Kynda founders

© Kynda

Investments & Finance

Biomass Fermentation Pioneer Kynda Raises €3M From Investors Including Meat Processor PHW Group

German company Kynda, which describes itself as a pioneer in industrial biomass fermentation, has raised €3 million in seed funding. The round was led by Enjoy Ventures via its Invest-Impuls Scale Fund. Poultry processor PHW Group and Swiss climate tech investor Clima Now also participated. Additionally, impact-oriented investor C.E.L.L. Investment will join a second closing. Kynda develops fermentation technologies and bioreactors that canconvert by-products from the food industry into high-quality …

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© MISTA

Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

MISTA Growth Hack Selects Biomass Fermentation as Key Theme for 2024

A unique collaboration of 14 early-stage food tech startups, eight leading global food companies, and key partners, including Accenture, the Good Food Institute, and SOSV, will be part of the 2024 MISTA Growth Hack. MISTA, a food innovation platform, and a Givaudan entity, aims to bring new sustainable ingredients and technologies to life to feed the planet. This year’s Growth Hack aims to develop integrated, nutritious, affordable, and sustainable foods, …

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mycorena whole cut

© Mycorena

Fermentation

Mycorena Acquired by Biomass Fermentation Firm Naplasol, Member of Animal Protein VEOS Group

After facing significant financial challenges, mycoprotein pioneer Mycorena filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, seeking new ownership to build upon its innovations and market presence. Today, Naplasol, a VEOS group member, announces the acquisition of the Swedish company. Naplasol specializes in biomass fermentation to produce mycoproteins and offers various ingredients for food applications. VEOS Group, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Belgium, is a global leader in the animal protein …

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Brevel cheese

Image supplied by Brevel, credit Eldad Shatz

Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Biomass Fermentation Leader Brevel Inaugurates Commercial Plant for Affordable, Nutritious Microalgae Protein

Israel’s Brevel, a biomass fermentation startup using microalgae protein to create sustainable ingredients, announces the grand opening of its first commercial plant. Last July, the company secured $18.5 million in seed funding led by NevaTeam Partners and backed by the European Union’s EIC Fund, facilitating the current phase of commercial-scale production and global expansion. Located in Israel’s desert periphery, the new site covers 27,000 square feet (2,500m²) and includes headquarters, …

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MicroHarvest pilot plant opening

MicroHarvest Lisbon team © MicroHarvest

Fermentation

MicroHarvest Becomes Food Fermentation Europe’s First Biomass Fermentation Member

German biotech MicroHarvest announces that it has become the first biomass fermentation company to join Food Fermentation Europe‘s efforts to create more sustainable food systems by unlocking the potential of fermentation-enabled food production. Food Fermentation Europe (FFE) was established in 2023 by Better Dairy, Formo, Imagindairy, Onego Bio, and Those Vegan Cowboys, which leverage precision fermentation to produce animal-free food products. Standing Ovation, Vivici, and Bon Vivant, have also joined the alliance. Precision fermentation involves modifying microorganisms …

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Tetra Pak New Food Technology Development Centre

© Tetra Pak

Fermentation

Tetra Pak® Opens New Food Technology Development Centre for Producers of Fermentation-Derived Foods

Food packaging and processing company Tetra Pak® has announced the opening of its New Food Technology Development Centre in Karlshamn, Sweden. The centre will help producers of biomass and precision fermentation-derived food products accelerate their time to market and reduce investment risk through pilot plant trials. Companies will receive tailored support from experts, allowing them to develop their technical processes and take their products from prototype to commercial-scale production. The …

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Bosco Emparanza García MOA Foodtech

© Bosco Emparanza García

Interviews

MOA Foodtech: “AI is Transforming the Way We Approach Fermentation and Ingredient Development”

MOA Foodtech is a biotechnology company specializing in the use of fermentation and AI to produce healthy, sustainable food ingredients from agricultural byproducts. The company’s focus is on creating next-generation proteins that are both nutritionally rich and technologically versatile, offering a revolutionary solution to food waste while providing sustainable alternatives to traditional protein sources. Bosco Emparanza García is the CEO and founder of MOA Foodtech. With a background in biochemistry …

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F-Label

© F-Label

Fermentation

F-Label Establishes Standards for Animal-Free Ingredients Produced via Fermentation

V-Label GmbH has introduced F-Label, a certification dedicated to precision fermentation and related animal-free production technologies. The certification applies to processes such as biomass fermentation, syngas fermentation, and cell-free synthesis, which produce compounds traditionally derived from animals without using animal inputs. F-Label is intended to provide transparency regarding the production process of these ingredients, ensuring they are animal-free while differentiating them from traditional plant-based products. Unlike vegan certification, which considers …

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MOA Foodtech

© MOA Foodtech

Investments & Finance

EU Backs MOA Foodtech with €14.8M to Scale AI-Enhanced Fermentation Technology

Spanish biotechnology startup MOA Foodtech has been awarded a €14.8 million investment commitment from the European Innovation Council (EIC) as part of the latest EIC Accelerator funding round. The company, which specializes in biomass fermentation and artificial intelligence-driven ingredient production, was one of 71 businesses selected from over 1,200 applicants. The funding consists of a €2.3 million direct grant, with an additional €12.5 million in equity investment to be deployed …

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Brevel's is ready to operate its FOAK facility to showcase its fermentatio tech for producing microalgae proteins.

Image courtesy of Brevel

Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Brevel Launches FOAK Facility to Demonstrate Microalgae Protein Fermentation at Commercial Scale

Israel’s Brevel, a biomass fermentation startup producing microalgae proteins, announces that it has completed the construction of its demonstration facility and secured two commercial agreements with leading F&B companies. The startup inaugurated a new site in Southern Israel this June, featuring headquarters, R&D space, and proprietary industrial-scale fermenters. The facility has been designed to implement a First-Of-A-Kind (FOAK) strategy to showcase the fermentation process at a commercial scale for the first …

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