Agriculture is facing enormous challenges: By 2050, it is expected to feed nearly ten billion people. An additional problem is that energy, water and soils are becoming increasingly scarce. In order not to permanently damage the soil, sustainable management and a reduction of environmental pollution from agriculture is important. Biotech start-up BIND-X has developed a technology that offers an ecological alternative for weed management worldwide. This technology is not only applicable in agriculture, but can also be used in many other industries, such as mining. There, for example, the innovative bio-mineralisation can be used to control the problem of dust efficiently and more cost-effectively. Susanne Simon interviewed Martin Spitznagel, CEO of BIND-X GmbH, for “IZB Biotech News”.

IZB Biotech News: How does Bind-X shape the future of agriculture?
Martin Spitznagel: Agriculture is the foundation of a bio-based economy and the source of safe and nutritious food for the world’s population. In addition, tremendous changes are facing this industry as climate change makes outdoor production more vulnerable and important input factors like water and arable land are getting scarce. Bind-X supports farmers with a new technology that not only helps to control weed growth but also mitigates problems caused by climate change such as wind erosion and water evaporation. Weed management is crucial for sustainable and resource efficient farming and does not need to be based on chemicals only.

IZB Biotech News: How does bio-based weed management work?
Martin Spitznagel:Based on our new technology we can offer a full range of specifically adapted products that are either liquid or solid and can be applied using existing equipment. The driving engine within our products are natural, non-GMO soil bacteria that produce a mineral, which then forms a natural layer within the soil. This physical barrier controls weed growth and helps the target crop outcompete weeds.

IZB Biotech News: How do you plan your market entries?
Martin Spitznagel: We are currently entering the home gardening market in Germany. As there is a huge lack of feasible solutions to control weed growth in gardens on municipal areas, we and our partners strongly believe in a successful market entry. Every passionate garden owner as well as public park managers know about the problem of having to decide between the undesired burning or poisoning of weeds or labour-intensive manual weeding. In addition, we are preparing our market entry in fruits and vegetables. Especially permanent cultures, such as wine and apples, are our primary focus. This will be followed by further crops as we learn from the market and can adapt our technology accordingly. Beside the applications in agriculture, we envision other application areas in the near future.

IZB Biotech News: Can your technology be used in other industries?
Martin Spitznagel: Yes, as a combined technology developer and product provider, Bind-X enables the use of biotechnology in numerous applications and industries. For many industries, significant increases in sustainability can be combined with increased productivity and broadened market perspectives for the first time. For example, dust in open pit mines causes health and safety problems, environmental penalties, and loss of production. The problem is further gaining importance as governments enforce increasingly strict regulations. Current methods, such as spraying water or using chemicals (e.g., salts, synthetic polymers, bitumen) are costly and often harmful to the environment. Bind-X provides the mining sector with the innovative, patented and sustainable dust control product “Bind-DC” with a two-fold value proposition: cost reduction over the cheapest alternatives and an improved environmental footprint.