producers, phosphate fertilizer companies, and micronutrient suppliers, where our technology can add biological functionality (e.g., microbial coating of urea or fortification of granulated fertilizers) while preserving stability, shelf-life and compatibility with existing production and application processes.
That said, we are not limited to these segments: we are open to co-developing and integrating our microencapsulation platform across all types of solid fertilizers. Specifically, we are looking for partners for co-development and joint formulation of encapsulated bioinputs, industrial-scale validation and field trials, technology licensing agreements, and access to production and distribution channels to accelerate the adoption of stable, easy-to-use biologicals in mainstream fertilizer offerings.
What solutions and opportunities are we offering?
BeCaps offers its microencapsulation platform and formulation expertise to partners looking to develop biological solutions that can be integrated into chemical fertilizers.
Specifically, we offer co-development of tailor-made encapsulated formulations for each microorganism and application (e.g., microbial coating of urea, granulated NPK or micronutrient blends), AI-driven selection of protectants and wall materials, optimization of encapsulation parameters, and technical support to validate performance from lab to field and industrial scale. Through technology licensing and joint development, we help partners add biological functionality to their fertilizer portfolios while extending shelf-life, reducing logistics and improving ease of use.
Additional geographies of business operation
North America
Additional geographies of business operation (per country)
United States
Maturity / funding
Pre-seed
Additional Information
Funding received ($) and name of funders
Founders: Emiliano Agustin Barbero (CEO), Juan Manuel Crespo (COO), María Flavia Luna (CSO).
Total funding received: $150,000
... of which equity investment
$100,000.00
... of which grants
$50,000.00
... of which loans & other funding
$0.00
Expected opening of next investment round
July 2026
Expected funding sought from next investment round
US $1,000,000
Expected closing of next investment round
November - December 2026
Intellectual property & regulation
What is the IP status of your innovation(s)?
BeCaps’ core innovation, its microencapsulation platform for agricultural and food biological inputs, is protected by an active and expanding patent portfolio, complemented by trade secrets and registered trademarks.
-Patents. BeCaps has filed a patent covering the same underlying invention in two jurisdictions. A national application was filed with Argentina’s INPI on January, 2025, which establishes the priority date. Building on it, an international PCT application was filed on December, 2025, through the EPO as Receiving Office, with the EPO acting as International Searching Authority. Both applications are currently pending, the Argentine filing in national phase and the PCT in international phase, opening the pathway for national-phase entry in key target markets, including the United States, the European Union and Brazil, in the coming months.
The claims provide overlapping layers of protection across four categories: (1) composition of matter, the proprietary protective matrix; (2) the microcapsule product; (3) the encapsulation process; and (4) a novel use, the direct coating of solid chemical fertilizers (e.g., granulated urea) with live encapsulated microorganisms. Inventors are Emiliano Barbero and Juan Manuel Crespo.
-Trade secrets / know-how. Formulation parameters, process specifics and accumulated experimental know-how are maintained as trade secrets, providing complementary protection that is difficult to reverse-engineer or design around.
-Trademarks. The BeCaps brand is protected through trademark registrations/applications in the relevant classes (covering chemical/agricultural products and related services) in Argentina.
What regulatory approvals are you currently seeking, or have already been achieved?
BeCaps operates under a dual approach to regulation, reflecting its B2B-first model.
-Already achieved (via partner registration). Our lead commercial partner, HMA4 S.A., has an existing SENASA-registered biofertilizer that was reformulated from liquid to solid form using BeCaps’ microencapsulation technology while keeping the same registered microorganisms and product identity. As a result, this encapsulated product is already approved for commercialization in Argentina under HMA4’s registration, meaning BeCaps’ technology is already embedded in a market-approved product, not merely in trials.
-Currently being sought. In its B2B licensing model, product registration and label claims are executed under each partner’s regulatory responsibility in every target geography, with BeCaps providing the supporting technical documentation (stability data, QC specifications such as CFU/g and moisture, and manufacturing specs). In parallel, for its own proprietary pipeline (starting with biofertilizers/biostimulants), BeCaps is completing the SENASA (Argentina) registration pathway, supported by ongoing trials, stability data and QC specifications.
-SENASA as a regional gateway. We are using Argentina and SENASA as our regulatory beachhead. SENASA registration and the associated data package establish a technical and documentary foundation that accelerates access to neighboring and international markets — Paraguay (SENAVE) and Brazil (MAPA) through regional/Mercosur alignment, and subsequently the United States (EPA) and the European Union, reducing duplication of studies and shortening the path to approval in each jurisdiction.
