Vestaron

Vestaron is an agricultural biotechnology company pioneering peptide-based bioinsecticides derived from spider and other venomous species venoms. Founded in 2005 by Professor Glenn King, Vestaron produces its active peptides in yeast and plants, resulting in crop protection products that are highly effective against target pests while being naturally soft on pollinators, beneficial insects, and local biodiversity. Its lead product SPEAR LEP — the first peptide-based insecticide launched commercially — achieved regulatory approval in the US in 2018 and EU emergency use authorizations in 2024. Vestaron's innovations have won the Crop Science Awards, the EPA Green Chemistry Challenge, and in 2024 it became the first agriculture company inducted into the Global CleanTech 100 Hall of Fame.