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Executive Summary: Agrochemicals Market Report [2026]

  • Industry Growth Overview: The agrochemicals industry includes around 5000 companies worldwide, and includes 850+ startups. The sector recorded a 1.09% contraction in the last year.
  • Manpower & Employment Growth: The global agrochemicals workforce exceeds 959 700 professionals. Employment levels remain stable, with 100+ new employees added in the last year.
  • Patents & Grants: More than 4300 applicants filed for 12K+ patents. This innovation base is reinforced by 580+ grants.
  • Global Footprint: Leading country hubs include India, the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada. At the city level, innovation and operational activity cluster around Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune.
  • Investment Landscape: The sector recorded 1100+ funding rounds, backed by more than 1100 investors. The capital is deployed across 350+ companies with an average investment value of USD 49.3 million per round.
  • Top Investors: Leading investors have deployed more than USD 4.02 billion. Major contributors include PAG, Rio Tinto, and Sinochem Group.
  • Startup Ecosystem: Five representative innovators include SOLVE Chemistry (AI-based chemical process optimization), Cyclef (biostimulants and organomineral fertilizers), Phagen Tech (phage-based bacterial crop control), CellX Biosolutions (agrochemical wastewater biotreatment), and AgZen (real-time chemical spray optimization).

 

 

Methodology: How we created this Agrochemicals Report

This report is based on proprietary data from our AI-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, which tracks 9 million global companies, 25K+ technologies and trends, as well as 190M patents, news articles, and market reports.

This data includes detailed firmographic insights into approximately 9 million startups, scaleups, and tech companies. Leveraging this exhaustive database, we provide actionable insights for startup scouting, trend discovery, and technology landscaping.

For this report, we focused on the evolution of agrochemicals over the past 5 years, utilizing our platform’s trend intelligence feature. Key data points analyzed include:

  • Total Companies working in the sector
  • News Coverage and Annual Growth
  • Market Maturity and Patents
  • Global Search Volume & Growth
  • Funding Activity and Top Countries
  • Subtrends within agrochemicals

Our data is refreshed regularly, enabling trend comparisons for deeper insights into their relative impact and importance.

Additionally, we reviewed trusted external resources to supplement our findings with broader market data and predictions, ensuring a reliable and comprehensive overview of the agrochemicals market.

What Data is used to create this Agrochemicals Market Report?

Based on data provided by the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, we observe that the agrochemicals market stands out in the following categories relative to the 25K+ technologies and trends we track.

These categories provide a comprehensive overview of the market’s key metrics and inform the future direction of the market.

  • News Coverage & Publications: The agrochemicals industry recorded more than 510 publications in the last year.
  • Funding Rounds: With approximately 1100 funding rounds tracked in the database, the sector demonstrates active and consistent investor participation.
  • Manpower & Employment: The global agrochemicals workforce exceeds 959 700 professionals, with over 100 new employees added in the last year.
  • Patents: Companies operating in the agrochemicals industry hold around 12 000 patents.
  • Grants: The sector has secured more than 580 grants.
  • Global Search Growth: Global search interest in agrochemicals increased by approximately 1100% over the last five years.

Explore the Data-driven Agrochemicals Market Outlook for 2026

The agrochemicals industry represents a large and strategically critical global ecosystem, with around 5000 companies. It includes 850+ startups introducing innovations in areas like crop protection chemicals, biological inputs, and precision-enabled formulations.

Despite its importance to global food systems, the sector recorded a 1.09% contraction in the last year. This reflects regulatory tightening, pricing pressure, and shifting demand toward sustainable and bio-based alternatives rather than a decline in agricultural input needs.

Innovation activity remains active and diversified. Companies operating in the agrochemicals space collectively hold approximately 12 000 patents, supported by 580+ grants.

From a workforce perspective, the agrochemicals industry employs around 959 700 professionals globally. Employment levels remain stable, with 100+ new employees added in the last year.

Geographically, industry activity is concentrated in both large agricultural markets and emerging innovation hubs. The leading country hubs include India, the USA, the UK, Australia, and Canada. At the city level, innovation and operational activity cluster around Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune.

 

 

The Asia-Pacific region accounted for the largest share of revenue, at approximately 29.18% in 2024.

A Snapshot of the Global Agrochemicals Market

The agrochemicals industry recorded a 1.09% contraction in the last year to reflect mounting regulatory scrutiny and pricing pressure. It also highlights a gradual shift toward lower-impact and biological crop protection solutions rather than a decline in agricultural input demand.

 

 

The industry is expected to increase from USD 242.49 billion in 2025 to USD 322.18 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.90% from 2026 to 2035.

Despite this short-term slowdown, innovation activity remains resilient, supported by a startup base of more than 850 companies. They develop in areas like next-generation formulations, precision-applied chemicals, and sustainable alternatives.

Patent data underscores continued technological progress within the sector. Companies operating in agrochemicals hold around 12 000 patents, filed by approximately 4300 applicants.

The yearly patent growth rate of 2.89% signals steady advancement in active ingredients, formulation chemistry, delivery mechanisms, and environmentally safer solutions.

Geographically, patent issuance is led by Japan, with around 5000 patents, followed by China, which accounts for approximately 1500 patents. This distribution highlights Asia’s prominent role in agrochemical innovation.

Explore the Funding Landscape of the Agrochemicals Market

Investment activity in the agrochemicals sector reflects a mature yet actively funded market, where capital deployment continues despite near-term growth headwinds. The average investment size of USD 49.3 million per round indicates a focus on scalable, asset-backed, and later-stage opportunities.

According to our data, more than 1100 investors have deployed capital into the industry. Over 1100 closed funding rounds supported more than 350 companies.

This broad participation highlights a diversified investor base that includes agribusiness strategics, chemical majors, financial institutions, and growth-focused investment funds, rather than reliance on a small group of dominant backers.

Who is Investing in the Agrochemicals Market?

The combined value invested by top investors exceeds USD 4.02 billion, showing concentrated capital deployment across major agrochemicals innovators.

  • PAG has invested USD 1 billion in at least 1 agrochemical company.
  • Rio Tinto invested USD 500 million in at least 1 company.
  • Sinochem Group has deployed USD 476.1 million into at least 1 company.
  • Afreximbank has invested USD 400 million in at least 1 company.
  • Societe Generale has committed USD 328 million across 3 companies.
  • Bain Capital has invested USD 290.7 million in at least 1 company.
  • Envigo has allocated USD 275 million to at least 1 company.
  • Zambia National Commercial Bank has invested USD 250 million in at least 1 company.
  • HSBC has committed USD 250 million to at least 1 agrochemicals company.
  • Intesa Sanpaolo has invested USD 250 million in at least 1 company.

Top Agrochemicals Innovations & Trends

Discover the emerging trends in the agrochemicals market along with their firmographic details:

Biopesticides

The biopesticides segment is driven by regulatory pressure on synthetic chemicals and rising demand for environmentally safer crop protection solutions. The database identifies 1200 companies active in this segment, which employ approximately 134 400 professionals globally. Workforce expansion remains measured, with 35 new employees added in the last year.

The annual growth rate of 0.98% indicates gradual expansion. While adoption continues across fruits, vegetables, and high-value crops, biopesticides are positioned as complementary solutions rather than full replacements for conventional chemistries.

Leaf Analysis

Leaf analysis is a specialized and diagnostic-focused niche within agrochemicals. It enables data-driven decisions around nutrient management and crop health monitoring.

The segment comprises 90 companies with a combined workforce of approximately 4800 employees. Employment growth has been minimal, with 1 new employee added in the last year.

The annual growth rate of -1.04% suggests a slight contraction, while reflecting slower adoption outside precision agriculture leaders and dependence on broader digital agriculture uptake.

Controlled-Release Fertilizers

Controlled-release fertilizers improve nutrient efficiency and reduce environmental runoff. The database tracks 170+ companies operating in this area, while employing approximately 80,600 people worldwide. Workforce growth has been modest, with 4+ new employees added in the last year, indicating stable but restrained expansion.

The annual growth rate of -0.47% points to a mature and currently constrained segment. Adoption is strongest in specialty crops and regulated markets, while broader uptake is limited by higher costs and dependency on farmer education and policy incentives.

5 Top Examples from 850+ Innovative Agrochemicals Startups

The five innovative startups showcased below are picked based on data including the trend they operate within and their relevance, founding year, funding status, and more. Book a demo to find promising startups, emerging trends, or industry data specific to your company’s needs and objectives.

SOLVE Chemistry – AI-based Chemical Process Optimization

UK-based startup SOLVE Chemistry offers a high-throughput experimental and machine learning platform for process development in organic synthesis.

The startup operates an automated laboratory that generates quantitative kinetic and yield data. For this, it uses controlled experiments with minimized mass and heat transfer effects and real-time analytical measurement.

Further, the platform structures this information as machine-actionable datasets that integrate into customer workflows through downloads or APIs.

In addition, proprietary machine learning and micro-kinetic models convert experimental data into response surfaces, solvent selection insights, and scale-independent kinetic parameters.

Cyclef – Biostimulant & Organomineral Fertilizers

Argentinian startup Cyclef develops agricultural inputs that strengthen crop resilience and restore soil fertility through applied biotechnology and circular processes.

The startup’s Nano Power biostimulant penetrates plant metabolic pathways and reinforces internal tolerance to abiotic stress such as drought, frost, excess water, and herbicide exposure.

This formulation acts as a metabolic shield that stabilizes plant function during environmental shocks and supports measurable yield improvements in field conditions.

In parallel, Organo MAX granular organo-mineral fertilizer combines essential minerals with organic matter to improve nutrient availability and soil structure.

It integrates into existing farming systems and reduces dependence on chemical fertilizers while returning nutrients to the soil.

Phagen Tech – Phage-based Banana Bacterial Control

Ecuadorian startup Phagen Tech offers targeted phage-based solutions to control bacterial diseases in bananas.

The startup isolates, enhances, and propagates bacteriophages while combining them into customized phage cocktails tailored for agricultural use. These phage cocktails specifically infect and destroy plant pathogens such as Ralstonia solanacearum, the bacterium responsible for Moko disease in bananas.

To ensure effective field delivery, Phagen Tech applies nano-encapsulation to protect phages in soil environments and enable targeted deployment at infection sites.

CellX Biosolutions – Agrochemical Wastewater Biotreatment

Swiss startup CellX Biosolutions develops a biological treatment that degrades long- and short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in agrochemical wastewater.

The startup deploys microfluidics and robotics to identify PFAS-degrading bacteria and capture microbial strains that metabolize persistent fluorinated compounds.

It then optimizes their metabolic pathways, assembles tailored bacterial communities from a curated PFAS-degrader library, and validates their performance under controlled conditions.

Through a proprietary biotechnology process, these optimized communities scale into commercial formulations suitable for continuous wastewater treatment and site remediation.

AgZen – Real-Time Chemical Spray Optimization

US-based startup AgZen develops RealCoverage, an AI-driven system that measures and controls spray droplet coverage on crops in real time.

The product works as a bolt-on solution that installs on existing foliar sprayers. It uses onboard sensors and AI to monitor how many droplets land on every leaf during spraying.

Based on live coverage data, the system continuously adjusts operating parameters such as speed, spray volume, droplet size, and boom height to maintain target coverage as field conditions change.

This closed-loop feedback approach replaces manual calibration and guesswork with direct measurement and automated control.

Gain Comprehensive Insights into Agrochemicals Trends, Startups, and Technologies

Agrochemical activity includes crop protection chemistry, biological inputs, and precision application technologies. Patent trends, R&D investments, and regulatory shifts point to a move from broad-spectrum chemicals toward targeted, data-driven, and environmentally responsible solutions.

As these technologies are embedded into modern agriculture, agrochemical innovators will influence how food is grown, protected, and optimized under climate and resource constraints.

Get in touch to explore 850+ startups and scaleups, as well as all market trends impacting agrochemicals companies worldwide.