Romanian startup Terra Wave has secured a €1.2 million EU innovation grant to advance its proprietary fermentation technology.
Terra Wave aims to develop industrial-scale production capacity for next-generation fermented proteins, serving applications across the meat, plant-based, and pet food industries. The startup’s fermentation process transforms fungi-based biomass into protein-rich, meat-like textures.
Terra Wave has already partnered with the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca, with the intention of collaborating with leading researchers and specialists in biotechnology and food science. The company is also working with Tetra Pak to leverage the latter’s engineering expertise and conduct industrial process tests.
“The future of proteins”
Terra Wave was founded by Alexandru Jeican, the former R&D Manager at Romanian plant-based meat brand Verdino Green Foods. He has over 15 years of experience in food production and research across both the traditional and plant-based industries. Throughout his career, he has reportedly developed more than 100 products, with several going on to win awards.
After years of testing multiple protein sources, Jeican believes that fermented products have the most potential to sustainably meet the growing demand for protein. This inspired him to found Terra Wave.
“Fermentation is not just a trend, it’s a breakthrough technology that can deliver valuable nutritional value, taste, texture, and scalability, in a sustainable way with reduced costs,” said Jeican. “At Terra Wave, we are surfing the future of proteins, developing ingredient solutions that serve the needs of the food industry, consumers, and the planet.”
Terra Wave will be present at the Future Food-Tech Summit in London on September 24-25.
