All-Female Investor Collective Supports New Zealand’s Opo Bio in Bio-Manufacturing Expansion
Epic Angels, the largest all-female investor collective globally, has joined a funding round for Opo Bio, a biotechnology startup based in New Zealand specializing in cell line manufacturing for cultivated meat and related sectors. The investment round is led by WNT Ventures, with contributions from Booster NZ, Inventors Fund, and subordinated funding through Callaghan Innovation. Founded by Olivia Ogilvie and Laura Domigan at the University of Auckland, Opo Bio develops …
BioWell Assumes Control of Texas BioTechnology’s Pilot Facility to Address Biomanufacturing Gaps
BioWell, a nonprofit accelerator based in Houston, has officially assumed control of the Texas BioTechnology pilot facility in Richmond, Texas. The 33,000-square-foot plant is now the largest publicly accessible industrial biomanufacturing facility in the US, offering critical resources for scaling up biotechnological processes. With 13,000 liters of fermentation capacity, the facility provides contract development and manufacturing services, along with advanced laboratory spaces and bioprocessing equipment. Veronica Breckenridge, founder of BioWell …
Nova Scotia Launches Large-Scale Bioinnovation Centre with Global Fermentation Capacity
Nova Scotia has opened a new bioinnovation facility in Dartmouth that is expected to play a central role in the development of Canada’s bioindustrial sector. The Neptune BioInnovation Centre, a 51,000-square-foot facility, is designed to support large-scale precision fermentation and spray drying, addressing commercial-scale needs in areas such as biotechnology, agriculture, and alternative proteins. The provincial government has allocated $5 million to convert the facility into a multi-user space equipped …
Researchers Develop Hollow Fiber Bioreactor to Improve Cultivated Meat Texture and Scale
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a bioreactor that mimics a circulatory system, improving the production of cultivated meat by ensuring even nutrient and oxygen delivery to tissues. This new approach, published in Trends in Biotechnology, allows the creation of over 10 grams of chicken muscle tissue, addressing key challenges in scaling up cultivated meat production. Hollow fibers for nutrient delivery “We’re using semipermeable hollow fibers, which mimic …
NEOM Investment Fund Partners with Liberation Labs to Develop Precision Fermentation Facility in Saudi Arabia
The NEOM Investment Fund (NIF) has entered into a strategic partnership with Liberation Labs, a leader in precision fermentation biomanufacturing. This collaboration will support the development of a precision-fermentation facility in Saudi Arabia, designed to advance food production capabilities in the region. The project aligns with NEOM’s broader goals of establishing itself as a global hub for sustainable, industrial-scale food production. The new facility will be integral to Topian, NEOM’s …
Munich Startup Differential Bio Raises €2 Million to Transform Biomanufacturing With AI
Munich-based AI biotech startup Differential Bio has emerged from stealth to redefine biomanufacturing with its Virtual Scale-up Platform. The platform integrates advanced microbiology, lab automation, and artificial intelligence to eliminate bottlenecks in biomanufacturing. It aims to overcome one of the most significant hurdles in the industry — the slowness and expense of scaling bioprocesses from lab to industrial levels. Differential Bio has already raised €2 million in a pre-seed funding …
US Bioindustrial Manufacturing Gains Momentum as BioMADE Surpasses 300 Members
BioMADE, a public-private partnership focused on advancing bioindustrial manufacturing in the United States, has announced that its network has grown to more than 300 members. The network, which spans 38 states, includes large corporations, startups, research institutions, community colleges, and non-profits working to develop bio-based alternatives to conventional materials. “We are proud to support our over 300 members in achieving their goals, from cutting-edge biotechnology innovation to education and workforce …
Investors Back Arsenale Bioyards with $10M to Scale AI-Driven Precision Fermentation
Arsenale Bioyards has raised $10 million in seed financing to support its efforts in reducing biomanufacturing costs and accelerating industrial-scale adoption of bio-based alternatives. The funding round was led by Planet A and byFounders, with additional participation from CDP Ventures, Acequia Capital, Plug and Play, Gray Silo Ventures, and several industrial family offices. The company focuses on optimizing precision fermentation, a process that utilizes microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria …
Enduro Genetics Raises €12M to Transform the Efficiency of Biomanufacturing at Scale
Danish biotech company Enduro Genetics has secured €12 million in Series A funding for a new patented “synthetic addiction” technology with the potential to slash costs and emissions in biomanufacturing. The biomanufacturing industry — encompassing alternative proteins, industrial enzymes, biodegradable materials, and pharmaceuticals — is plagued by declining productivity at the industrial scale. This happens because large-scale processes cause microorganisms to mutate, creating cell-to-cell variation as cells prioritize their survival …
Nova Scotia Expands Precision Fermentation Hub with $1M Investment
The Government of Nova Scotia is investing over 1 million Canadian dollars to expand the capabilities of the Verschuren Centre’s fermentation plant in Cape Breton, aiming to enhance automation, support additional clients, and create skilled jobs in the biomanufacturing sector. With a contribution of $1,055,000 from the province’s Community Economic Development Fund, the Verschuren Centre will increase its client capacity from 40 to 50, allowing it to accommodate more advanced …