A new formulation technology is offering a breakthrough in the use of essential oils and pheromones for pest control. Platypus, an early-stage B2B startup, has developed PlatyForm—a raw material platform that significantly slows down the evaporation of volatile compounds, allowing them to remain effective for much longer than traditional applications.
Natural volatiles like essential oils and pheromones are gaining attention in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) thanks to their ecological safety, target specificity, and compatibility with organic production. However, their practical use remains limited—mainly because they evaporate too quickly, requiring frequent reapplication and reducing overall effectiveness. "This isn't a new pesticide," says Marina Arshavsky Rosental, Co-Founder and CBO of Platypus. "It's a delivery system that helps existing active ingredients perform better—naturally, efficiently, and for longer."
© Platypus
A platform, not a product
© PlatypusUnlike typical formulation companies, Platypus does not develop final products. Instead, it supplies its biodegradable, inert PlatyForm matrix to manufacturers of pest control and agri-input solutions. "Our technology is agnostic to the type of active material used—it can work with a variety of essential oils, pheromones, and other volatile bioactives," explains Marina. "We adjust the formulation to suit each use case."
Thanks to its modular design and compatibility with existing production lines, PlatyForm can reduce development time and costs for manufacturers seeking to launch ecological alternatives to synthetic chemicals.
Controlled release that lasts
PlatyForm is currently available in a gel-like form that slowly releases bioactive compounds. "Field trials using pheromones against peach tree fly showed that the active ingredient can be reduced by 65%, while still extending the usage time by 3x compared to the commonly used alternative. The platform also enabled 9.7 times more precise evaporation control. These results translated into measurable commercial benefits—up to 20% higher profitability for manufacturers and a 24% reduction in direct costs for farmers", says Marina. "This controlled-release capability is a key differentiator that can be incorporated into various applications—not only in agriculture, but also in home & garden uses, across the food supply chain, and potentially in other industries that will be explored in the future."
Broad application potential
While agriculture is the starting point, Platypus sees wide potential for PlatyForm across multiple industries—including home & garden, food storage and transport, antimicrobial packaging, veterinary, and more. "We're looking to collaborate with partners who can leverage our material to bring safer, sustainable solutions to market—faster and more efficiently," says Marina.
© Platypus Regulatory-friendly
PlatyForm is fully biodegradable and made from non-hazardous materials, which means it typically does not trigger additional regulatory requirements. For manufacturers, this simplifies the registration process when developing or modifying pest control solutions—saving time, reducing costs, and lowering the barriers to launching new ecological products.
Collaboration-driven growth
Platypus is actively seeking partners—formulators, manufacturers, and solution providers—who are looking to develop and bring to market safe, effective pest control solutions powered by natural volatiles.
The technology was recently showcased at the World AgriTech Innovation Summit in San Francisco, where Platypus CEO & Co-Founder Gilad Yarkoni pitched the company during the startup showcase—and won first prize in the competition.
"Our vision is to become the go-to delivery system for natural volatiles," Marina concludes. "The world doesn't always need new molecules—it needs better ways to use what nature already gave us."
For more information: 
Platypus
Contact@platypus-ecodesign.com
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