Evogene Ltd. (EVGN): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) is fundamentally changing its business model around its AI-driven platforms, but with first-half 2025 revenues of just over $3.2 million, are they finally positioned for a breakout? You've seen the headlines about their July 2025 deal with ICL, which brought in $18.71 million for the sale of Lavie Bio assets, a clear move to fund their pivot toward the high-stakes pharmaceutical sector using their ChemPass AI (computational chemistry platform). It's a high-risk, high-reward strategy-a defintely necessary one given their operating expenses-so how exactly does this computational biology company work, and what does this recent financial and strategic shift mean for your investment thesis?

Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) History

You're looking for the bedrock of Evogene Ltd. (EVGN), the story of how a genomics company became an AI-driven computational biology firm. The direct takeaway is that Evogene began as a plant genomics spin-off, but its true transformation-and current focus-is the 2025 strategic pivot to small molecule discovery using its ChemPass AI platform, a move solidified by the sale of its ag-biologicals assets.

Given Company's Founding Timeline

Year established

Evogene was established in 2002, initially focusing on agricultural biotechnology and improving crop traits.

Original location

The company's headquarters and original location is Rehovot, Israel.

Founding team members

The company was co-founded by Dr. Hagai Karchi and Dr. Rafi Meissner, who helped steer the early focus on plant genomics.

Initial capital/funding

While specific seed capital is not public, the company secured early funding rounds, including a $7 million round in March 2006 and an $8 million Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) in June 2007. This early capital fueled its proprietary computational biology platform development.

Given Company's Evolution Milestones

Given Company's Transformative Moments

Evogene's history isn't a straight line; it's a series of calculated pivots, and the 2025 transition is the most defintely important one. The company started in plant genomics, but quickly realized the computational biology platform-the engine-was the real asset, not just the agricultural products.

The 2013 US IPO was a massive step, giving the company the capital and visibility to pursue multiple ventures, but the most recent move is the real game-changer. Here's the quick math: in April 2025, the company announced the sale of Lavie Bio's activity and the MicroBoost AI for Ag tech-engine to ICL for a total of approximately $18.75 million ($15.25 million for Lavie Bio and $3.5 million for the tech-engine). This move was a clear decision to cut non-core operations that were dragging on cash.

The core of the new strategy is to concentrate resources on the ChemPass AI platform, which focuses on the generative design of small molecules for both pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. This is a high-risk, high-reward shift from developing seeds and biologicals to discovering new drugs and crop protection chemicals. To be fair, this focus is crucial because the company's operating loss for the first half of 2025 was still approximately $6.1 million, even with reduced operating expenses. You can see why they needed to streamline.

• Shifted focus from plant genomics (GeneRator AI) to small molecule discovery (ChemPass AI).
• Monetized non-core assets like Lavie Bio to bolster the cash position, which stood at approximately $11.7 million as of June 30, 2025.
• Ceased the operations of its cannabis subsidiary, Canonic, in 2024, eliminating another cash-burning venture.

This repositioning is Evogene's bet on the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize drug and chemical discovery, a strategic choice that reshapes its entire risk profile. If you want to dive deeper into the current ownership structure and who is backing this new direction, you should be Exploring Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) Ownership Structure

Evogene Ltd. operates with a widely distributed ownership structure, typical of a small-cap, publicly traded biotechnology company, where the vast majority of shares are held by the public and retail investors rather than large institutional blocks or company insiders.

Evogene Ltd.'s Current Status

Evogene Ltd. is a publicly listed entity, trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker EVGN and also on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE). This dual listing means the company is subject to regulatory oversight in both the U.S. and Israel, which demands a high level of financial transparency for investors like you. As of November 2025, the company's market capitalization sits at approximately $10.37 million, placing it firmly in the micro-cap space. This small size means the stock price can be highly sensitive to news, both good and bad, so you need to keep a close eye on their Q3 2025 earnings release scheduled for November 20, 2025.

Evogene Ltd.'s Ownership Breakdown

The ownership breakdown is highly fragmented, which is a key risk factor for volatility. Insiders and institutions together control only a small fraction of the outstanding shares, leaving the stock's price action largely in the hands of the public float (shares available for trading). This structure means a few large retail investors or a sudden shift in sentiment can defintely cause outsized price swings. For a deeper dive into the buyers, you should be Exploring Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Here's the quick math on who owns the company's equity as of November 2025:

Evogene Ltd.'s Leadership

The company is steered by an experienced leadership team, with an average management tenure of around 3.6 years, which is a good sign of stability for a biotech firm. The core strategy is executed through a group structure, where the main company acts as the computational biology and chemistry engine, supporting several subsidiaries focused on specific market applications.

• Ofer Haviv: CEO, President, and Director. He has been in a leadership role since December 2004, providing long-term strategic continuity. His total compensation for 2025 is around $424,000.
• Nir Nimrodi: Independent Chairman of the Board.
• Yaron Eldad: Chief Financial Officer.
• Yoash Zohar: Chief Executive Officer of Casterra Ag Ltd, a subsidiary focused on castor farming.
• Elran Haber: Chief Executive Officer of Biomica Ltd, which develops human microbiome-based therapeutics.

This structure means you are investing not only in the parent company's ChemPass AI and other platforms but also in the execution capabilities of the CEOs leading its distinct ventures in ag-biologicals, ag-chemicals, and human health. This diffusion of leadership across subsidiaries is a deliberate model to drive focused commercialization.

Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) Mission and Values

Evogene Ltd.'s core purpose transcends pure profit; it is to revolutionize life-science product development-from new drugs to sustainable agriculture-by applying its proprietary computational biology and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms. This mission is currently driven by a strategic pivot toward a more capital-efficient model, evidenced by their focus on the high-value ChemPass AI engine and streamlined operations in 2025.

Given Company's Core Purpose

The company's cultural DNA is rooted in the belief that AI and big data can fundamentally change the success rate and cost of discovery in life sciences, a process they call 'Real-World Innovation.' This commitment is highlighted by the strategic repositioning in 2025 to focus on the highest-potential assets, like the ChemPass AI platform for small molecule discovery in pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

Official Mission Statement (Inferred from 2025 Strategy)

While a single, formal mission statement is not always public, Evogene's actions and CEO statements in 2025 define its operating mission: to revolutionize the development of life-science-based products by leveraging big data and artificial intelligence to increase the probability of success while reducing development time and cost.

• Accelerate the discovery and optimization of small molecules using the proprietary ChemPass AI tech-engine.
• Generate cash flow and strategic value from subsidiaries to build a more capital-efficient business model.
• Create breakthrough products driven by the integration of scientific innovation with real-world industry needs.

This focus is a defintely a pragmatic one, aiming for near-term monetization while reinforcing the long-term growth trajectory.

Vision Statement (Inferred from Strategic Goals)

Evogene's vision is to unlock long-term shareholder value by becoming a pioneering, AI-driven computational chemistry company uniquely positioned in two massive global markets: pharmaceuticals and agriculture. This vision is supported by concrete actions, such as the completion of its generative AI foundation model in June 2025, developed in collaboration with Google Cloud, which dramatically improved precision in novel molecule design.

• Become a leading partner in AI-driven drug discovery for the pharmaceutical sector.
• Deliver sustainable and effective crop protection products for the agricultural sector.
• Maintain a competitive edge by continually advancing proprietary technology like ChemPass AI.

Here's the quick math on their strategic shift: the sale of most of Lavie Bio's activity and the MicroBoost AI for Ag platform to ICL for a total of $18.71 million in July 2025 immediately reinforces the vision of a streamlined, value-driven business.

Given Company slogan/tagline

Evogene uses the phrase Real-World Innovation to describe its approach, emphasizing the integration of scientific innovation with practical industry needs. This is not just a slogan; it's a filter for their strategic decisions, like the expense reduction plan which cut the operating loss for the first half of 2025 to approximately $6.1 million, down significantly from $9.4 million in the first half of 2024.

• Real-World Innovation: Applying cutting-edge AI to solve tangible, high-impact problems in health and food.

For a detailed breakdown of the principles guiding the firm's strategic moves, you can check out Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Evogene Ltd. (EVGN).

Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) How It Works

Evogene Ltd. is a computational biology and chemistry company that uses proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) tech-engines to discover and develop life-science products, primarily focusing on small molecules for pharmaceuticals and agriculture. The company's core strategy, as of late 2025, centers on monetizing its AI platform, ChemPass AI, through strategic collaborations and internal product advancement.

Evogene Ltd.'s Product/Service Portfolio

Evogene Ltd.'s Operational Framework

You need to understand that Evogene's operational model is a capital-efficient, 'AI-first' approach to R&D, moving away from traditional lab-heavy discovery. This is a smart move to control costs.

• AI-Driven Discovery: The company operates three core tech-engines-ChemPass AI (small molecules), GeneRator AI (genetic elements), and MicroBoost AI (microbes)-to predict and design new product candidates with a higher probability of success.
• Strategic Focus Shift: Following the Q2 2025 sale of most of Lavie Bio's operations and the MicroBoost AI for Ag to ICL for $18.71 million, the company has strategically repositioned to focus almost entirely on the ChemPass AI engine.
• Cost Optimization: An expense reduction plan was implemented and mostly completed by the end of Q2 2025, driving down total operating expenses to approximately $7.7 million for the first half of 2025, compared to $11.1 million in the prior year period.
• Monetization Pathways: Value is created through direct product sales (like Casterra seeds), strategic transactions (like the ICL deal), and collaborations with major industry partners like Bayer and Corteva.

Here's the quick math: The net loss for the first half of 2025 was approximately $7.7 million, a $2.1 million improvement from the year before, showing the expense reduction plan is defintely working. You can learn more about their long-term vision here: Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Evogene Ltd. (EVGN).

Evogene Ltd.'s Strategic Advantages

Evogene's real edge isn't just in biology; it's in the computational power that accelerates the entire product development pipeline. They cut years off the discovery process.

• Proprietary Generative AI: The ChemPass AI is a proprietary generative AI engine, which is a significant barrier to entry for competitors. Its new foundation model, developed with Google Cloud, boasts a 90% precision rate in designing novel molecules that meet multiple complex criteria simultaneously, drastically outpacing traditional methods.
• Cross-Industry Application: The core ChemPass AI technology is a dual-vertical tool, applicable to both high-value pharmaceutical drug discovery and large-scale agricultural chemical development (via AgPlenus), diversifying their risk and potential revenue streams.
• Capital-Generating Transactions: The strategic decision to sell non-core assets, like the Lavie Bio and MicroBoost AI for Ag deal, immediately injects cash-the $18.71 million proceeds provide a solid 18-month operational runway, giving them time to focus on high-potential R&D.
• Integrated Subsidiaries: Maintaining key subsidiaries like Biomica and Casterra allows them to retain a stake in the value chain, from AI discovery to final product delivery (e.g., Casterra's seed sales were the primary driver of the approximately $2.4 million in Q1 2025 revenues).

Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) How It Makes Money

Evogene Ltd. makes money by monetizing its proprietary computational biology and chemistry platforms, primarily the ChemPass-AI engine, through two main avenues: the sale of high-value agricultural products from its subsidiaries and strategic collaboration agreements that include upfront fees, milestones, and future revenue-sharing.

The company is currently in a strategic transition, shifting its core focus to the pharmaceutical sector via ChemPass-AI while simultaneously generating cash and value by selling off mature or non-core agricultural assets.

Evogene Ltd.'s Revenue Breakdown

For the first half of 2025 (H1 2025), Evogene reported total revenues of approximately $3.2 million, an increase from $2.3 million in the first half of 2024, driven almost entirely by product sales. This represents a significant pivot from prior years where large, one-time license fees dominated the top line.

Here's the quick math: The H1 2025 revenue of $3.2 million was primarily driven by Casterra Ag Ltd.'s seed sales, while the large license fee payments present in 2024 were absent in 2025, forcing a reliance on product revenue.

Business Economics

Evogene's business model is a two-pronged approach: a high-risk, high-reward licensing model for its AI platforms and a direct product sales model from its subsidiaries like Casterra Ag Ltd. The ultimate goal is to generate high-margin revenue from intellectual property (IP) licensing and royalties.

• Product Sales (Casterra): This stream provides near-term cash flow from selling high-yield castor seeds, a crucial raw material for industrial and biofuel applications. Casterra delivered 250 tons of castor seeds in Q1 2025 alone, surpassing its total 2024 volume. This is a lower-margin, but more stable, revenue source than licensing.
• AI Licensing & Collaborations: The high-value model involves partnerships where Evogene's proprietary AI tech-engines-like ChemPass-AI for small molecule discovery-are licensed to pharmaceutical or agricultural giants. Monetization comes through:
  • Upfront payments and research funding.
  • Milestone payments tied to development progress (e.g., Phase I/II clinical trials).
  • Royalties or revenue-sharing mechanisms on the final commercialized product.
• Strategic Asset Monetization: A key economic fundamental in 2025 is the generation of non-recurring cash from asset sales. The sale of Lavie Bio's activities and the MicroBoost AI for Ag tech-engine to ICL, completed in July 2025, is expected to generate a total of approximately $18.71 million in proceeds. This sale extends the company's financial runway but is not a sustainable revenue stream.

The biggest near-term risk is the volatility of the collaboration revenue, which is why the company is defintely focused on the ChemPass-AI platform for future, recurring licensing deals.

Evogene Ltd.'s Financial Performance

The company's financial performance in 2025 reflects a concerted effort to streamline operations and reduce its cash burn while transitioning its core strategy. This focus on capital efficiency is crucial for a development-stage biotech firm.

• Net Loss Improvement: The net loss for the first half of 2025 narrowed to approximately $7.7 million, a significant improvement from the $9.8 million net loss reported in the first half of 2024.
• Expense Reduction: Total operating expenses, net, for H1 2025 were aggressively reduced to approximately $7.7 million, down from $11.1 million in the same period last year. This decrease is mainly due to decreased activity in subsidiaries like Biomica and the cessation of Canonic's operations.
• R&D Focus: Research and development (R&D) expenses were cut to approximately $4.8 million in H1 2025, down from $6.5 million in H1 2024, reflecting the strategic decision to focus R&D resources on the high-potential ChemPass-AI platform.
• Cash Position: As of June 30, 2025, the company's cash and short-term bank deposits stood at approximately $11.7 million. This figure does not include the expected proceeds from the ICL asset sale, which will substantially increase the cash runway.
• Q3 2025 Outlook: Analysts estimate Q3 2025 revenue to be approximately $0.65 million, highlighting the continued revenue volatility outside of Casterra's sales cycles.

To dive deeper into the financial health and valuation of the company's core assets, you should read Breaking Down Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) Market Position & Future Outlook

Evogene is undergoing a critical strategic pivot in 2025, consolidating its operations around its core generative AI platform, ChemPass AI, to target the high-value pharmaceutical and agricultural small molecule discovery markets. This shift, backed by a significant cash injection from asset sales, positions the company for a future focused on high-margin technology licensing and co-development, moving away from capital-intensive subsidiary operations.

The company's strategic restructuring and cost reduction plan, which included a 30% workforce reduction at Evogene and a 40% reduction at AgPlenus, has already lowered operating expenses, reducing the net loss for the first half of 2025 to approximately $7.7 million, down from $9.8 million in the same period last year.

Competitive Landscape

The computational biology and AI-driven drug discovery market is highly fragmented, making precise market share elusive, but Evogene competes by offering a unique, dual-market AI platform for both pharma and ag-chem. The entire Computational Drug Discovery market is projected to reach approximately $2,100 million in 2025.

Opportunities & Challenges

The company's focus on its ChemPass AI generative platform is its biggest opportunity, allowing it to generate novel, patentable small molecules across multiple industries. The sale of Lavie Bio's activities to ICL for a total of $18.71 million in July 2025 significantly bolstered the cash position, providing an estimated 18-month operational runway to execute this strategy. Here's the quick math: the cash infusion is crucial for funding the high-cost, early-stage pharma collaborations.

Industry Position

Evogene is positioned as a small-cap, pure-play computational biology company. Its standing is primarily defined by its proprietary technology rather than market capitalization, which was approximately $6.71 million as of November 2025.

• Technology-Driven Focus: The company's core value lies in its ChemPass AI, which addresses the multi-parameter optimization challenge in small molecule design-a key industry bottleneck.
• Strategic Streamlining: By divesting non-core assets like Lavie Bio, Evogene is moving toward a capital-light, IP-centric model, which is a defintely smart move for a company of its size in a highly competitive, R&D-intensive sector.
• Analyst Sentiment: The consensus rating from Wall Street analysts is a "Moderate Buy" with a target price of $3.50, suggesting a belief in the long-term value of the AI pivot.

For a detailed breakdown of the company's financial health, you should read Breaking Down Evogene Ltd. (EVGN) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

The next major catalyst is the Q3 2025 earnings release on November 20, 2025, which will provide the first full financial picture post-restructuring.