Ambienta Acquires Spain’s Agronova - InforCapital

Ambienta SGR, one of Europe’s largest asset managers focused on environmental sustainability, has announced its acquisition of Agronova Biotech, a leading provider of biological crop protection and nutrition products. This deal marks Ambienta’s first investment in Spain and its official entry into the rapidly growing sustainable agriculture sector.

Headquartered in Spain, Agronova offers more than 800 registered products designed to improve crop yields while reducing dependence on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. With operations across Europe and the Americas, the company runs six production facilities and five R&D labs focused on biological alternatives, such as biostimulants, biocontrol products, and organic fertilisers.

The deal positions Ambienta to scale operations within the booming $21 billion biosolutions market, which is growing at an annual rate of 11%—more than three times faster than conventional agri-inputs. As climate change impacts agriculture and regulatory pressure mounts to limit chemical usage, biological crop solutions are gaining traction globally.

Mauro Roversi, Founding Partner and CIO at Ambienta, said, “This acquisition bears a double significance. We are entering a sector with enormous sustainability potential, and we are expanding into Spain with a very strategic asset.”

Agronova CEO Olivier Lavaud added, “Ambienta is the ideal partner for our next phase. We share a strong commitment to helping farmers transition toward more sustainable practices.”

Agriculture accounts for roughly 15% of global GHG emissions, with overuse of chemicals leading to soil degradation and biodiversity loss. Agronova’s solutions tackle these issues by enhancing nutrient absorption and reducing environmental impact, aligning with Ambienta’s ESG-driven investment thesis.

The acquisition was supported by Alantra as financial advisor, with Latham & Watkins handling legal counsel. Roland Berger and KPMG provided strategic and financial diligence.

The acquisition aligns with a broader trend in the sector, including Stirling Square’s portfolio company Sustainable Agro Solutions (SAS) acquiring Biovert in 2023 and later Pevesa Agroscience (late 2024)—deals that strengthened SAS’s biostimulant and biocontrol offerings.

These transactions reflect growing investor appetite for environmental solutions that replace chemical inputs. SAS’s moves were backed by Stirling Square Fund IV (closed at €950M), with support from Eurazeo and Kartesia via a €103M financing package.

Ambienta itself recently closed a €500M small‑cap sustainable fund, deploying capital into environmental SMEs and signaling increased deal activity in eco-driven agri-platforms.

Industry-wide, investors are targeting the estimated $21 billion biosolutions market—which is growing at around 11% annually—driven by regulatory pressure to limit agrochemicals and meet sustainability goals.

Ambienta's deal for Agronova mirrors these moves and positions the firm among the frontrunners in supporting sustainable agriculture, complementing its existing environmental portfolio that now spans energy, waste, and agri-biosolutions.

Ambienta’s typical platform investments range between €100 million and €300 million in enterprise value, often with equity checks of €50–€200 million. While the exact figure remains private, it's plausible the Agronova transaction aligns with those benchmarks.