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 solutions which can benefit from a dedicated biotech ecosystem to support them. Our new, fifth cohort is a perfect reflection of this mission – all of the startups represented are passionate entrepreneurs with groundbreaking biotech solutions that have the power to create lasting change for people and the planet.”
Leather, food shelf life, and natural colors
Selected from 11 promising teams after participating in the three-week basecamp, each will receive a €250,000 cash investment and benefit from access to state-of-the-art laboratory and greenhouse facilities at VIB and other co-working spaces from the partner network.
During the 18-month journey, each startup will receive scientific expertise and financial support from Biotope’s team of scientists, business experts, corporate partners, and legal, economic, and IP experts.
“Our journey with Biotope has been an invaluable learning experience”
Corium Biotech, based in Portugal, develops exotic leather through cellular agriculture to redefine the future of sustainable fashion. I-Challenge, based in Belgium, works on predicting food shelf life to reduce food waste. Meanwhile, France’s Lantana Bio produces natural colors using precision fermentation and yeast. Its current focus is the production of natural red, purple, and blue colors that give flowers and fruits their natural color.
Each startup presented a robust biotech solution to a demonstrable problem with significant business and growth potential, which aligned well with Biotope’s capability to nurture and support. In addition, Corium and I-Challenge have solid female CEOs, reflecting Biotope’s commitment to supporting diverse founding teams.
Pivotal role in future growth
Maria Maia, CEO of Corium Biotech, shared, “We’re confident that this opportunity will play a pivotal role in preparing us for future growth and innovation in the biotech industry.”
Wendy Ossieur, CEO of I-Challenge, commented, “This opportunity will enable us to advance our solutions, helping food companies to better determine shelf life and fight food waste.”
Mounir Benkoulouche, CEO of Lantana Bio, said: “Our journey with Biotope has been an invaluable learning experience, especially in areas like business development or regulatory challenges. The open and direct dialogue with experts and discussing challenges with peers provided insights we couldn’t have gained from research alone.”
Upcoming cohort applications
Biotope says it has secured €20 million in external funding and created 20 new full-time jobs since its launch in 2022. It has helped 13 startups in seven countries, including Amphistar, part of the second cohort, which raised €6 million in a pre-series A round.
The Belgian incubator also announces that applications for the sixth cohort are open until October 16th, 2024. The next cohort’s base camp will occur in Belgium and online from November 26th to December 13th.
The founders of the selected startups praised the program for its invaluable support and anticipated impact on their business growth and innovation.
Verween added, “By combining our high-quality incubation support with targeted investment, we provide the startups with the resources and expertise to develop their proposition and scale rapidly. We’re thrilled to support these visionary founders as they embark on their journeys.”
