Case Study

Project Scope:  

Our client, a leading seed company in India with a diversified product portfolio, wanted Sathguru to assess its field crop research and development program and develop a strategic roadmap for growth that aligns with and contributes to the company’s vision for 2033. 

Situational Analysis:  

Our client engaged Sathguru for a comprehensive evaluation of the field crop research program with regards to its current portfolio, germplasm pool, enabling technologies, research programs,  systems and processes for identification of avenues for growth, mapping these opportunities with current industry trends, and developing a strategic roadmap to drive and sustain future growth.  

Scope/ Approach: 

• Sathguru conducted a gap analysis of segment-wise crop portfolios based on competitive landscaping to identify strengths and gaps in the current portfolio as per market preferences.  

• Sathguru assessed the client’s germplasm pool and crop genetic resources against current and future market demands, breeding goals, and technological integration to develop and deliver a robust pipeline and hybrids with market-preferred traits. 

• Sathguru evaluated the client’s R&D strength, research infrastructure, and technological preparedness to deliver market-preferred competitive products. 

• Conducted a detailed assessment of potential collaborations for speed breeding and germplasm access, reviewed the human resource landscape and determined investment requirements for R&D initiatives and product pipeline development.  

Recommendations: 

• Sathguru, based on its assessment of the current portfolio and pipeline, and existing R&D infrastructure, recommended strategies for expanding the portfolio focusing on market-preferred and futuristic traits 

• Sathguru provided recommendations for streamlining breeding efforts to address critical gaps and explore possibilities of collaborations with national and international institutes to facilitate access to a strong germplasm pool and cutting-edge technologies. 

• Sathguru proposed strategies to intensify efforts to fast-track and develop market-winning products and enhance business support systems to streamline operational processes for optimized performance. 

• Provided recommendations for improving processes and systems to enhance research efficiencies. 

 Impact/ Result/ Client benefit:  

The client has started implementing the recommendations, focusing on prioritizing research programs and expanding the portfolio. They are also strategizing pipeline acceleration, optimizing breeding goals, integrating technologies, and upgrading systems. 

Our client is a well–established seed company engaged in the research, production, and marketing of hybrid seeds with a presence in India, South Asia and South-East Asian countries with a direct impact on the farming communities.

Scope/Approach/Recommendation

The client approached Sathguru Management Consultants to assess the market opportunities for crops of interest (field and vegetables) in India, South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa. One critical objective was a comprehensive analysis of climate change impact in the targeted regions for the major field crops & vegetables in the next ten years. Sathguru assessed the climatological trends and extreme indices and connected the dots by analyzing the probable future climatic changes for the major cultivating areas of the targeted regions. Sathguru recommended adaptation & mitigation strategies to thrive in the expected climate change risk areas for the major crops. Sathguru provided tailored, informed decision-making solutions for the company to meet the climate change impacts.

Impact/Result/Client Benefit

Sathguru helped the client adopt breeding strategies for the target regions to achieve better business success in the next decade. This was aligned with sustainable development goals that impact smallholder farmers and ensure food security in the face of climate change in the target regions.

Our client, a leading seed company in India with a diversified product portfolio, engaged Sathguru to assess its data and IP management systems, biotech traits and their market potential and develop the strategy for integrating new Genome Editing (GE) tools in breeding next-generation innovative products. 

Scope/Approach/Recommendations 

 The client, a leading seed company with a robust product portfolio and market presence across India, expressed interest in globally exploring the GE tools in breeding next-generation innovative products alongside a critical assessment of the company’s current crop traits & technologies in biotech. Sathguru conducted an in-depth assessment of the current systems and processes for IP, along with an evaluation and identification of gaps/risks for the data management system of the company. 

Impact/Result/Client Benefit  

 Sathguru helped the client understand the gaps in the current IP, data management and biotechnology systems and helped to explore relevant opportunities through several strategic recommendations. Sathguru’s recommendations were well received by the client, and they have started implementing the 10-year roadmap for integrating gene editing into their breeding programs. The strategies for the digital transformation for R&D and product development are also being implemented to help the company become one of the leading data-driven company in the country. 

Project Scope:  

Our client is a leading agri-input conglomerate engaged in the business of R&D, production & marketing of hybrid seeds in India. The client expressed interest in engaging Sathguru to explore growth potential and opportunities to meet organizational goals. Sathguru also evaluated the client’s research and development programs and developed an R&D strategic roadmap for growth, aligned with the company’s vision. 

Situational Analysis:  

Our client is focused on driving strategic growth through enhanced R&D capabilities, market expansion, and strategic partnerships aligned with the company’s vision and objectives. 

Scope/ Approach: 

• Sathguru reviewed the company’s research programs for different crops of interest. We assessed the product strength and germplasm pool, and mapped the existing product portfolio and traits with market requirements. Sathguru identified gaps in R&D programs and analyzed business goals to understand growth potential and develop a strategic growth plan. 
• Sathguru conducted a commercial potential assessment of current & pipeline products and identified avenues for immediate commercial growth through strategic initiatives. 
• Sathguru offered strategies to enhance short-term growth by utilizing existing assets and leveraging product pipelines. 
• Sathguru also developed a growth strategy for the client based on the life cycle and growth potential assessment of existing products, strength of pipeline, innovation sales, anticipated market returns, competitive landscape and changing dynamics of the industry. 

Recommendations: 

• Sathguru proposed a growth strategy aimed at fostering immediate expansion by strategically leveraging the existing portfolio and optimizing opportunities within the near-term pipeline. 
• Sathguru recommended re-prioritizing the crop portfolio and pipeline products with target market requirements based on market-preferred traits and competitive benchmarking. 
• Sathguru advised intensified investment in research for priority crops. 
• Sathguru provided recommendations for potential growth strategies and conceptualized a seven-year strategic growth plan to strengthen business support systems, optimize business operations and the product-market approach required to achieve the projected revenues. 

Impact/ Result/ Client benefit:  

The critical factors hindering the growth, suggested by Sathguru, were acknowledged by the client, and they have adopted the recommendations to diversify the investment to strategic crops with high growth potential. 

Our client, a global agribusiness conglomerate focused on crop protection, expressed interest in assessment of biologics business and opportunity assessment in biologicals segment in India. The client, through its third-party driven market insight, identified biological enterprises based in US and Europe and engaged Sathguru for their technical assessment and identification for acquisition or collaboration purposes, which helped the client to understand the technical and business potential of the biological enterprises.  The client also engaged Sathguru to assess the biologics opportunities in India and the potential of other biologics segments with significant growth potential, which helped the client to understand business opportunity for Indian markets.

Situational Analysis

Our client, a global agribusiness conglomerate focused on crop protection, expressed interest in assessment of biologics business for acquisition/collaboration purposes and opportunity assessment in biologicals segment in India.

Scope/Approach/ Recommendation

Sathguru conducted an in-depth assessment of the biological enterprises based on technical and business acumen categorized as per portfolio diversity. Sathguru critically evaluated the growth potential of the enterprises based on portfolio, product diversity, technological integration, innovation potential novelty of AI, strength of IP, and market potential based on market trends.  The enterprises were evaluated and scored based on technological advancement, product registrations across regions, versatility of application and market potential.

Indian biological industry and the governing regulations, policies and schemes were studied at length to understand the criticalities for product introduction and growth potential. Sathguru carried out a detailed domestic industry landscape assessment and segmentation-based study for biopesticides and biostimulants. Strategies of MNS’s and Indian enterprises were studied at length in terms of proprietary, acquired and/or in-licensed assets, collaborations & partnerships and strength of IP for both the product segments of biostimulants and biopesticides.

Impact/Result/Client Benefit

Sathguru helped the client understand the dynamics of the global biological industry, critical trends required for potential investment or acquisition of the biological enterprise. The opportunity of Indian biological industry helped the client to understand the level of technological evolution, investment trends by key players, collaboration models, along with strategic options for market entry helped in informed decision making by client.

Our client, a leading agro-chemical conglomerate expressed interest in making a potential investment in a seed enterprise for diversifying their business into the Indian seed industry. The client company, through its internal understanding of the market, chose a seed company and engaged Sathguru to conduct techno-commercial due diligence, and financial valuation which helped the client understand the technical and financial viability of the enterprise for potential investment. Sathguru further developed a growth strategy and business plan for driving growth in the industry post-acquisition.

Situational Analysis

Our client, a leading agrochemical conglomerate is focused on diversifying business by expanding into the seed sector and wanted to understand the technical and business profile of an enterprise for potential investment and a roadmap for further growth prospects with the acquired entity.

Scope/Approach/ Recommendation

Sathguru conducted an in-depth analysis of the Indian seed industry for acquainting the client with the trending dynamics of the industry. Sathguru critically analyzed the portfolio of the seed enterprise by assessing the strength of the portfolio, crop diversity, product efficiency and vis-à-vis key competitors for each of the crops. Sathguru also assessed the business operational efficiency of the enterprise in terms of research strength, seed production and processing efficiency and market reach. A SWOT analysis of the enterprise was carried out to understand technical suitability, growth potential of the enterprise and areas of improvement.

Sathguru carried out financial valuation of the enterprise in terms of lifecycle and growth potential of current products, strength of pipeline and anticipated market returns. Sathguru also developed a growth strategy for the client based on growth potential assessment of existing products, inclusion of additional complementing crops, competitive landscape and changing dynamics of the industry. A detailed business plan was developed for achieving returns as per the proposed growth strategy.

Impact/Result/Client Benefit

Sathguru helped the client understand the dynamics of the Indian seed industry, associated growth drivers and competitive landscape. Sathguru assessment helped the client to understand the growth prospective and limitations of the enterprise aligned with the industry trends for making informed decision making about the industry. A financial valuation helped client on understanding the market value of the enterprise for investment prices. Sathguru helped the client understand the value differentiators in the seed industry and routes for business expansion development with the help of the comprehensive growth strategy and business plan.