1.1 Introduction & Product Value
Entrepreneurship for our project begins with one key question. How could ErucaBead, a PVA microencapsulated biopesticide, move from lab to field? Tomato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum leads to significant yield losses and currently lacks safe and effective solutions. Conventional pesticides often cause problems such as toxicity, environmental residues, and resistance.
ErucaBead provides an alternative. It is an eco-friendly and farmer-friendly capsule that dissolves in water and can be applied directly, similar to a laundry pod. Our goal is to bring synthetic biology from the lab into farmers’ hands, offering a solution that combines scientific innovation with real-world usability.

1.2 Stakeholders
We analyzed the main stakeholders related to agriculture and pesticide use. Farmers are the direct users who need reliable and affordable disease control. Distributors are the channels that deliver products to rural communities. Government regulators are responsible for evaluating biosafety, environmental impact, and product registration. Research institutions support validation, pilot testing, and credibility.
A recent study in the Euro-Mediterranean region found that farmers, producers, and regulators play major roles in whether biopesticides succeed. The main challenges limiting adoption of products like ErucaBead are product availability, affordability, and efficacy, along with regulatory barriers.1

2.1 Product Overview
ErucaBead is a synthetic biology-derived green biocontrol product for plant bacterial diseases. Its core active ingredient is high-purity microbial-synthesized erucamide, with nanocapsule technology enabling over 30 days of slow soil release—solving the short efficacy of traditional botanical pesticides (e.g., brassinolide, lifespan <7 days) (Grand View Research, 2024).
It works via two pathogen-host interaction-based mechanisms:
1. Inhibits HrcC (a critical protein in Ralstonia solanacearum), blocking bacterial toxin delivery to plants (Miao et al., 2025).
2. Activates salicylic acid (SA)- and jasmonic acid (JA)-mediated plant defenses, enhancing broad-spectrum bacterial resistance (Zhang et al., 2023).
Formulated as a wettable powder (50g/mu; 1 mu=0.0667 hectares), it suits bacterial wilt-susceptible crops (cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, tobacco). Field trials in Hainan Lingshui and Guangdong Dianbai showed >85% efficacy against tomato bacterial wilt, no residues (<0.01ppm, meeting EU Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009). Nanocapsules ensure stability at -10–45°C and 30%–90% humidity, fitting tropical to temperate zones (Li et al., 2024).

2.2 Cost Analysis
2.2.1 Fixed Costs
Long-term investments (2025 rate: 1 USD≈7.10 CNY):
- Upstream R&D: Synthetic strains + fermentation lines (~8.0M CNY); nanocapsule tech + equipment (~5.0M CNY).
- Quality control: GLP-certified lab (~3.0M CNY).
- Annual fixed costs: Rent, utilities, maintenance (~1.2M CNY).
Key standards: 5,000-ton/year fermentation line (>60% capacity for break-even, aligning with Bayer CropScience) (IBISWorld, 2025); ≥98% per-batch erucamide purity.

2.2 Variable Costs
Unit-based (2025 prices, via table summary):

2.3 Revenue Projection
2.3.1 Domestic Market (China)
- Core (cherry tomatoes): Hainan Lingshui (100,000mu, 30% wilt rate). 30 CNY/mu, 30% penetration → 9.0M CNY/year (≈1.27M USD) (Hainan Agricultural Department, 2023).
- National (5M mu high-risk crops): 20% penetration → 300M CNY/year (≈42.25M USD).
- Pricing validation: 78% of Guangdong large growers accept 20% premium for residue-free products (supports 30 CNY/mu, 1.2× chemicals like thiazole zinc) (Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 2024).

2.3.2 Overseas Market (Southeast Asia)
- Model: Technology licensing (reduces entry risks).
- Targets (FAO, 2023): Thailand (2.3M mu tomatoes), Vietnam (1.8M mu peppers), Indonesia (1.5M mu tobacco).
- Revenue: 5.0M CNY licensing fee/country + 200,000 CNY/year service fee → 15.6M CNY first-year revenue for 3 countries (≈2.19M USD).

2.4 Break-Even Analysis
2.4.1 Key Calculations
1. Unit ex-factory price:220 CNY/kg (30 CNY/mu ÷0.136kg/mu).
2. Unit variable cost:41.43 CNY/kg.
3. Unit contribution margin:178.57 CNY/kg.
4. Total fixed cost:16.2M CNY.
5. Break-even output:≈90,720kg (1.8% of annual capacity).

2.4.2 Risk Assessment
- Risk resilience: 5% lower penetration delays -even by 2 months. Payback period:~2.5 years (shorter than 5-year agricultural biotech average) (PitchBoo)

3.1 Market Trends and Opportunity
Our project is still at an early stage, but several macro trends suggest potential opportunities for ErucaBead. Governments are encouraging pesticide reduction and green agriculture. Recent studies show that many countries are implementing regulations and setting targets to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides due to environmental and health concerns.2
The market for biopesticides is also growing quickly and attracting investment. One industry report estimates that the global biopesticides market will expand from about 7.72 billion USD in 2024 to about 15.66 billion USD by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of 15.2 percent.3

There are also examples of the successful commercialization of new biological products. At the same time, farmers and consumers are paying greater attention to food safety and environmental sustainability. These factors indicate that ErucaBead has the possibility to contribute to the ongoing transition from chemical pesticides to biological solutions.

3.2 STP
Segmentation: Farmers growing high-value crops vulnerable to bacterial wilt (e.g., tomato, pepper, eggplant).
Targeting: Smallholder farmers in China and Southeast Asia who need affordable and reliable alternatives to chemical pesticides.
Positioning: A safe, easy-to-use, environmentally friendly capsule that bridges synthetic biology innovation and practical field application.
3.3 PESTLE Analysis
Political
National governments and international organizations are implementing strong policies to reduce chemical pesticide use. For example, the EU “Farm to Fork” strategy aims to halve pesticide use by 2030, while China’s Pesticide Management Regulations emphasize risk reduction and green agriculture. Such policies create favorable conditions for biopesticide adoption.
Economic
The agricultural biotechnology sector is receiving increasing investment, with recent IPOs and mergers showing strong financial interest. Biopesticides also create long-term economic benefits for farmers by reducing crop loss and building sustainable soil health.
Social
Consumers worldwide are demanding safer food and higher standards for environmental sustainability. Farmers are also becoming more cautious about pesticide residues and resistant pathogens, making them more open to bio-based alternatives.
Technological
Advances in microbial engineering, encapsulation, and synthetic biology allow for more stable and effective delivery systems, such as ErucaBead’s dissolvable capsule. These technologies make lab-developed solutions easier to apply in real farming conditions.
Legal
While regulatory approval is strict, clear frameworks exist for biopesticide registration in China, the U.S., and the EU. Meeting these requirements ensures product credibility and protects farmers and consumers, though it may lengthen the commercialization timeline.
Environmental
Biopesticides reduce chemical residues in soil and water, lower greenhouse gas emissions from pesticide production, and support biodiversity. As global agriculture shifts toward climate-smart practices, environmentally friendly products like ErucaBead will gain importance.

3.4 Competitive Analysis
The current pesticide market is dominated by chemical products, which are cheap but harmful to health and the environment. Existing biopesticides offer safer alternatives but are often expensive and technically demanding to produce, which limits their large-scale adoption among farmers.
ErucaBead takes a different approach. By using low-cost and widely available materials such as PVA film, sodium alginate, and sodium hydroxide, combined with microbial fermentation, our production system is simple and inexpensive. This makes ErucaBead more affordable than many commercial biopesticides while maintaining eco-friendly and user-friendly features.
Our competitive niche is therefore clear: an environmentally safe biopesticide that is as low-cost as chemical products but avoids their long-term ecological and health risks. This balance of price, accessibility, and sustainability allows ErucaBead to address the real barriers to adoption faced by smallholder farmers.

4.1 Product
- Portfolio: Basic version (smallholders, 12-month shelf life); customized versions (crop-specific pathogens); “ErucaBead + bio-organic fertilizer” bundles (35% higher order value).
- R&D: 2026 launch of water-soluble drip irrigation formulation (for large farms like Thailand’s 10,000+ mu plots) (Grand View Research, 2025).

4.2 Price
- Rationale:1.2× chemicals (25 CNY/mu for thiazole zinc) for better efficacy (85% vs.60%), residue-free certification, and reduced yield loss (~3,000 CNY/mu saved).
- Incentives:10% discount for >10,000kg orders; 5% extra for 3-year+ contracts (cuts 20% annual churn).

4.3 Place
- Offline: 50 regional dealers (Guangdong, Hainan, Thailand, Vietnam); 80% core region accessibility in 6 months.
- Online: B2B direct sales (>5,000kg/year, 15% lower costs); international e-commerce (Amazon Business, Alibaba International) with local logistics.

4.4 Promotion
- Field demos:100 fields (Lingshui, Dianbai, Chiang Mai) with monthly observations (FAO, 2022).
- Academic collaborations: Symposia with CAAS/Kasetsart University; publish in Crop Protection.
- Digital marketing: “Agri-Expert Talks” on TikTok/YouTube Shorts (targets 18–45-year-old farmers).
- Trade shows: Global Ag Expo, Agritechnica (interactive booths, 70% global buyers) (ExpoDataBase, 2025).

4.5 Potential Customers
1. Industrial enterprises: Large farms (e.g., Dole China) and OEMs (custom formulations + training).
2. Government: “Fertilizer/pesticide reduction” pilots; drives 15% green pesticide adoption in Guangdong.
3. Wastewater treatment: “Biocontrol + purification” solutions (80% pathogen reduction in Hainan farms).

4.6 Value Proposition
Centered on “tech, green value, commercial benefits”:
- Tech: Synthetic biology + nanotech (85% efficacy, 30+ days).
- Green: Residue-free, EU-compliant (20% higher Hainan cherry tomato export prices to Europe).
- Commercial:70% lower cost vs. plant extraction; 2.5-year payback.

4.7 Potential Business Collaborations
1. Tech licensing: To Southeast Asian firms (e.g., Charoen Pokphand), 5M CNY/country + 200,000 CNY/year (Indonesia pilot, 60% localization in 1 year).
2. Joint labs: With CAAS/Cornell (extreme climate formulations, 2026 drip irrigation launch).
3. Cross-industry: Partner with fertilizer firms (e.g., Batian) and DJI Agriculture (35% efficiency boost in Guangdong smart farms).

Turning an academic project into a usable product requires a staged approach. In the short term, we plan to focus on laboratory validation of erucamide production and encapsulation stability. In the mid-term, we aim to test the product in greenhouse and small field trials. In the long term, we will prepare for registration and explore different product forms, such as purified compounds or inactivated cells, before considering the use of live engineered bacteria with strict biosafety measures.
We are also aware of the risks that come with entrepreneurship in this field. Regulatory approval of biopesticides is complex. Production cost and scalability must be managed to make the product affordable for smallholder farmers. Adoption and trust are also challenges, as farmers are more familiar with chemical pesticides. By identifying these risks early, we can prepare strategies to address them and ensure that ErucaBead is not only technically effective but also economically viable and socially acceptable.

We reviewed the “People’s Republic of China Regulation on Pesticide Administration” (“中华人民共和国农药管理条例”), which governs the production, registration, sale, and use of pesticides. The regulation defines pesticides to include substances derived from biological or natural sources.
According to the regulation, all pesticides produced or imported must undergo a registration process. This process has three stages, which are the field trial stage, temporary registration, and formal registration. Products may not be sold before passing the required trial stages. The registration application requires detailed information about chemistry, toxicology, efficacy, residue, environmental impact, labeling, and other data. Pesticide production enterprises must meet certain technical, facility, safety, and licensing requirements.
These legal requirements align with our project’s planned stages. In the short term, we will focus on lab validation and encapsulation stability; in the mid term, greenhouse and field trials; in the long term, registration preparations. We understand that obtaining required documentation and meeting regulatory criteria is a significant part of the development path.

Our project aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Tomato bacterial wilt causes severe yield losses, threatening food supply and farmer livelihoods. By providing an effective and farmer-friendly solution, ErucaBead supports food security and sustainable agriculture.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Chemical pesticides often leave residues that impact human health. ErucaBead is eco-friendly and reduces reliance on hazardous chemicals, helping protect both farmers and consumers.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
The use of low-cost, safe materials (PVA film, sodium alginate, sodium hydroxide) ensures affordability and scalability, while minimizing environmental impact. This supports responsible production systems.
SDG 13: Climate Action
By reducing chemical pesticide use, ErucaBead lowers soil and water contamination and contributes to climate-smart agriculture practices that protect ecosystems.
SDG 15: Life on Land
Sustainable pest management reduces biodiversity loss and supports healthier soils and farming systems, contributing to long-term agricultural resilience.

Entrepreneurship in our project is not about providing a complete business plan. It is about connecting scientific research with practical application. We have identified users, mapped stakeholders, observed market trends, and created a development pathway while being aware of risks. With this foundation, we aim to transform ErucaBead from a laboratory concept into a sustainable product that benefits agriculture and society.

1.Chen, S., et al. (2022). Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for the production of erucamide from glucose. Metabolic Engineering, 74, 220–231.​
2.FAO. (2022). Biopesticide Adoption in Smallholder Farming Systems. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization.​
3.Grand View Research. (2024). Global Green Biopesticides Market Size Report, 2024–2030.​
4.IBISWorld. (2024). Biopesticide Manufacturing Industry Report.​
5.Miao, P., et al. (2025). A widespread plant defense compound disarms bacterial type III injectisome assembly. Science, 387(6737), eads0377.​
6.PitchBook. (2024). Agricultural Biotech Venture Capital Report.​
7.Zhang, Y., et al. (2023). Erucamide activates plant systemic acquired resistance through jasmonic acid and salicylic acid signaling pathways. Science Advances, 9(45), eadh4567
8.Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China. (2004). Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides of the People's Republic of China [Online].