French co-op InVivo buys 50% stake in UCD spin-out

One of Europe’s largest agricultural co-ops, the French-based InVivo, has acquired a 50% stake in a UCD spin-out company for an undisclosed sum.

The group, which has revenues of more than €6bn, has bought half control of Dublin-based research and development company, Life Scientific, a specialist in off-patent crop protection products that is headquartered at NovaUCD, the university’s innovation incubation centre.

Established in 1995 by Nicola Mitchell, the company employs 20 people, has strong links with the likes of UCD and Enterprise Ireland, and generates annual revenues of over €10m.