EIT Food Awards €600,000 to 18 AgriFoodTech Startups at Next Bite 2025
EIT Food has announced the winners of its 2025 Tech Validation Funding, providing a total of €600,000 to 18 innovative AgriFoodTech startups across Europe. The funding, awarded at the Next Bite 2025 event in Brussels, is designed to accelerate the progress of these startups by helping them validate their technologies and prepare for scaling and market adoption. The Next Bite event, one of Europe’s leading platforms for emerging food technologies, …
Brazilian Mycoprotein Producer Typcal to Receive a €350K Investment Through Biotope Incubator
Typcal, a Brazilian startup growing mycoprotein using biomass fermentation, has been accepted into the seventh cohort of the biotech incubator biotopeby VIB. The company has reportedly developed proprietary fungi strains that grow faster and on more diverse feedstocks than competing technologies, enabling scalable, sustainable protein and fiber production. Through the program, Typcal will receive €250,000 in direct funding and €100,000 in non-cash tailored support, including mentoring and access to knowledge …
Revo Foods & Paleo Unveil €2.2M EU-Backed Project for Salmon Alternatives with Animal-Free Heme
Two alternative protein startups, Austria’s Revo Foods, a manufacturer of 3D-printed vegan seafood, and Belgium’s Paleo, a precision fermentation startup developing animal-free heme, have joined forces to advance sustainable and realistic seafood alternatives. In a project initiated earlier this year and funded by the European Union’s Eurostars program with €2.2 million, the companies are working to develop a “unique” animal-free salmon heme for Revo Foods’ 3D salmon fillet. Speaking to …
Those Vegan Cowboys to Enter US Market with Microbial Casein That Outperforms Dairy
Belgian biotech company Those Vegan Cowboys announces it has developed a product using a new type of microbial casein. The startup will reveal the kind of cheese and its market entry at tomorrow’s Future Food-Tech summit in London. Casein proteins are essential for making great-tasting cheese that stretches and melts well. According to the startup, the new casein, under certain conditions, outperforms cow’s casein, especially in cheese production. It can …
Biotope Unveils Fifth Cohort Focused on Solutions for Leather, Food Waste, and Natural Colors
Biotope, a Belgian biotech incubator and early-stage investor, has revealed the three startups selected to be part of its fifth and latest cohort: Corium Biotech, I-Challenge, and Lantana Bio. Launched by the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Biotope aims to bring agrifood startups to seed-stage readiness within 18 months, de-risking biotechnology investments to drive innovation in the biotech space. Annick Verween, Head of Biotope, shared: “Biotope focuses on potentially impactful …
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 …
MAASH to Launch First Mycoprotein Factory in France Following Metex NOOVISTA Acquisition
Belgian biotechnology startup MAASH announces it has acquired the French biotech Metex NOOVISTA to launch what it claims will be France’s first mycoprotein factory and its first European production plant. Metex NOOVISTA, a METEX Group subsidiary, specializes in fermented functional ingredients. Its factory is in Carling, on the Chemesis industrial platform in Saint-Avold, at the heart of the Grand Est region and the Moselle Department. Under the expertise of CEO …
Formo and Those Vegan Cowboys Reveal “First-of-its-Kind” Collab to Expedite Production of Cow-Free Cheese
Two precision fermentation companies — Germany’s Formo and Those Vegan Cowboys from Belgium — today announce a strategic R&D alliance to accelerate the production of animal-free casein and finally retire cows from cheese production. This “first-of-its-kind” collaboration will bring together over 60 world-leading scientists to create a “powerful and experienced” research team that will improve technological efficiency, including efforts in strain engineering, bioprocessing, and large-scale production of caseins. The companies …
Paleo Opens New Facility in Belgium for Animal-Free Heme, Reveals Expansion Plans for 2024
On the back of its successful €12 million funding round last year, biotech company Paleo has opened a new pilot-scale facility in Leven, Belgium, at the Bio-Incubator Leuven. The company, which specializes in developing proteins via precision fermentation, aims to use the new laboratory facilities to accelerate the production and commercialization of its flagship product, animal-free heme. Speaking to vegconomist, the company outlined its plans for 2024, including making significant progress …
Those Vegan Cowboys Open €15 Million Financing Round to Scale Casein for Animal-Free Cheese
Belgian biotech Those Vegan Cowboys has opened a financing round to raise €15 million to further advance and scale its precision fermentation platform (named Margaret) to develop casein for animal-free cheese. After selling The Vegetarian Butcher to Unilever, Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman founded Those Vegan Cowboys in 2020 to make grass-fed dairy products using microbes instead of cows. With the funds, they assembled a talented team of scientists and established a …