France startup TOOPI Organics raises over 1 million euros to transform urine into biofertilizer

TOOPI Organics, a French startup specialized in the valuation of human urine for agriculture has raised over one million euros as part of its first capital round. Rewarded with more than ten innovation prizes in the space of a year, the company will open by the end of 2020 a first production unit in South Gironde capable of transforming 750,000 liters of urine per year.

With this funding, TOOPI Organics also wants to structure its collection network, secure the marketing of its urine-based biostimulants, and accelerate its national and European development.

This first fundraiser was conducted by an investment company Evergreen International rank and merits impact makesense I Seed. Historical shareholder, the regional fund Irdi Soridec was also joined by 3 family offices, 4 private investors, and the Allsun group , specialized in the import and trading of fertilizers.

Incubated at UNITEC , TOOPI Organics carried out this first round of funding with the support of the Agence de Développement et d'Innovation de Nouvelle-Aquitaine (ADI), the Fundmeup platform , and the funding arm of the Chamber of Commerce and 'Industry (CCI) of Bordeaux.

Founded in February 2019 with the support of the BPI and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region , Toopi Organics has patented a microbiological process to enrich human urine with microorganisms of agronomic interest. The urine, which already contains the NPK fertilizers (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium), is decontaminated and converted into biostimulants at a lower cost. Studies carried out by Bordeaux Sciences Agro and the Gironde Chamber of Agriculture have shown that TOOPI products are 30 to 110% more effective than traditional mineral fertilizers, and can reduce the plant's need for water.

Michael Roes, CEO, co-founder, TOOPI Organics: “Our ecological objective is twofold. In France, we soil more than 200 billion liters of drinking water every year with our urine. Our first objective is to preserve the water resource, by collecting 1 to 5% of the volumes of urine produced. Our second objective is to free farmers from dependence on mineral fertilizers, by offering them a real ecological alternative, with natural inputs that are more effective and cheaper than chemical fertilizers.   

Dr Pierre Huguier, Scientific Director and co-founder, TOOPI Organics: “We now have two fertilizer distributors in our shareholders. Our efforts will focus in the coming months on strengthening our patent portfolio, obtaining marketing authorization, and setting up collection and processing units, first in France, then in the Benelux, where we are expected.”

 Léa Zaslavsky, Co-founder of makesense: “We were immediately seduced by the impact potential of TOOPI, a low-tech and innovative solution that re-uses waste for the benefit of sustainable agriculture. With its committed, ambitious and well-supported team, a real change of system is looming."

Since being founded in February 2019, the startup has received several prizes and competitions such as the Grand Prix of the Aviva Factory in the Environment & Energy transition category; Fundtruck, Innovaday; the Blue Ocean Awards; the Creadev Food Challenge. In April 2019, TOOPI Organics obtained the "GreenTech Verte" label from the Ministry of Ecological Transition. The startup now employs seven full-time employees.

www.toopi-organics.com