BIPA NV

Their core work

BIPA NV is a Belgian SME specializing in biological crop protection and sustainable agricultural inputs. The company contributes industry expertise to EU research projects focused on biopesticides, biofertilizers, and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Their participation spans organic farming systems and the development of alternatives to chemical pesticides, suggesting they are either a producer or distributor of biological plant protection products. Based in Londerzeel (Flanders), they bridge commercial agriculture with applied research on pest control for difficult-to-manage species like whiteflies, aphids, mites, and thrips.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

With only three projects starting between 2016 and 2018, the evolution is subtle but coherent. The earliest project (INTERFUTURE, 2016) was foundational — exploring microbial interactions for biopesticide and biofertilizer development, likely at a more research-intensive level. The two later projects (RELACS and SuperPests, both 2018) shifted toward practical application: replacing chemical inputs in organic farming and tackling insecticide-resistant "super pests" with specific tools for whiteflies, aphids, and thrips. This suggests a move from upstream microbial research toward market-ready pest management solutions.

BIPA is moving from early-stage biopesticide research toward practical, field-ready biological solutions for resistant pest species — a direction aligned with the EU's tightening restrictions on chemical pesticides.

How they like to work

BIPA participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator, which is typical for an SME contributing specialized industry knowledge and testing capacity rather than managing large research programs. Across just three projects, they have worked with 51 unique partners in 17 countries, indicating they join large, well-connected consortia rather than small targeted teams. This makes them an accessible partner — experienced in multi-national collaboration without the overhead expectations of project leadership.

Despite only three projects, BIPA has built a broad network of 51 partners across 17 countries, reflecting participation in large RIA consortia. Their network spans much of the EU, with no apparent geographic concentration beyond their Belgian base.

What sets them apart

BIPA occupies a specific niche as a commercial SME in the biological crop protection space — not a university lab or a research institute, but a company that understands what it takes to bring biopesticides from research to field application. Their involvement in projects targeting both organic farming systems (RELACS) and resistant super pests (SuperPests) means they sit at the intersection of regulatory-driven demand and hard technical challenges. For consortium builders, they offer a private-sector testing ground and commercial perspective that academic partners typically lack.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SuperPests
  Addresses one of agriculture's toughest challenges — insecticide-resistant pests — across multiple species (whiteflies, aphids, mites, thrips) with biological control methods.
• INTERFUTURE
  Largest EC contribution to BIPA (EUR 250,560) and their first H2020 project, focused on fundamental microbial research for new biopesticides and biofertilizers.
• RELACS
  Directly aligned with EU Green Deal goals, targeting replacement of contentious chemical inputs in organic farming systems.