Cho Hang Kwan, CEO of i2BC

-Researching and Developing Microbe-Based Eco-Friendly Agricultural Materials and Bio-Materials

-Flagship Item, ‘MetaFarm Series,’ an Eco-Friendly Agricultural Material Brand Based on Complex Microbial Culture

-Providing Optimized Solutions by Building a Customized Microbial Combination Database for Specific Soils and Crops

[Selected Company for Sunchon National University Early-Stage Startup Package 2025 - Deep Tech Selection] Agri-Biotech Startup ‘i2BC’
i2BC Co., Ltd. is an agricultural biotech company researching and developing microbe-based eco-friendly agricultural materials and bio-materials. It provides total solutions for agriculture and the environment, including soil improvement, crop growth promotion, and disease reduction. Founded in February 2023 by CEO Cho Hang Kwan, the company aims to scientifically solve problems on agricultural sites under the philosophy of ‘Changing the future of agriculture with the power of nature.’

The company's flagship item is the ‘MetaFarm Series’, an eco-friendly agricultural material brand based on complex microbial cultures. The series consists of,

MetaFarm Activator(MetaFarm-A), Activates beneficial bacteria in the soil to enhance root development and disease resistance.

MetaFarm-B, Promotes crop growth. MetaFarm Regenerator (MetaFarm-R), Reduces heavy metal contamination in the soil.

Furthermore, i2BC is researching and developing carbon-neutral agricultural models by creating carbon-reducing fertilizers utilizing natural minerals and biomass such as kenaf, aiming to simultaneously benefit both agriculture and the environment.

The competitiveness of i2BC lies in ‘Field-Oriented R&D’ and ‘Microbial Culture Technology.’

“We don't just develop and sell products, we provide optimized solutions by building a database of microbial combinations customized for specific soils and crops”, said CEO Cho. “Additionally, by possessing our own microbial culture facilities and fermentation process systems, we can maintain uniform quality while lowering production costs. In a market where environmental regulations are tightening and the transition to ESG agriculture is accelerating, our differentiation point is possessing technical prowess, data, and eco-friendliness simultaneously.”

Initially, i2BC entered the market through pilot projects with local governments in the Chungbuk and Gyeongbuk regions and cooperative networks. Currently, it has secured a stable domestic base by supplying B2G through the NongHyup (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation) distribution network, expanding cooperation with general farms, smart farms, and greenhouse horticulture farms, and being selected as an official supplier for local government eco-friendly certification projects.

In the global market, i2BC has signed MOUs with agricultural technology partners in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan. It plans to complete registration with the Indonesian BPOM (Food and Drug Authority) and testing clearance procedures by the second half of 2026. regarding marketing, the company plans to strengthen integrated online and offline promotion through social media, YouTube, and agricultural expos under the slogan ‘Scientificization of Eco-Friendly Agriculture.’

i2BC consists of an R&D team, a production management team, and a sales/administration team. Key members, including CEO Cho, are experts in agriculture, microbiology, and environmental engineering. They collaborate closely from laboratory research to field testing to enhance product perfection.

Regarding future plans, CEO Cho stated, “Our goal is to strengthen our position as a specialized company in total microbial solutions for agriculture and enter overseas markets within the next five years. We will grow into a green startup contributing to the realization of RE100 and ESG agriculture, especially through biomass-based carbon-reducing fertilizers.”

He added, “We plan to introduce advanced smart agriculture analysis systems based on AI and big data to grow into an intelligent agricultural platform company that combines agricultural field data with microbial data.”

Establishment Date : February 2023
Main Business : R&D and production of microbe-based eco-friendly agricultural materials, development of biomass products, provision of smart farm solutions
Achievements : 2024 Revenue, 300 million KRW (100% growth year-over-year)
, Operation of numerous demonstration farms and supply of eco-friendly certified materials, Official supplier for local government support projects, Currently developing bio-material carbon reduction technology

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com