As part of its next phase of growth, FA Bio appoint two new Directors from leading UK and European impact investors
FA Bio, the revolutionary agriculture microbial discovery and development company, has appointed Sophie Pickering, Investment Manager at Pymwymic, and Dr Jonathan Tudor, Investment Partner at Clean Growth Fund, as Directors.
Having secured a £5.3 million tranche of new investment in January 2024 to accelerate its research and development of bioproducts for the agriculture sector and achieve its vision of revolutionising sustainable agriculture, FA Bio has appointed two experienced Board Directors to support its next phase of growth.
Sophie Pickering is an experienced Investment Manager, supporting high-growth enterprises to scale up their impact. With a passion for impact investing, she is focused on driving systemic change in our food systems and helping direct capital towards meaningful investments with visionary entrepreneurs. Sophie is committed to empowering diversity in the venture capital ecosystem to foster innovation and progress and support underrepresented voices to unlock untapped potential and cultivate a more equitable and vibrant entrepreneurial landscape.
Dr Jonathan Tudor is an experienced venture capital investor and a specialist in clean technology. With a focus on early-stage businesses, he has worked closely with founders to help their businesses flourish and grow, enabling them to navigate and make sense of the corporate ecosystem. Jonathan has held board roles at a number of privately held technology companies and has held senior executive roles at BP Ventures, QinetiQ and CG Innovation Partners.
FA Bio is developing solutions to minimise agriculture’s environmental impact whilst sustainably increasing crop productivity through bioproducts. With a number of key drivers for the use of bioproducts in agriculture, including protecting the environment, FA Bio is leading the way in discovering sustainable farming solutions and developing superior microbial biofungicides and biostimulants that can restore the biodiversity of degraded soils and enhance or replace agrochemical inputs.
Dr Angela de Manzanos Guinot, CEO and Co-Founder of FA Bio said: “We are excited to welcome Sophie and Jonathan to the Board as we begin the next stage of growth and development of our superior bioproducts. Sophie brings extensive industry experience and exposure through her support to a range of innovative companies transforming food systems. Jonathan has a deep expertise in science and brings a broad range of ideas and experience in growing leadership teams and scaling up businesses. Both Sophie and Jonathan are well respected specialists in sustainable technology, and we are pleased to have them joining FA Bio’s Board as we look to revolutionise sustainable agriculture.”
Sophie Pickering comments: “Angela and Kerry are two truly inspiring entrepreneurs who are committed to their mission and have built a company with expert scientists who share their passion for transforming the agriculture industry. FA Bio is focused on finding the solutions to one of the most critical issues in our food system, improving soil health. I look forward to supporting the company through its exciting developments on the next stage of its journey.”
Dr Jonathan Tudor adds: “The agricultural sector accounts for an estimated 20-30% of global emission yet is it often overlooked as an area for investment in clean tech solutions. Utilising nature and innovative technology could help decarbonise our food production industries and revolutionise sustainable agriculture. FA Bio’s innovative technology and game-changing bioproducts have the potential to boost crop productivity and provide a natural alternative to chemical fertilisers, protecting the world’s natural ecosystems and reducing GHG emissions.”
