Elicit Plant announces the appointment of Slavica Djonovic, Ph.D, as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO)

Moulins-Sur-Tardoire (Charentes), March 7th, 2024. Elicit Plant, a pioneering and rapidly expanding agri-biotech company, announces the appointment of the renowned scientist and a leader in the ag-tech industry, Slavica Djonovic, Ph.D. as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). An author of more than 20 patent family applications in the space of biomolecular and biological innovations for plant stress, her appointment reflects Elicit Plant's commitment to accelerating the transition towards sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. Slavica Djonovic's mission is to propel the company to a new level of innovation by developing cutting-edge solutions to help farmers worldwide combat water stress and scarcity.

A remarkable scientific and leadership career

With over two decades of ag-tech experience, Slavica Djonovic is a respected scientific leader in the field of research and development of biological products for agriculture, especially in broad acre crops.

Slavica holds a Master of Science from Colorado State University, a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, and she has completed her postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to be one of the founding scientists of Indigo Ag, a Boston-based agricultural biotechnology company. There, she played a key role as Director of Product Science, making significant contributions to product discovery, development, intellectual property, regulatory, and the launch of the company's first five microbial products. Her leadership experience in building high performing teams and her expertise in managing large-scale projects is also sought after to support companies' growth from startup phase to over 1000 employees. At Joyn Bio, a synthetic biology Agtech company in Boston (US), she served as Senior Director by establishing the disease control program and initiating the regulatory science approach, thus solidifying her reputation as a leader in agrotechnological innovation.

An expertise aligned with Elicit Plant's high ambitions

With a track record of over 20 patent applications in the field of biomolecular and biological innovations related to plant stress, the vast majority of which have been internationally granted, Slavica Djonovic brings to Elicit Plant cutting-edge technical expertise and a unique strategic vision, precisely at a time when Elicit Plant is preparing to enter a new critical period of growth and innovation.

"Faced with the challenges posed by climate change, it is imperative that our agricultural sector quickly embraces innovative solutions to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for all. I am honored to join Elicit Plant, a booming pioneer in the agricultural sector, empowering farmers to effectively tackle climate upheavals. Elicit Plant's proprietary technology, EliTerra®, the consistent performance of its products internationally, and its team driven by a clear mission, are impressive," states Slavica Djonovic, CSO of Elicit Plant.

"In her new role as Chief Scientific Officer, Slavica will be tasked with amplifying Elicit Plant's scientific influence and accelerating the development of our EliTerra® Technological platform. Slavica brings with her a wealth of knowledge and unparalleled experience that will be essential levers for our evolution. We are convinced that under her scientific leadership, Elicit Plant will reach a new milestone in developing innovative solutions for agriculture," concludes Jean-François Déchant, CEO of Elicit Plant.

About ELICIT PLANT

ELICIT PLANT is the only company in the AgTech sector that addresses the challenges of climate change impact on major crops globally, by reducing water consumption in plants by 20%. Its unique technology, EliTerra®, based on the exogenous supply of phytosterols, a group of plant-derived molecules, increases plants' resistance to stress by eliciting their natural defenses. Hundreds of field trials, combined with rapid adoption by farmers across three continents (Brazil, Europe, and the United States) for the first product aimed at corn, demonstrate that its bio-solutions are the only ones to secure yields and offer farmers a significant return on investment during water shortages. ELICIT PLANT operates successfully in Brazil, Europe, and Ukraine and has experienced three-digit growth over the past 2 years. For more information: www.elicit-plant.com

Press Contacts

Clémentine Van Grunderbeeck, clementine@lanouvelle-agence.com, +33 (0)6 25 80 26 08

Claire Arnoux, c.arnoux@elicit-plant.com