EU Opens Public Consultation on Biotech Act II, Targeting Industrial Fermentation and Biomanufacturing
The European Commission’s call for evidence on its proposed Biotech Act II has drawn responses from across the alternative protein and industrial biotech sectors, with companies urging clearer regulatory pathways for fermentation-derived ingredients, cultivated biomass, and precision fermentation ahead of the June 10 deadline. The regulation, expected as a legislative proposal in Q4 2026, would extend the EU’s biotech framework beyond health biotechnology to cover industrial biotechnology and biomanufacturing. The …
StrainX Bioworks Raises $13M to Scale Precision Fermentation Food Ingredients in India
Indian synthetic biology company StrainX Bioworks has raised $13 million as it exits stealth and moves into commercialization, with plans to supply high-value food and nutritional ingredients to global markets through precision fermentation. The round was led by Prime Venture Partners and Leo Capital, with participation from Good Startup, Sparrow Capital, Sun Icon Ventures, Dholakia Ventures, and WindT (IIT Delhi) Angels. Good Startup, a fund focused exclusively on biology-first deep-tech …
Swedish Biotech and AI Firm Join Forces to Drive Down Precision Fermentation Costs
Two Swedish companies, biotech firm Curve (formerly Re:meat AB) and software company Digital Tvilling AB, have announced a partnership to develop an integrated biomanufacturing platform that uses AI and digital twin technology to reduce the cost of precision fermentation over time. The collaboration targets one of the core obstacles in alternative protein and ingredient production: unit economics. Precision fermentation holds considerable promise for producing proteins, functional food ingredients, and additives …
Biospringer Adds Bacterial Fermentation Capabilities with PTX Food Corp IP Deal
Biospringer by Lesaffre has acquired selected intellectual property and technology from PTX Food Corp, a US-based food ingredient manufacturer focused on bacteria fermentation. The deal extends Biospringer’s capabilities beyond its established yeast fermentation portfolio into non-yeast fermented solutions. The acquisition includes selected assets related to PTX Food Corp’s Bioenhance product line. Biospringer plans to transfer the acquired technology and equipment into its existing global plant network. “At Biospringer, we are …
ÄIO’s Fermentation-Derived Cosmetic Ingredients Earn COSMOS Certification
Estonian biotech company ÄIO has obtained COSMOS certification from Cosmécert for three of its fermentation-derived cosmetic ingredients: RedOil (INCI: Rhodotorula Oil), ZymaLipid Complex (INCI: Linoleic/Oleic/Palmitic Acid), and Encapsulated Oil (INCI: Rhodotorula Ferment). COSMOS, or COSMetic Organic and Natural Standard, was established in 2010 by several major European certification bodies to harmonise natural and organic cosmetics requirements across the industry. It is recognised by brands, formulators, retailers, and consumers as a …
MicroHarvest Expands European Pet Food Presence With 15 Products Due by Mid-2026
Hamburg-based MicroHarvest has confirmed more than 15 new pet food product launches scheduled for Q2 2026, as its fermentation-derived protein ingredient gains commercial traction across Germany and the UK. The company produces protein through biomass fermentation, feeding microbes on regional agri-food side streams in a 24-hour production cycle. The resulting ingredient is positioned as a low-carbon, hypoallergenic alternative to conventional meat proteins for cats and dogs, and is already on …
Solar Foods Secures €350,000 in EU Hydrogen Valley Project to Expand Solein Output
Finnish food technology company Solar Foods has joined BalticSeaH2, a large-scale EU-funded hydrogen initiative, receiving €350,000 to increase production capacity of Solein at its Factory 01 facility in Finland. BalticSeaH2 is a five-year project launched in June 2023 with a total budget of €33 million, of which €25 million comes from the EU’s Clean Hydrogen Partnership under RePowerEU. The consortium spans 40 partners across nine Baltic Sea countries and is …
California Startup Fermeate Closes $2M Seed Round for Light-Based Fermentation Control Technology
California-based startup Fermeate has raised $2 million in seed funding to scale its optogenetics platform, which uses light signals to control gene expression inside microbial cells during fermentation. The round was led by Newfund Capital, with participation from SOSV and Ajinomoto Group Ventures. The technology inserts light-sensitive proteins into microbial strains, enabling manufacturers to activate or deactivate specific genes in real time. A targeted promoter directs which enzyme or protein …
AI-Integrated Fermentation Capacity Expands at Praj Matrix as India Targets Bio-Based Economy
Indian industrial biotech company Praj Industries has launched an Advanced Precision Fermentation Lab at its Praj Matrix R&D centre in Pune, India, alongside a formal research partnership with BRIC-NCCS (Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council – National Centre for Cell Science). The facility is designed to support high-capacity, AI-enabled fermentation processes across sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biofuels, and beverages, with a stated focus on reducing scale-up risks and improving process …
Yeast-Based Ingredient Startup Cosaic Closes $6 Million Round Backed by dsm-firmenich Ventures
Swiss fermentation startup Cosaic has secured a $6 million seed extension to advance its yeast-based ingredient platform toward commercial launch. The round was led by dsm-firmenich Ventures, the venture arm of dsm-firmenich, a global ingredients and nutrition company. Additional participants include a Swiss family office, Swiss deeptech investor Kickfund, and existing backers Navus Ventures and Zuercher Kantonalbank. What Cosaic is building Cosaic is developing a new category of food ingredients …