Van Heron Labs has raised $1.1 million in a seed round to develop precision nutrition strategies for maximizing cell growth in biomanufacturing.

Image courtesy of Van Heron Labs

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Van Heron Labs Raises $1.1M to Revolutionize Cell Growth with Precision Nutrition Strategies

Van Heron Labs, a US biotechnology company developing precision nutrition strategies for maximizing cell growth, has raised $1.1 million in a seed round led by FoodLabs, an early-stage VC investor in food, health, and climate solutions. Van Heron Labs aims to support the growth of the emerging bioeconomy by using the power of genetics, bioinformatics, and AI to address critical industrial challenges, such as cell growth, in food, materials, cancer therapeutics, and vaccine biomanufacturing. With the newly raised funds, the company will further improve its technology platform and commercialize existing offerings and services.  “We are excited to lead the funding round in Van Heron Labs, as we firmly believe that their innovative approach to optimizing cellular nutrition has the potential to revolutionize multiple industries, including biopharma, biomanufacturing, …

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Cultivated meat made with serum-free cell growth media

© Eat Just

Cultivated Meat

“Regulatory Milestone” as GOOD Meat Receives Approval for Serum-Free Cell Growth Media

GOOD Meat, Eat Just’s cultivated meat division, has become the first producer worldwide to receive regulatory approval for the use of serum-free cell growth media in cultivated products. To date, most cultivated meat producers have used fetal bovine serum to grow their cells. However, the serum is expensive, of inconsistent quality, and comes with ethical issues. GOOD Meat believes that the use of serum-free media will make cultivated meat production more scalable, efficient, and sustainable, along with reducing costs. Regulatory approval has been granted by the Singapore Food Agency, which previously made history when it approved GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken nuggets for sale in late 2020. A year later, cultivated chicken breasts were also approved. For the time being, GOOD Meat remains the only brand …

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Cultivated Beef Steak

© Aleph Farms

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Aleph Farms Partners With WACKER to Make Affordable Cell Growth Media Widely Available

Aleph Farms has announced a partnership with protein production technologies supplier WACKER to develop affordable cell growth media for cultivated meat production. The partnership will streamline the production processes for growth medium proteins in order to bring down costs. The proteins produced will be animal-free, acting as a substitute for the fetal bovine serum (FBS) currently most commonly used in the sector. FBS is extremely expensive, accounting for the majority of the cost of cultivated meat, and often has issues with contamination and variable quality. Non exclusive agreement Perhaps most importantly, the new agreement will be non-exclusive, meaning other cultivated meat companies will also be able to access the affordable cell growth media. This could make it possible to bring down costs across the board, …

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Dr Charli Kruse

Dr Charli Kruse © CellTec Systems

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

CellTec Systems: “Whether it is Slaughtered or Cultured Meat Will Probably Make No Difference to the Consumer in Terms of Sensory Experience”

The Lübeck-based company CellTec Systems sees itself as the first German full-service provider for industrial cell production. Anyone wanting to get into cellular agriculture can obtain all the building blocks for production here: Cells, nutrient solution, bioreactors, and even training and consultancy services. What makes the company, which is a spin-off of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the University of Lübeck, so special is its 25 years of expertise in cell cultivation. CellTec Systems has also developed a special bioreactor with hydrogel capsules designed to cover the immense space requirements of dividing cells. Professor Dr Charli Kruse, co-founder and scientific director of CellTec Systems, talks to us in an interview about why he describes his colleagues and himself as cell whisperers, how the patented reactor with hydrogel …

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Business Wire

Global Cultured Meat Market Size, Trends, Competitors, and Forecasts Report 2023: By 2040, a Projected 60% of the Meat will be Created from Cells Grown Within Bioreactors and Sold Worldwide

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “The Global Market for Cultured Meat – Market Size, Trends, Competitors, and Forecasts (2023)” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. By 2040, a projected 60% of the meat will be created from cells grown within bioreactors and sold across grocery stores and restaurants worldwide. This report reveals all major market competitors worldwide, including their strategic advantages, core technologies, and products under development. It describes the current state of cultured meat research, as well as emerging technologies, patents, funding events, scientific papers, strategic partnerships, and the market’s presumed trajectory toward global adoption. The rise of the cultured meat market will be supported by the sustainability of the process, as well as the industry’s ability to provide “tailor-made nutrition” through its meat and seafood …

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Meatable hot dog

Image courtesy of Meatable

Cultivated Meat

Meatable Slashes Production Time for Cultivated Pork: Cell to Sausage in Four Days

Cultivated pork producer Meatable announces a new production milestone: from cell to sausage in “only four days”. This new record surpasses the company’s previous eight-day process, making it the quickest cell-cultivating method in the world, the company claims. “This process is 60 times faster than traditional pig farming and involves nothing more than pulling a single cell once from a pig without causing harm,” says the Dutch startup. A record-speed platform To turn cells into a product more quickly than other methods of cultivating meat, Meatable has developed a cost-effective platform using pluripotent stem cells (known for their self-renewal capacity and fast proliferation) and a technology called opti-ox™ developed by co-founder Dr. Mark Kotter.   This platform replicates the natural growth of cells, allowing them to differentiate …

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Young man eating hamburger

© Ingredion

Opinion

Op Ed: Declan Rooney, Plant-Based Protein Growth Platform Manager, Ingredion, on the Future & Evolution of Plant-Based Foods

In the past decade, Veganuary has been instrumental in transforming the food industry, encouraging millions to eat vegan foods throughout January and beyond. The movement has significantly influenced consumer habits and the food market, creating a surge in the availability and variety of plant-based foods. In this article, Declan Rooney, Plant-Based Protein Growth Platform Manager, Ingredion, explores the trends that will shape the next decade of the plant-based market, and explains why pulse proteins will be key to meeting evolving consumer demand. The ongoing success of Veganuary highlights the growing importance of plant-based products. The market is diverse: some consumers seek alternatives that mimic traditional meat and dairy, like plant-based burgers that replicate the experience of a traditional beef burger. Other consumers look for natural …

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Two Opalia product mockups

© Opalia

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Opalia Receives Investment from Dairy Supplier Hoogwegt Group for “Cow-Free” Cell-Based Milk

Opalia, previously BetterMilk, reportedly the only company developing cell-based milk in Canada, has secured CAD$2 million to accelerate the development of its first milk product and establish a commercial strategy. The financial round was led by the Netherlands-based Hoogwegt Group, the world’s largest independent supplier of dairy products and ingredients, operating since 1965 and with a presence in over 130 countries. Other investors including Ahimsa Foundation, Box One Ventures, Cycle Momentum, Kale United, and the Québec government’s Impulsion PME program, also backed the cell-based milk startup. Opalia has received additional funding from Natural Products Canada through its Proof of Concept Program. Jennifer Côté, Opalia’s CEO, shared: “With Hoogwegt leading our round, we’ve not only gained essential customer validation but also tapped into their extensive network and global market expertise, setting …

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Pluri announces that it has secured a patent from the Israel Patent Office for its System for its 3D bioreactor plant cells technology.

© Pluri

Company News

Pluri Receives First-Ever Patent for 3D Bioreactor Technology in Plant Cell Cultivation

Pluri (Nasdaq:PLUR) (TASE:PLUR), parent company of the recently launched cell-based coffee biotech PluriAgtech, announces that it has secured a patent from the Israel Patent Office for its “System for 3D Cultivation of Plant Cells and Methods of Use.” Pluri claims this is the first-ever patent approval for 3D bioreactor technology in plant cell cultivation. Pluri’s 3D technology enables the cultivation of plant cells in bioreactors to develop sustainable and disease-free plant material for various sectors, from sustainable agriculture to healthcare.   According to the company,  approximately one-fifth of the 50,000 medical plants used today are on a list of threatened species, while climate change and restricted access to fresh water threaten temperature-sensitive crops such as coffee and cacao. Yaky Yanay, Pluri’s CEO and President, commented: “PluriAgtech’s patented …

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A range of different legumes

© Equinom

Market & Trends

Plant-Based Protein Products Market to See Rapid Growth, With Particular Success for Pea Protein

A new report by USD Analytics has estimated that the plant-based protein products market will register a CAGR of 8.1% over the forecast period 2024-2030. The report considers the growth of meat alternatives as well as tofu, tempeh, legumes, pulses, nuts, seeds, and protein-rich grains. The key market drivers are health and wellness trends, the growth of vegetarianism and veganism, and environmental concerns. Creative marketing strategies by plant-based companies, promoting their products as healthier, more ethical, and more sustainable than animal foods, will also boost growth. As demand increases, companies are increasingly innovating and diversifying their plant-based product lines to meet consumer preferences. Meanwhile, manufacturers are investing in R&D to improve the properties of meat and dairy alternatives, working to close the sensory gap. For …

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Cellular Agriculture Australia (CAA) announces the release of a pioneering Regulation Resource Hub to help cell ag companies streamline their food safety application process for novel foods.

© Cellular Agriculture Australia (CAA)

Fermentation

This Week in Australia’s Cell Ag Sector: Cauldron Ferm and QUT Lead Efforts to Scale Precision Fermentation Production

We are covering this week’s developments in Australia’s cellular agriculture ecosystem, with Cauldron Ferm and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) leading efforts to establish a global infrastructure for scaling up precision fermentation production for the Asia-Pacific region. Cauldron Ferm Receives License to Produce Animal-Free Proteins at 10,000 L Scale Precision fermentation company Cauldron Ferm announces that it has received a license from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) to produce animal-free proteins at a 10,000 L scale. The DIR200 license allows Cauldron to utilize its proprietary hyper-fermentation technology and Pichia Pastoris yeast to produce dairy, egg, and spider-silk proteins. The OGTR, part of the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care, conducted the pertinent risk and management assessments, determining that Cauldron’s hyper-fermentation process is …

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Food Brewer Secures Over CHF 5M for Cell Cultured Cacao & Coffee

Food Brewer AG, a biotech startup leveraging plant cell culture headquartered in Campus Horgen, Zurich, Switzerland, has raised over CHF 5 million in a seed round.  Various investors, including family offices from Switzerland and the USA, the Zürcher Kantonalbank, and chocolate manufacturer Max Felchlin AG, backed the startup’s biotechnological approach to making alternatives to cocoa, coffee, and sustainable fats.  With the new funds, Food Brewer will invest in R&D for its cell lines, expand to a production facility, and develop its business model, reported Startupticker. The challenges of agriculture Founded in 2021 by Yannick Senn, Géraldine Senn, Christian Schaub, Corinne John, Stefan Bingisser, and Klaus Kienle, the startup focuses on developing a platform for large-scale production of key commodities harnessing the potential of plant cell culture. By utilizing new …

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Biotech startup Atlantic Fish Co., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, leverages cellular agriculture to create seafood free of plastics, mercury, antibiotics, and animal suffering.

© Atlantic Fish Co.

Cultivated Seafood

Atlantic Fish Co. Pioneers Cell Lines for Cultivated Halibut and Other Overfished Wild Species

Biotech startup Atlantic Fish Co., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, leverages cellular agriculture to create seafood free of plastics, mercury, antibiotics, and animal suffering. Doug Grant and Trevor Ham founded the company in 2020 with a vision for a better future for people, animals, and the planet. The startup believes that cellular agriculture will ensure protein security by 2050. The biotech is focused on the development of cell lines of wild-caught species, such as halibut, which are greenhouse gas-intensive due to trawling techniques and are also unsuitable for aquaculture farms. To develop seafood directly from fish cells, Atlantic Fish Co. uses genetic engineering technology to scale fish cells in bioreactors, providing them nutrients for growth, developed in partnership with Defined Bioscience, and scaffolding structure for support. Atlantic …

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Myodenovo aims to grows cultivated meat using plant-based scaffolds

© Ilia-Nesolenyi-stock.adobe.com

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

ProFuse Technology Launches Pioneering Bovine Cell Line for Cultivated Beef

ProFuse Technology, an Israeli biotech specializing in muscle tissue growth, announces the launch of a new bovine cell line for cultivating beef. Branded as PROFUSE-B8 and claimed as a pioneering development, the cell line arises from spontaneously immortalized bovine myoblast cells without using genetic modification technology. As explained by the firm, the bovine cell line has undergone extensive research and testing over two years, resulting in a stable and robust foundation for developing scalable and repeatable muscle-growing processes. Moreover, when combined with the PROFUSE-S1, a muscle differentiation media supplement, the B8 cell line is said to accelerate muscle tissue production, increasing efficiency in shorter times.  Enhancing muscle growth  Established in 2021 by Tamar Eigler-Hirsh, CTO and co-founder, and Guy Nevo Michrowski, the company’s CEO; ProFuse …

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School cafeteria meal

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Politics & Law

US Senators Propose Ban on Cell-Cultivated Meat in School Meals

US Senators Mike Rounds and Jon Tester have introduced the “School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024.” This bill seeks to amend nutritional requirements established by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to ban cell-cultivated meat from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).  Since the first cell-cultivated protein product debuted in 2013, the industry has seen rapid growth and investment, with companies like Upside Foods and GOOD Meat emerging as key players in the United States, culminating in FDA and USDA approval last year. The development of these so-called “fake meat” products is aimed at supporting future food security by reducing livestock dependency. However, this growth has sparked controversy, particularly among …

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© Ingredion

Business Wire

$40+ Billion Alternative Protein Market – Global Forecast to 2030: Increasing Venture Investments and Demand for Environmental Sustainable Protein Fueling Growth

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Alternative Protein Market by Type, Application, and Geography – Global Forecast to 2030” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. Global alternative proteins market is projected to reach $40.7 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 13.0% during the forecast period 2023-2030 The growth of this market is driven by rapid urbanization and growing consumer aspirations, increasing venture investments in the alternative proteins industry, innovations in food technologies, the high nutritional value of edible insects, and the environmental sustainability of alternative protein production and consumption. However, the higher costs of alternative proteins compared to conventional proteins and consumers’ high preference for animal-based products restrain the growth of this market. Furthermore, consumers’ increasing inclination toward plant-based foods is expected to generate growth opportunities for …

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Multus has recently unveiled what it claims is the world's first commercial-scale production plant for developing affordable, food-safe growth media for the cultivated meat industry.

© Multus

Cultivated Meat

UK Biotech Multus Unveils World’s First Commercial-Scale Serum-Free Growth Media Facility

British biotech Multus has recently unveiled what it claims is the world’s first commercial-scale production plant for developing affordable, serum-free growth media for the cultivated meat industry. The exact location of the facility has not been revealed yet.  This expansion comes after the company successfully raised £7.9 million in January to produce its growth media at scale, bolstered by a £2.15 million equity-free grant from Innovate UK through the EIC Accelerator.  In its initial phase, Multus raised Multus £1.6 million to launch Proliferum M, a growth medium for large-scale use in the food industry. Later, its ingredients received ISO 22000 certification, ensuring they are produced according to food safety standards. Accessing economies of scale Developing growth media without fetal bovine serum, a critical component for cell growth, has been a …

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Qorium cell cultured leather

© Qorium

Business Wire

Qorium Lands Additional Funds From Brightlands Venture Partners and Sofinnova Partners, as the Company Sets out on an Ambitious Growth Drive for Sustainable Leather, With the Appointment of CEO Michael Newton

MAASTRICHT, Netherlands–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Qorium, the world-leading cell-cultured leather company, today announces a series of significant milestones in its journey towards commercial scale. The firm has secured investment from breakthrough VC’s Brightlands Venture Partners and Sofinnova Partners, marking a significant vote of confidence in the future of sustainable, cell cultured leather production. The company further confirms today that to steer the company through this next exciting phase of growth, Michael Newton, the former Nike senior executive, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer. Newton joins a founding leadership team that boasts cell-cultured meat pioneer Mark Post as Chief Scientific Officer. Widely recognised as the leading voice in cellular agriculture, Post stunned the world by producing the first cell-cultured hamburger in 2013, following which he co-founded Mosa Meat …

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Meatiply raises funds to expand operations.

Chicken Yakitori prototype © Meatiply

Cultivated Meat

Meatiply Secures Funds to Expand Cell-Based Operations for Meat and Functional Ingredients

Meatiply, a Singapore-based cultivated meat startup, has reportedly raised $3.75 million in the first close of a seed funding round co-led by previous investor Wavemaker Partners and AgFunder with participation from Seeds Capital, the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore ( a government agency).  According to Benjamin Chua, co-founder and COO of Meatiply, the company is one of the few cultivated meat startups to raise seed funding this year. Despite the challenging conditions in climate investment, a second close is scheduled for Q1 2024. In 2022, the biotech secured $1 million in a pre-seed; with this round, the total raised capital amounts to $4.75 million.  Meatiply will commence operations at a new facility next year. With the newly raised capital, it will expand its R&D capabilities and …

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