Dr Ansari was an academic working across India, Belgium and the UK. He joined Swansea University in 2005 and started working on the development of biopesticides for the control of insect pests in the horticulture and forestry sectors.

When he visited growers and farmers, he was often asked about pest control methods that did not require the extensive use of chemical solutions. These queries made him look into the development of non-­toxic, natural methods of pest control that would reduce the need for chemical use.

Once Dr Ansari developed his thinking around biopesticide alternatives, he set up Bionema in 2012. The focus of Bionema’s research was the development and commercialisation of naturally-occurring microorganisms for crop protection against pests and diseases that would reduce the use of synthetic pesticides, enhance food security and increase crop yields.

In 2017, Bionema made a breakthrough discovery in the development of NemaTrident®, a tri-component solution, and the conception of the microencapsulation formulation delivery system. Shortly afterwards, the company support was gained from the Development Bank of Wales (DBW) and private investors. In 2018-19, Bionema raised £680,000 in equity investment and more than £1 million in grant funding. The company also established its  headquarters at the Institute of Life Science at Swansea University in the UK.

Innovation in biopesticide formulations is a core objective for Bionema, enabling the company to commercialise multiple product lines and to generate a pipeline of advanced and early-stage products that include beneficial nematicides, bioinsecticides,  compatible surfactants and delivery platforms. Bionema has also developed a robust patent portfolio and collected a library of more than hundred commercially-viable microorganisms for pipeline candidates.

Industry Associations

Bionema stays connected to our customers and the evolving needs of the industries we serve, by actively participating in industry association activities  at a local, national and international level. Our industry affiliations include:

• Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)https://ahdb.org.uk/
• Association of Applied Biologists https://www.aab.org.uk/ 
• International Biocontrol Manufacturers’ Association (IBMA) https://www.ibma-global.org/
• The Biopesticide Summit and Awards https://biopesticidesummit.com/
• The World BioProtection Forum https://www.worldbioprotectionforum.com/