Can two days change the trajectory of biocontrol?

The past two years have shown how quickly life can change. The COVID pandemic, extreme climate events, and geopolitical challenges that are resonating throughout the world, have made us all realise the fragility of our lives, and that of even the strongest business. Few companies were prepared for the changes that the past two years have wrought and, while strengthened supply chains, flexible working and other pragmatisms have provided the resilience that AgriTech needs to continue thriving in the ‘new normal’, old challenges remain. Primarily, the biocontrol sector continues to struggle with the challenge of converting brilliant ideas into commercial products that can be sold on the market. There appears to be no shortage of new ideas for biocontrol solutions, but the following challenges remain.

• Innovation: there are not enough biocontrol products on the market to address growing demand – as more toxic chemicals are banned,the world urgently needs more biological solutions to fill those gaps.
• Formulation: early biocontrol options failed due to sub-optimal formulation techniques that allow full efficacy to be achieved.
• Regulation: despite 30 years of efforts by individual companies and other industry groups, little has been achieved in gaining the regulatory reforms required for new biopesticides.
• Investment: the biocontrol sector is dominated by entrepreneurs, spin-offs and SMEs that need external investment to advance their innovations and get them to market.

Covering Biopesticides, Biostimulants, Biofertilizers, Biocides and Bioremediation, the Annual World BioProtection Summit and Awards(AWBSA)– the annual meeting of the World BioProtection Forum – addresses all three of these key challenges. Promising to be the most exciting biocontrol event of the decade, AWBSA offers:

• An excellent conference programme featuring top-billing speakers who will share latest developments and opinions in bioprotection.
• A session dedicated to regulatory challenges, with a meaningful panel discussion involving representatives from across the sector, including policymakers
• Excellent networking opportunities
• An opportunity to pitch new ideas in a vibrant and energetic InvestorReady session
• An Awards scheme celebrating the sector’s brightest achievements.

We all know someone who’s been incredibly ‘lucky’ in business – being in the right place, at the right time, is often cited as one of the core requirements for success.  We think your future is too important to rely on luck – you should make sure you are in the right place to take advantage of any opportunities that might come your way. You might have heard us say before, “It only takes one successful pitch to change your life.” We also believe that it only takes two days to change the trajectory of biocontrol, and those two days could be 23–24 May 2022! Join us in person or LIVE on-line on 23-24 May at this year’s Annual World BioProtection Summit and Awards and make the connections that you need to reach success.