Investments in Alternative Proteins Total $443 Million in First Half of 2025
The alternative protein sector saw notable investment activity in the first half of 2025, with 54 deals totaling $443.45 million. These investments spanned multiple technologies and product categories, reflecting a broad interest across the industry. The two main technology categories, plant-based and fermentation, attracted the largest share of funding, with cultivated protein remaining a smaller segment. Investment breakdown by quarter and technology Investment in alternative proteins showed variation across the …
Seven Startups Chosen for Big Idea Ventures’ Latest Global Food Innovation Fund Cohort
Big Idea Ventures (BIV) has announced the addition of seven new startups to its Global Food Innovation Fund II (GFIF II). These companies are focusing on various aspects of food technology, including sustainable ingredients, new preservation techniques, and alternative oils and fats. Each of the selected startups will now have access to BIV’s extensive mentorship, R&D resources, and commercialization opportunities. The latest cohort is diverse in its approaches, addressing issues …
Guest Post: Biomass vs. Precision Fermentation – Understanding the Technologies Reshaping Food Innovation
Nemailla Bonturi is a biotech entrepreneur and executive with over a decade of experience in applied microbiology, fermentation, and circular bioeconomy. As the co-founder and CEO of ÄIO, she is driving the company’s mission to transform agricultural and food industry side-streams into sustainable alternatives to palm oil, coconut oil, and animal fats. With a PhD from the University of Campinas (Brazil), Nemailla is passionate about climate-positive innovation and has been …
21st.BIO Develops New Method for Scalable, Animal-Free Production of Essential Dairy Protein
21st.BIO has introduced a new development program focused on producing bovine alpha-lactalbumin (α-lac) using precision fermentation technology. The company, a leader in industrial-scale fermentation, has secured an exclusive license for a high-yield microbial strain developed by Novonesis, a biosolutions company. Unlocking the potential of α-Lac Alpha-lactalbumin is a milk protein recognized for its nutritional value. It is particularly rich in essential amino acids and is easy to digest, which makes …
Arsenale Bioyards, Cauldron & Shiru Selected as Technology Pioneers by World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum has announced the 2025 cohort of its Technology Pioneers community, recognizing 100 early-stage companies from 28 countries. Among the cohort are three companies developing novel proteins and ingredients: “You need a community to move your mission forward” 2025 marks the 25th year of the Technology Pioneers program. Alumni include notable names like Google, Dropbox, PayPal, and SoundCloud, along with companies focused on alternative proteins such as …
Startups Invited to Compete for Paid Pilots and Grants in Foodtech Frontier Challenge
The Foodtech Frontier Challenge, organized by Enterprise Singapore and Padang & Co, has launched a global open innovation call for startups, researchers, and solution providers to address pressing challenges in the food industry. This initiative invites participants to present innovative solutions in the areas of ingredients, processing, and sustainability, collaborating with major food companies including Barry Callebaut, CJ CheilJedang, DSM-Firmenich, Mondelēz International, Nurasa, SD Guthrie International, Symrise, and Tee Yih …
Cultivated Meat Technologies on Track to Outpace Traditional Farming, Study Finds
A new report from technology forecasting firm GetFocus reveals that lab-grown meat technologies are advancing at a faster rate than traditional livestock farming, signaling potential for earlier-than-expected cost-competitive production. The analysis, based on GetFocus’s proprietary Technology Improvement Rate (TIR) methodology, shows that bioreactors – the core technology for cultivated meat production – are doubling in capability every 3.6 years, a pace significantly ahead of conventional farming’s improvements. Since 2013, these …
New Whitepaper Explores How Lean Startup Principles Could Accelerate Food Tech Innovation
New Wave Biotech and Nurasa have partnered to publish a new whitepaper exploring how lean startup principles — originally designed for fast-moving software companies — could be used by food tech innovators. Titled The Lean Startup Meets Food Tech: Does It Work?, the report reinterprets the five Lean Startup principles originally written by entrepreneur and author Eric Ries, outlining how they could apply to food tech and biomanufacturing. The resulting …
Meatable Collaborates with Major NGOs to Address Global Food Challenges
Meatable, a company specializing in cultivated meat technology, announced its collaboration with three global organizations dedicated to advancing sustainable food systems: Food Tank, The United Nations Global Compact, and The Hunger Project. This partnership is part of Meatable’s ongoing efforts to address the environmental and societal challenges of global food production. The world’s population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, which will significantly increase the demand for …
Moolec Science Merges with Bioceres Group to Scale Molecular Farming Platform
Moolec Science, a producer of animal proteins through molecular farming, has entered into an all-stock business combination with Bioceres Group Limited and related entities. The deal, finalized on April 17, 2025, will position Moolec as the parent company of Bioceres Group, Nutrecon LLC, and Gentle Technologies Corp., creating a larger entity focused on innovation in food production and sustainability. Moolec uses molecular farming to produce animal proteins and nutritional oils …