Solasta Bio hires strategy chief to lead US operations

Green insecticides startup Solasta Bio has hired a chief strategy officer to lead its overseas team in North Carolina, US.

Paula Pinto brings experience from the agricultural chemical firm UPL, where she held various leadership positions such as global head of strategic alliances and B2B.

It follows Glasgow-based Solasta Bio recently appointing Dr Daphne Preuss as chief business officer.

The new hires will help Solasta Bio commercialise its green insecticides in four to five years, said company chief executive Shireen Davies.

″Their knowledge of the US market, in particular, will be of great benefit as we look to step up our stateside operations in the coming months.″

Preuss previously founded and led the sorghum business Chromatin Inc. and University of Chicago professor.

In the last six months, the startup has hired 12 people, bringing the total size of the team to 20.

The chief strategy officer will be responsible for the daily running of the US team’s activity, go-to-market strategy and work with commercial partnerships.

Solasta Bio has already carried out trials with its commercial partners.

Spun out of the University of Glasgow, the agtech company says its insecticides are better for the environment as it uses neuropeptides as an alternative to synthetic chemicals.

Its developments are supported by a £4m raise, led by Yield Lab Europe, that was announced by the company in April.