Establishing a European foothold: BIOTREX’s expansion journey with Aexus
BIOTREX is an innovative soil microbiome analysis service focused on assessing microbial diversity and biological activity to support sustainable agriculture and soil health. Through advanced microbial technologies and science-driven product development, BIOTREX supports farmers, agro-input companies, corporations, and NGOs in improving agricultural productivity in an environmentally responsible way.
Within BIOTREX, Hiroyoshi Nachi (Business Development Manager) is responsible for building and expanding the company’s European business from his base in Germany.
Identifying the right partner
Hiroyoshi: “When we decided to accelerate our European market development efforts, we knew we needed the right partner. Europe is a complex region, with different languages, business cultures, regulations and market dynamics. We were looking for a partner that could truly support us in building traction in a structured and professional way.
We did some explorations online and found Aexus, among a few other companies. From the very first conversations, the interaction felt good. The Aexus team was very responsive and quick in their follow-up. What stood out to us immediately was that they offered a complete service: not only list building or market research, but also real execution. They actually provided the sales representation service we were seeking.
“They clearly had their internal processes in order”
The collaboration started smoothly. Our legal department had quite a number of requests and requirements, particularly in the area of GDPR compliance. These are serious topics for us, and we needed to be confident that everything was handled correctly. Aexus addressed all concerns in a thoughtful and professional manner. They were well prepared, well documented and clearly had their internal processes in order. That gave us confidence to move forward.
We asked Aexus to focus on scheduling meetings in the agri domain. Our target audience includes farmers, agro-input companies, vendors of agricultural products, large corporations, and NGOs. This is a very specific and nuanced sector. It is not trivial to approach these stakeholders in the right, relevant way. Also, you need to understand the local market characteristics, the language, and the business culture.
Localized outreach
Aexus was able to support us very effectively here. They did not simply execute outreach; they localized it. Their team approached prospects with a clear understanding of regional differences and communicated in a way that resonated with our target audience.
The Aexus account team was very persistent and managed to book approximately 20 meetings within a relatively short period of time. An important accelerator was an exhibition at the beginning of our engagement, where Aexus also participated. This helped them quickly build the right level of knowledge about our products, positioning, and the conversations happening in the market. As a result, they were able to secure well-qualified, high-quality meetings that led to serious business opportunities which we are now actively following up on.
A solid pipeline & local distribution
The engagement did not only give us a good understanding of the European market; it allowed us to start working on real business opportunities immediately. We built a solid pipeline and we are confident that this will convert into tangible business in the coming months.
The Aexus account team has been helpful, proactive, and communicative throughout the entire process. Thanks to their efforts, we have established a foothold in our first initial market, including engaging with and identifying our first potential distributor there. That is a significant milestone for us.
Now, we are looking at expanding into additional European markets together with Aexus. The model has proven to work for us, and we are definitely planning to replicate this approach in new markets with their support.”