28 April 2018

EFKO Group Names the Best Projects in Biotechnology and Genomics in Russia

EFKO Group named four winners of the special nomination "Biotechnology and Genomics in the Agro-Industrial Complex", established within the framework of the GenerationS accelerator by RVC. The project team received a special prize from the nomination founder and a certificate for passing an acceleration program at the Innovation Centre Biryuch-NT (R&D division of the EFKO Group) and in the Biryuch Management School. Another three teams will undergo an acceleration program on the premises of EFKO Group as well. The total amount of the prize fund of the nomination amounted to 500 thousand roubles.

The nomination winner was the project named "Technology of Production of Feed Microbial Protein from Waste Vegetable Raw Materials". This product reduces the cost of full-fat animal feed by 30-50%. The solution is based on the processing of plant raw materials, use of modern safe fodder enzymes and refusal to use antibiotics.

The second place was taken by the biopreparation Decon-PIT. Effective processing of animal bio-waste". This product makes it possible to obtain highly effective fertilizers that increase yield by recycling waste. The start-up solves the acute soil contamination issue: there are more than two million hectares of land in today’s Russia, which are occupied for storage of waste coming from livestock enterprises.

The project "Development of a Technology for Creating Heterotic Sugar Beet Hybrids that Are Resistant to Biotic Factors Based on Molecular (MAS) Breeding" took the third place. The method proposed by the start-up team makes it possible to speed up and make cheaper the sugar beet selection process. Thanks to the PCR analysis of DNA, the developers determine the prospects of breeding materials and identify genotypes that are resistant to biotic factors.

The project "Technology of Deep Processing of Secondary Bio Products by Distillation in an Inert Gas Medium" also joined the winners’ team. The project is based on the technology of distillation by using an inert gas, separating the thermally unstable raw materials into the target components.

Tatyana Sanina, General Director of the Innovation Centre Biryuch-NT, noted that the start-ups selected by EFKO Group meet all the trends in the development of innovations in the field of agrobiotics, and after rework have significant chances to become commercially successful projects.

"The scale of agrobiotechnology use in Russia is only a few percent, despite of the fact that innovations are the only tool to bring the country's agro-industrial complex to a qualitatively new level of development. To create real breakthrough products and world-class technologies, our company is ready to offer young researchers from all over Russia access to the most advanced technical resources in the industry and unique opportunities for professional growth", noted Tatiana Sanina, General Director of the Innovation Centre Biryuch-NT.

In total, as many as 55 applications were submitted for participation in the special nomination. Applications for the nomination came from various cities in Russia and Ukraine, most applications were submitted by entrepreneurs from Moscow, Kazan and Krasnodar.

REFERENCE INFORMATION

ABOUT GENERATIONS

GenerationS is the biggest start-up accelerator in Russia and Eastern Europe, the federal platform for the development of corporate acceleration. It has been held by RVC since 2013. Over 20 Russian companies, interested in selecting and accelerating start-ups, become industrial partners to GenerationS on an annual basis. As a result of the multi-stage examination, the GenerationS participants receive ample opportunities for business development and investment promotion as well as access to resources and infrastructure of accelerator partners.
www.generation-startup.ru

ABOUT RVC

RVC JSC is a governmental fund of funds, the Institute of Development of the Russian Federation. The main objectives of RVC is to stimulate creation of Russia's own venture capital industry and execute functions of the Project Office of the National Technology Initiative (NTI). The authorized capital of RVC is more than 30 billion roubles. One hundred per cent of the RVC capital belongs to the Russian Federation represented by the Federal Agency for Management of State Property of the Russian Federation (Federal Property Management Agency). The total number of funds formed by RVC JSC has reached 26; their total size is 35.5 billion roubles. The share of RVC is 22.6 billion rubles. The number of innovative companies approved for investment by RVC funds has reached as many as 222. The total amount of monetary funds approved for investment is 18 billion roubles.
www.rvc.ru

ABOUT EFKO GROUP

EFKO Group is one of the three largest agro-industrial holdings in Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union. The company is among the backbone enterprises of the food industry that provide food security for the Russian Federation. EFKO is the leader in the market of food ingredients used in the confectionery, bakery and other food industries; it holds leading positions in the processing of oilseeds, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, ketchup and yogurt. It is one of the largest exporters of sunflower oil. The company's brand products are made under such well-known trademarks as Sloboda and Altero, which have been repeatedly marked with the State Quality Mark. The Group's production assets are located in the Belgorod, Voronezh and Sverdlovsk Regions, the Krasnodar Krai, Moscow suburbs and the Republic of Kazakhstan. The products are exported to more than 50 countries. At the end of 2016, the company's revenue amounted to RUB 106.9 bln.
www.efko.ru

ABOUT THE INNOVATIVE CENTER BIRYUCH - NEW TECHNOLOGIES

The Innovative Center Biryuch - New Technologies - R&D division of the EFKO Group. The Centre’s research is focused on the development of innovative solutions in such promising areas as food and feed biotechnology, fodder for farm animals, genomic selection, oleochemistry, and their integration into the Group's existing businesses. The centre is located in the Belgorod oblast and accommodates the most state-of-the-art research equipment. The mission of the Innovation Centre Biryuch - NT is to develop world-class technologies in order to ensure import substitution and food security in Russia through the development of the potential of talented Russian researchers.
www.biruch.ru