Agricultural nanotechnology company ANT Systems has launched industrial-scale production of NANOTERN™, a biodegradable, cellulose-based water-retention material designed to address drought challenges in agriculture. Developed through 15 years of scientific research at Sabancı University, the technology will be manufactured at a new facility in Tuzla, Istanbul, with an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons.
Headquartered in The Hague through ANT Systems Holding B.V., with its R&D and production operations based in Istanbul, the company has secured approximately USD 5 million in funding to date. Its technology portfolio, supported by global patent rights, is valued at more than USD 25 million.
Already deployed in the United States, South America, the Gulf region and parts of Africa, NANOTERN™ is designed to help soil retain water for longer periods and release it to plants when needed. Inspired by Istanbul's historic water cisterns, the biodegradable nanomaterial can absorb up to 1,800 times its own weight in water. According to the company, the technology can reduce irrigation water consumption by up to 50 percent, increase agricultural productivity by up to 25 percent and improve the efficiency of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs.
The company states that while similar superabsorbent and controlled-release technologies are being explored by major global agricultural firms, most remain at laboratory or pilot stages. ANT Systems positions itself as the first company to achieve industrial-scale production of a patented solution with field-validated results.
The opening ceremony brought together prominent representatives from government, academia and industry, including Chair of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye's Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs Commission Prof. Dr. Vahit Kirişci, Sabancı Foundation Chair of the Board of Trustees Güler Sabancı, Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK) President Dr. Ahmet Abdullah Antalyalı, Sabancı University Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Leblebici, alongside international guests and sector stakeholders.
Supported by funding from KOSGEB and TÜBİTAK, ANT Systems recently secured USD 3 million in a pre-Series A investment round. The company's integrated campus in Istanbul combines R&D laboratories, corporate offices and manufacturing facilities under one roof, strengthening Türkiye's position in advanced agricultural technologies and sustainable innovation.