Cultivated meat company Meatable has partnered with animal-free leather producer Pelagen to improve the efficiency and scalability of cultivated leather.
Through the partnership, Pelagen will explore the use of opti-ox™ — a technology developed by Meatable co-founder Mark Kotter to program stem cells into any cell type — to enhance the production of skin tissue from animal cells. The two Netherlands-based companies will also collaborate to develop the most effective cell culture media composition and process, with the aim of lowering costs, improving quality, and increasing speed and efficiency.
Pelagen specializes in creating biologically comparable leather alternatives by engineering skin tissue without animals. The collaboration is significant for Meatable since it marks the company’s expansion outside the food industry.
“We are proud to partner with Pelagen, a company committed to making a significant environmental and ethical impact,” said Jeff Tripician, CEO of Meatable. “Just as Meatable is revolutionizing the way we produce and consume meat, Pelagen is redefining leather manufacturing with a sustainable approach. We’re excited to support their vision and market potential through our technology.”
“Lightspeed bioprocess”
Last year, Meatable claimed it had reached a new production milestone, allowing it to turn cells into cultivated sausages within just four days. A month later, the company hosted the EU’s first cultivated meat tasting, with notable attendees such as Constantijn van Oranje, Prince of the Netherlands, and Michelin-starred chef Ron Blaauw.
In October, Meatable was awarded €7.6 million as part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) Innovation Credit program. The company said it would use the funding to improve productivity and reduce costs as it moves towards commercialization. Later that month, Meatable was recognized on TIME’s prestigious Best Inventions of 2024 list due to the ability of opti-ox™ to produce cultivated meat from a single sample of cells within days.
“Meatable has demonstrated clear leadership in its field, with a singular capability to enable lightspeed bioprocess,” said Sasha Madhavji, CEO of Pelagen. “We are excited to leverage its technical edge and accelerate our time to impact – something only possible at commercially relevant scales. We share the same goal of seeing our favorite products endure into a sustainable future without ever sacrificing on quality.”
