NEW YORK, NY – April 1, 2026 – Paine Schwartz Partners (“Paine Schwartz”), the largest private equity firm dedicated to sustainable food chain investing, today announced the successful sale of AgBiTech, a global leader in biological crop protection solutions, to BASF Agricultural Solutions, a division of BASF.
Following the signing of a definitive agreement in January 2026 and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, the transaction closed on March 31, 2026, with BASF Agricultural Solutions assuming full ownership of AgBiTech on a go-forward basis.
Founded in Australia in 2000 by a farmer and a scientist, AgBiTech develops and produces biological crop protection products that use naturally occurring viruses to control caterpillar pests in major row crops. Today, the company operates globally with manufacturing capabilities in the United States, Australia, and Brazil, and distributes products for a wide range of crops across the Americas and other key agricultural markets. In line with Paine Schwartz’s core investment theme of Productivity & Sustainability, AgBiTech’s mission is to make farming more profitable and sustainable by providing efficacious, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides.
During Paine Schwartz’s ownership, the firm partnered closely with management to accelerate the company’s growth, including expanding commercial capabilities across key agricultural markets, strengthening direct-to-grower distribution in Brazil, and supporting product innovation through continued investment in research and development. As a result, AgBiTech significantly expanded its global footprint and advanced its portfolio of non-toxic and non-hazardous crop protection solutions with highly targeted modes of action.
“AgBiTech has built a strong reputation for delivering effective, sustainable biological insecticide solutions to farmers in key agricultural markets,” said Kevin Schwartz, CEO and Managing Partner of Paine Schwartz. “We are proud of the growth the company achieved during our partnership and believe BASF Agricultural Solutions is the right strategic owner to support the next phase of AgBiTech’s development. This successful outcome reflects our approach of partnering with management teams to build high-quality businesses that are attractive to leading strategic acquirers.”
“Paine Schwartz has been an exceptional partner in helping AgBiTech expand our reach and leadership in biological crop protection,” said Adriano Vilas-Boas, CEO of AgBiTech. “Together we have scaled our commercial capabilities, invested in innovation, and brought sustainable crop protection solutions to more growers in key countries. We are excited to join BASF Agricultural Solutions and believe their global platform will further accelerate the adoption of biological technologies in agriculture.”
“The biologicals market continues to grow rapidly, and acquiring AgBiTech strengthens our position in this attractive segment,” said Livio Tedeschi, President of BASF Agricultural Solutions. “AgBiTech’s proven biological technologies complement our existing portfolio and will help us expand biological solutions for farmers across important geographic markets.”
About AgBiTech
AgBiTech is a global leader in biological crop protection, specializing in products that use naturally occurring viruses to manage caterpillar pests in major row crops. Founded in Australia in 2000 by a farmer and a scientist, the company now has a global presence with manufacturing capabilities in the United States, Australia, and Brazil, and products used in important row and specialty crops. AgBiTech’s mission is to make farming more profitable and sustainable by providing efficacious, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides. Learn more at www.agbitech.com.
About BASF Agricultural Solutions
Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide sufficient and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That’s why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With €990 million in 2025, we invest in a strong R&D pipeline, and our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and stakeholders along the value chain. In 2025, our business generated sales of €9.6 billion. Learn more at www.agriculture.basf.com.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 108,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €60 billion in 2025. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Learn more at www.basf.com.
About Paine Schwartz Partners
Paine Schwartz Partners is the largest private equity firm dedicated to sustainable food chain investing, with ~$6.5 billion of AUM and over 20 years of experience. The firm invests across specific segments of the food and agribusiness value chain, with a focus on two core investment themes: productivity and sustainability and health and wellness. Through its proactive, thesis-driven approach, the firm targets value-added and differentiated companies and makes primarily control buyout investments, with a smaller allocation to growth companies. Learn more at www.paineschwartz.com.
Contacts:
Paine Schwartz Media Contact
Andy Brimmer / Aaron Palash
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
+1 212-355-4449
