Case Study

Our client, a global investor focused on sustainability practices across various industries, expressed interest in making a potential investment in specialty fertilizers, a rapidly growing segment in the Indian fertilizer industry. The client company, through its internal understanding of the market, chose a target crop nutrition company and engaged Sathguru to conduct techno-commercial due diligence, which helped the client understand the financial viability and environmental sustainability of the potential investment.

Situational Analysis:

Our client, a global investor focused on sustainability across various industries, expressed interest in investing in a promising segment of a crop nutrition business company and wanted to understand the specialty fertilizer market and growth prospects.

Scope and Approach:

Sathguru conducted an in-depth assessment of the Indian fertilizer industry and the government policies and schemes governing the industry. Sathguru also critically evaluated the growth drivers of the specialty fertilizers market and provided detailed insights about all the critical elements, including changing industry dynamics, raw material supply-demand, production systems, inbound and out-bound logistics, digitization of operations,  and consumer feedback about the products of interest.

Sathguru analyzed the portfolio of the target crop nutrition company by assessing the USPs of the products, product efficiency,  vis-à-vis competitors in various states of the country. The assessment also included a SWOT analysis of the target companies’ products, product development, and business operations, including the production and distribution of specialty nutrients.

Recommendations:

Sathguru made specific recommendations based on the target company’s product portfolio and its uniqueness vis-à-vis similar products from competitors and threats from global players operating or planning to enter Indian fertilizer sector.

1. Sathguru recommended the potential for further portfolio optimization and diversification to improve market reach and enhance profitability.
2. Sathguru provided recommendations for diversifying technology base, strengthening portfolio with innovative products, ensuring continuous supply and quality of imported products will be critical and analyzing threats from alternative emerging threats.
3. Sathguru also recommended pathways for market expansion by capitalizing on current technology-based products to gain market share.
4. Sathguru advised creating more farmer awareness about balanced nutrition programs.

Impact/Result/Client Benefit:

Sathguru helped the client understand the dynamics of the Indian Fertilizer industry, the competitive landscape of the specialty nutrients segments in terms of innovation index and technological evolution, internal and external factors limiting growth factors of the target company to make informed investment decisions.

Sathguru helped the company assess the current business operations, gauge market potential, and evaluate commercial business valuation in target markets. Sathguru also prioritized key markets based on country-specific market entry timelines and conceptualized an expansion plan for strategic business expansion and target market expansion.

Situation Analysis:

With a strong IP proposition for three novel patented bio solutions, our client expressed their interest in assessing target market potential and product feasibility, analyzing the competitive patent landscape, conceptualizing a roadmap to commercialization with potential growth models across 15 countries, and evaluating the commercial valuation of the business. The client further sought assistance in developing an investor pitch based on technical and commercial valuation assessment.

Scope:

The scope of Sathguru’s engagement included:

1. Assessing current product portfolio, R&D capabilities, and business operational efficiency.
2. Analyzing growth potential of novel products based on market entry timelines, target area, and regulation requirements of identified markets.
3. Developing strategic growth models and roadmap to commercialization.
4. Evaluating the business of novel products based on technical and commercial valuation.

Approach:

An appropriate mix of secondary and primary research was conducted to meet the client’s objectives. Sathguru’s approach was to assess the company’s research, the strength of novel products, and operational strength. Sathguru intended to map the novel technologies with industry regulatory and market entry requirements, analyze competitive patent and market landscape across target markets, and develop strategic expansion plans and potential growth models.

To achieve this, Sathguru:

1. Performed internal assessment of the company to understand its current strengths, product portfolio, R&D pipeline, technology preparedness, and operational strength.
2. Assessed market and technology competitiveness and projected the target area, production capacity requirements, and potential growth models for new markets.
3. Evaluated product attractiveness aligned with target market regulatory and market entry requirements and developed a roadmap to commercialization.
4. Suggested domestic and overseas growth models based on target market competitiveness.
5. Developed a comprehensive technical and commercial valuation report.

Recommendations:

Sathguru made strategic recommendations based on the technical and commercial valuation assessment of the novel product portfolio:

1. Sathguru evaluated the strength of the novel portfolio and suggested the production capacity expansion plan based on target market demand over projected years.
2. Sathguru recommended growth models and a roadmap to commercialization for novel patented technologies based on technology-market landscaping.
3. Sathguru suggested a business expansion and investment plan based on commercial business valuation in target markets with existing IP.
4. Sathguru recommended strategies to strengthen operational systems, scale-up production capacities, business support services, and align IP management systems with business objectives.

Impact/Result/Client Benefit

With Sathguru’s support, the client intents to launch novel patented products in the target market and pitch in potential investors with in-depth technical and commercial valuation assessment of the novel technologies.

Sathguru helped an Indian vegetable seed company andby evaluating its R&D and germplasm strength, assessing the current product portfolio, screening the pipeline products based on industry landscaping. Sathguru also helped prioritize key Indian markets and strategically take relevant products to market, leading to business diversification and target market expansion.

Situation Analysis:

Our Client, a vegetable seed company with OPVs dominant product portfolio, expressed interest in exploring opportunities assessing its current business, product pipeline, research programs, and overall business strength. The Client further sought assistance to expand operations by improving Pan India presence and widening its portfolio of products.

Scope:

The scope of Sathguru’s engagement included:

1. Assessing current product portfolio, R&D, and business operational strength.
2. Mapping growth potential based on current portfolio and industry readiness of pipeline products with key markets to focus.
3. Startegizing product diversification and suitable licensing models that can be leveraged to generate proposed revenue projections.
4. Conceptualizing strategic growth plan for building research strength and strong product pipeline, scaling up market penetration, and strengthening business support.

 Approach:

Sathguru’s approach was to review the company’s research and product strength, assess germplasm pool, map the existing product portfolio and traits with industry requirements, identify gaps, , analyze bussiness goals and current sales and, marketing approaches, and consequently understand growth potential and develop a strategic growth plan.

To achieve this, Sathguru:

1. Performed internal assessment of the company to understand its current strengths, product portfolio, and distribution capabilities for the existing products.
2. Evaluate existing R&D infrastructure and skilled force, systems, and processes for trial management, quality control, SOPs, etc.
3. Assessed the pipeline products based on industry readiness and suggested the key focus markets.
4. Suggested new potential products for a diversified product portfolio mix for attaining market expansion and improved revenue. and.
5. Developed a five-year strategic growth strategy focusing on widening the portfolio with hybrids and market-relevant traits, additional products, scaling-up market presence, and enhancing business support services.

 Recommendations:

Sathguru made specific market aligned recommendations to expand the product portfolio, optimize the existing operations and widen the market presence of the Client across major states of India:

1. Sathguru recommended market expansion strategies for existing products and further suggested additional proprietary and in-licensed potential products in the portfolio and respective key markets to focus.
2. Sathguru recommended re-prioritizing the pipeline products with target market requirements based on industry desired traits and competitive benchmarking.
3. Sathguru suggested state-of-the-art technology for advanced research and best industry-standard practices for streamlining business operations and enhancing responsiveness towards market demand.
4. Sathguru recommended potential growth strategies and conceptualized a five-year strategic growth plan to strengthen business support systems, optimize business operations and realign the product-market approach required to achieve the projected revenues.

Impact/Result/Client Benefit

The Client has started implementing the recommendations towards portfolio expansion, strategizing product-market fit, and accelerating the introduction of new products by adopting product diversification and market expansion strategies.

Sathguru helped a globally renowned multilateral trust fund evaluate the target company’s current product portfolio and competitive benchmarking, analyzed the R&D capabilities and product pipeline strength, and assessed business process efficiency. Sathguru further assisted in mapping the target company’s financial and market growth projections and delivered a comprehensive report for the Client to undertake strategic investment decisions.

Situation Analysis:

Our Client, a pioneer in global sustainability and environmental investing entity, expressed their interest in exploring investment opportunities in a pre-identified India-based seed company. Sathguru helped the Client is undertaking a strategic investment decision by conducting in-depth technical and commercial due diligence of the target company.

Scope:

The scope of Sathguru’s engagement included:

• Assessing current product portfolio, market performance, and business operational strength.
• Evaluating the R&D pipeline, infrastructure, and trial management system
• Analyzing market dynamics, identifying growth prospects, and competitive benchmarking of product performance in the market.
• Scrutinizing product-specific financial performance and mapping the company’s growth projections.

 Approach:

Sathguru’s approach was to conduct the target company’s technical and commercial due diligence in terms of the current business portfolio, R&D strength, and business process efficiency. Product-wise market performance and competitive benchmarking. Sathguru further assisted in mapping the company’s growth potential by scrutinizing the financial and market growth of the company in the market.

To achieve this, Sathguru:

• Conducted industry landscaping to understand potential business models and the competitive strength of top players.
• Performed assessment of the company to understand their current product portfolio and market performance, business process system for the existing products.
• Evaluated R&D capabilities, trial management systems, research programs, and mapping the market potential of pipeline products.
• Assessed supply chain dynamics, operational infrastructure, digital tools, and product distribution management system.
• Developed growth projections based on fundamental financial assessment and performed competitive benchmarking based on financial parameters.
• Analyzed the company’s regulatory compliance alignment and delivered a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of COVID-19 on the business.

Recommendations:

Sathguru made recommendations to the Client based on the technical and commercial due diligence of the target seed company:

• Sathguru recommended that the target be a good investment fit based on an in-depth analysis of the target from a techno-commercial perspective, highlighting a strategically balanced market and financial performance position. Sathguru also suggested strategies to expand market share with existing products and further improve the R&D pipeline to enhance competence.
• Sathguru mapped the potential impact of COVID-19 on the target company’s business and further suggested growth and profitability strategies, identified specific improvement levers that could be integrated into the existing business system to ensure stability and market performance.

Impact/Result/Client Benefit

Sathguru helped the Client make an informed investment decision with a comprehensive techno-commercial understanding of the target company’s potential and recommended scope of research and investment realignment in the existing business system to foresee the expected growth.