Ekolive has devised a way to replicate nature’s own soil-making process, turning degraded soils into healthy, living ecosystems in just a fraction of the usual time. By restoring soil life and boosting fertility, the InnoBioTech® technology supports biodiversity, stronger crops, and a more sustainable food system.
The ground beneath our plates
With 90% of the Earth’s soil on course to be degraded by 2050, our food system is quite literally crumbling beneath our feet. Depleted nutrients, pollution, and erosion are threatening both yields and long-term resilience, and traditional inputs like chemical fertilisers are only making the problem worse.
In Europe, soil is the foundation of our food system, but we are running out of time and nutrients. Across the EU, an estimated 61% of soils are degraded, weakened by decades of intensive farming, synthetic fertiliser use, erosion, and contamination. Once damaged, soil can take centuries to regenerate naturally, a rate far too slow to support the growing global demand for food.
This degradation doesn’t just threaten yields. It also accelerates climate breakdown, reduces biodiversity, and increases the risk of pests, disease, and crop failure. In nutrient-poor or chemically polluted soils, plants are weaker, food quality suffers, and farmers are forced to use more inputs just to maintain basic productivity.
The cycle is unsustainable.
Solving the soil crisis is essential to transforming the food system. Healthy soil holds carbon, stores water, supports microbial life, and helps plants resist disease and drought. It reduces dependency on agrochemicals and builds long-term resilience from the ground up. The beneficiaries are wide-reaching: farmers who gain more stable yields and lower costs; food companies, who benefit from secure supply chains; and ecosystems, which recover faster under regenerative practices.
Any vision for greener and more resilient food future must begin with restoring the health of the soil quickly, effectively, and at scale.
Breaking new ground with bacteria
Ekolive’s InnoBioTech® technology uses a patented EU-certified Eco bioleaching process the mimics the natural weathering of minerals, which is the very mechanism by which soil is formed. But while natural soil formation takes hundreds (sometimes thousands) of years, InnoBioTech® can replicate and accelerate this process within days, using naturally occurring probiotic bacteria to unlock nutrients, restore microbial diversity, and rejuvenate degraded soil ecosystems.
Initially developed for processing low-grade ores, this innovative technology has been reimagined for agriculture, turning mineral waste into nutrient-rich probiotic stimulants. These bio stimulants help regenerate soil health, promote plant growth, and significantly reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers, paving the way for more sustainable farming practices. This approach now powers a new generation of biome stimulants that enhance crop health and boost resilience to environmental stress.
Their flagship product, Ekofertile™, is a liquid bio fertiliser containing trained bacteria, organic acids, and dissolved micronutrients. Proven to increase yields, boost plant immunity, and improve soil water retention, it offers farmers a low-cost, synthetic chemical-free alternative in an era of growing input and climate pressure.
This approach also contributes to circular economy goals by upgrading waste minerals, reducing CO2 emissions from fertiliser use, and keeping critical raw minerals in local value chains.
In Europe, farmers using Ekofertile™ have demonstrated significant improvements in soil health, with farmers reporting up to 40% higher yields, 50% reduced agricultural costs, and a 90% reduction in conventional fertiliser use. Trials with A Chance For Change Foundation in Zambia gave farmers access to certified organic fertilisers for the first time, helping them grow diverse and export-ready crops while improving long-term soil health.
Today, Ekolive stands as an example of how mining innovation can be redirected to solve pressing food system challenges, and how partnerships can unlock transformation from unexpected places.
Ekolive's innovation has helped achieve:
- 40% higher yields
- 50% reduced agricultural costs
- 90% reduction in conventional fertiliser use
Ekolive joined the EIT Food Accelerator Network in 2021. The network provides access to specifically tailored mentoring, technical validation, and a network of researching industry partners. In 2023, they also became a member of the Rising Food Stars Programme, EIT Food’s flagship programme for aspiring agrifood scaleups. With this support, Ekolive was added to the European Input List For Organic Production, secured strategic partnerships with organisations, including A Chance For Change Foundation and the Bioeconomy Cluster, and grew its team two over a dozen employees.
EIT Food continues to support Ekolive’s mission by facilitating visibility, certification, and strategic partnerships through the Rising Food Stars programme. This includes introductions to impact investors, matchmaking with international distributors, and continued engagement through community building and policy advocacy.
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