News and Updates
Southeast Venture Showcase
April, 2026: We were among the 44 academic-affiliated startups, selected from over 120 applicants by a judging panel of over 70 investors and serial entrepreneurs to present at the annual Southeast Venture Showcase at Nashville, TN! We used the opportunity to represent Soteria Formulations both through our pitch presentation and at our demo booth. It was a wonderful experience to connect with investors, peers, and fellow founders, and to receive thoughtful feedback and encouragement as we continue building.
Equalize Startups Experiential Day
March, 2026: Dr. Tahira Pirzada was proud to represent Soteria Formulations as an Equalizer and grateful to Equalize Startups for creating a meaningful platform for female academic founders. The Experiential Day in Cambridge, MA was an inspiring reminder that building in biotech and agtech does not have to be lonely. She appreciated the thoughtful panels, mentoring, and connections with an inspiring community of women advancing high-impact work. Special thanks to Kirsten Leute, Nichole Mercier, the Equalize Startup team, mentors, sponsors, and Greentown Labs for an energizing and memorable experience.
Venture Connect 26
March, 2026: Soteria Formulations was proud to participate as a presenter at Venture Connect 26 at DPAC, Durham NC. Both Tahira and Richard represented the company and shared Soteria’s mission and technology during the “Science for a Healthier Planet” session. Soteria is grateful to the Center for Entrepreneurial Development team for organizing such a valuable and energizing event. The team appreciated the opportunity to connect with investors, founders, and business leaders, gain insights on fundraising and commercialization, and explore new collaborations to advance more effective and sustainable crop protection solutions.
NC Plant Science Initiative’s Seed2Grow Pitch Competition
November, 2025: We are proud to share that our CEO Dr. Tahira Pirzada won First prize in the Researcher Track at the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative Seed2Grow Pitch Competition on November 11. This recognition from global AgTech leaders is an important validation of Soteria’s technology, impact, and path to market. Soteria is deeply grateful for the support of the NC State Office of Research Commercialization, NCBiotech, First Flight Venture Center, NC IDEA, business advisors, mentors, collaborators, and the broader RTP innovation ecosystem that continue to support its mission.
Successful Sweetpotato Field Trials to control Guava Root Knot nematode- an invasive pest
October, 2025: Soteria Formulations is pleased to announce the successful completion of its first field trial at the NC Department of Agriculture Research Station in Whiteville, NC. The trial validated NexGran™, Soteria’s biodegradable, microplastic-free pelleted granular platform, for protecting sweetpotatoes against guava root-knot nematode. NexGran™ effectively enhanced the performance of loaded pesticide against its commercial formulation. The tubers showed much reduced infection and improved tuber quality, outperforming three commercial formulations.This milestone provides important field validation as Soteria advances more effective and sustainable crop protection solutions.
Soteria Formulations Featured in N.C. PSI Seed2Grow Spotlight
September, 2025: We are featured by the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative in a Seed2Grow Spotlight highlighting CEO Dr. Tahira Pirzada’s journey from NC State researcher to agtech entrepreneur. The article also shares how Soteria is commercializing the technology, the team developed at NC state and highlights Soteria’s progress through field validation of the initial format, customer discovery, product development, greenhouse and field validation and the critical role of strong support system and a dedicated advisory team to accelerate commercialization.
Soteria Formulations Presents to the North Carolina Ag Tech Council
June, 2025: We were honored to present our journey, progress, and milestones to the North Carolina Ag Tech Council at Union Grove Farm. We thank Paul Ulanch, Toni Bucci, and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center for the opportunity to showcase our work and engage with North Carolina’s agtech ecosystem. We are also grateful to the Council members for their thoughtful questions and suggestions. Soteria extends special thanks to Michelle Grainger of the NC Sweetpotato Commission for her continued support and enthusiasm for the potential of our technology to advance pest management in specialty crops. We also thank the Union Grove Farm team for hosting the event and providing an inspiring example of regenerative agriculture and innovation in North Carolina.
Soteria Formulations Wins Venture Pack Challenge Award
April, 2025: Soteria Formulations won first place and $25,000 in the Daugherty Endowment Track of NC State’s VenturePack Challenge. This award validates Soteria’s scientific and business approach. Soteria extends its sincere thanks to the Daugherty Endowment, the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science, the NC State Office of Partnerships, and the Office of Research Commercialization for supporting entrepreneurship and technology commercialization at NC State.
Soteria Formulations CEO Featured by NC State ORC for Women’s History Month
March, 2025: Soteria Formulations is honored that Dr. Tahira Pirzada, President & CEO, was featured by the NC State Office of Research Commercialization as part of its Women’s History Month celebration highlighting innovative Wolfpack women. In the feature, Dr. Pirzada shared her journey in forming Soteria Formulations, the importance of mentorship, and the milestones that have shaped her path from researcher to entrepreneur. Soteria is grateful to ORC for its continued support of university innovation, startup formation, and women leaders advancing technologies with real-world impact.
First Flight Venture Center LiftOff grant
November, 2024: We are proud to announce that Soteria Formulations has been awarded the prestigious LiftOff grant by First Flight Venture Center. The LiftOff program, developed in collaboration with Eva Garland Consulting (EGC), supports science-focused startups by providing tailored strategies for securing non-dilutive grant funding. This grant marks an exciting milestone for Soteria Formulations as we continue to drive innovation and bring impactful solutions to market.
Hello Tomorrow Deep Tech Pioneer
November, 2024: We are thrilled to share that we have been selected as a Deep Tech Pioneer by Hello Tomorrow from a pool of 4,600 applications spanning 120 countries! This recognition highlights our innovative solution to establish sustainable agriculture and its potential to make a global impact. We are honored to join a community of leading deep tech startups driving transformative change. Stay tuned for more updates as we take this exciting step forward!
NC Idea Micro Grant
October, 2024: We are excited to share that Soteria Formulations has been awarded an NC IDEA MICRO grant as part of the program’s thirteenth funding cycle. This highly competitive grant provides supports young companies validate and advance their ideas. In addition to the funding, we will participate in an eight-week training and mentoring program, equipping us with invaluable resources and mentorship to accelerate our progress. We are grateful for this opportunity and look forward to leveraging it to drive innovation and growth.
NCBC SRL
June, 2024: Soteria Formulations has been selected as one of the awardees of the highly competitive NC Biotechnology Center (NCBC) SRL funding! This opportunity will enable us to advance our product development efforts with the support of NCBC. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to innovate and grow!
ACS
August, 2023: August 2023: Dr. Pirzada giving a talk on’ Recycling plant biomass for crop protection: The future of sustainable agriculture’ in ‘Biorational Technologies for Control of Invasive Pests in a Changing Climate’ session organized by ACS Division of Agrochemicals during ACS Fall on August 13 , 2023 at Mascone Centre, San Francisco.
NCSU News Release
Feb 22 2023: Yams Benefit From Banana ‘Paper’ Cocoon: Wrapping yam seeds in biodegradable paper made from a mixture of unusable parts of banana plants and recycled cardboard boxes sharply increased yam size and yields in field tests conducted in Benin, Africa.
NCSU News, Front Page
March 7, 2022: Wrapping potato seeds in biodegradable paper made from unusable parts of banana plants reduces the infestation and harmful effects of a nasty plant pathogen – a worm called the potato cyst nematode – and sharply increases potato size and yields.
