Collagen

Stephanie Michelsen of Jellatech

Stephanie Michelsen © Jellatech
Interviews

Jellatech: “Utilizing Animal Cells for Collagen Production Enables us to Offer a Genuinely Bio-Identical Collagen Product”

In June of last year, US-based biotech company Jellatech announced a huge milestone with the development of cultivated collagen made from the company’s own proprietary cell lines. Unlike its competitors, Jellatech has developed a product that is bio-identical to collagen, which is naturally only found in animals. The discovery has the potential to be used across multiple sectors, including medicine, cosmetics, and the food industry. Recently, Jellatech raised $3.5 million in an oversubscribed seed round to scale its manufacturing platform and introduce cell-based proteins to the global market. The company also announced a partnership with CULT Food Science in April to develop pet food made with cultivated collagen. We spoke to founder and CEO Stephanie Michelsen to find out more about the groundbreaking products developed …

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Biotech startup Jellatech announces it has raised $3.5 million in an oversubscribed seed round to scale its manufacturing platform

Image courtesy of Jellatech
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Jellatech Raises $3.5M to Scale its Cell-Based Collagen Platform

US biotech startup Jellatech announces it has raised $3.5 million in an oversubscribed seed round to scale its manufacturing platform and introduce cell-based proteins to the global market. The round was led by Nordic-based VC firm byFounders. Other participants included Milano Investment Partners, Joyful VC, Siddhi Capital, Blustein, and others. Jellatech uses cellular agriculture to produce complex proteins at scale, including bio-identical bovine, porcine, and human cell-based collagen. This biotech firm is the pioneer in successfully developing these novel proteins. The new funds will help Jellatech’s R&D efforts, scale its cell-based technology, and expand its team of scientists and engineers. Moreover, the new capital will help to accelerate the commercialization of its collagen proteins for applications in healthcare, personal care, biomedical research, and F&B. Jellatech also announced that it …

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Vollagen alternative to marine collagen

© Vollagen
Science

World Ocean Day: Vollagen Develops Vegan Alternative to Marine Collagen Supplements

On World Ocean Day, UK brand Vollagen has highlighted its plant-based alternative to marine collagen supplements, made through a proprietary fermentation process using non-GMO corn. Vollagen contains the same 16 amino acids found in human collagen, at similar levels and in an easily absorbed format. Consumer tests have reportedly found comparable results to animal-based collagen supplements, with skin becoming firmer and smoother. Participants said they would be happy to buy and recommend the supplements, finding them effective and easy to swallow. While companies such as Aleph Farms and Avant have developed cultivated collagen made from animal cells, Vollagen provides an alternative that is entirely animal-free and vegan. Environmental impact Collagen is typically derived from the skin and bones of fish or cows. While it is …

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Jellatech Inc. 3 team shot

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

CULT Foods Partners with JellaTech to Launch Animal-Free Collagen in Pet Food

Investment platform CULT Food Science (CSE: CULT)  announces a new partnership with biotech startup JellaTech to launch collagen-enhanced pet foods using functional animal-free collagen. The new ingredients will appear in Indiana Pets, an upcoming pet foods brand created by CULT.  By using cell-cultured collagen, CULT says Indiana Pets can provide premium nutrition to dogs with a much lower environmental impact. Collagen is a major structural protein found in many body tissues, including the bones, skin, tendons, and cartilage, and which provides support, elasticity, and strength. As pets age, they may experience joint pain and stiffness, and collagen has been shown to benefit dogs living with osteoarthritis and other mobility issues, CULT says. JellaTech’s “high purity” collagen is formulated specifically for senior and active dogs, and …

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VeCollal

© VeCollal
Cosmetics & Bodycare

VeCollal Launches Vegan Collagen With Same Amino Acid Profile as Human Collagen

Belgian startup VeCollal has developed a “revolutionary” vegan alternative to animal collagen supplements for use in nutraceuticals, beauty products, and functional foods. Collagen is normally animal-derived, but this makes it unsuitable for vegans and can sometimes cause allergies — particularly when it comes to marine collagen. Animal collagen also has a different amino acid profile to that found in humans, whereas VeCollal exactly matches the human collagen profile. The collagen alternative has already been used by UK supplement brand Feel, which is endorsed by former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl. Another brand, Revive Collagen, has used VeCollal to produce what is claimed to be the world’s first liquid vegan collagen. Despite having been launched less than 12 months ago, VeCollal has already seen significant growth and …

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Stephanie Michelsen

Stephanie Michelsen © Aqua Cultured Foods
Interviews

Jellatech: Working to “Harness the Power of Cell Ag to Reduce the Dependency on Animal-Derived Proteins”

This Monday, New Carolina’s Jellatech announced a massive breakthrough, revealing what the company claims to be the “world’s first cell based collagen”. The news comes less than two years after Jellatech was born, and shortly follows the female-led team securing a strategic investment from Canada’s CULT Food Science. Founder and CEO Stephanie Michelsen and the Jellatech team gave us some deeper insights into the milestone and the next steps in the company’s journey ahead. What is the mission and vision of Jellatech? Our mission at Jellatech is to harness the power of cellular agriculture to reduce the dependency on animal-derived proteins. Our vision is to eliminate the world’s dependency on animal-derived ingredients – starting with collagen.  What differentiates collagen made by Jellatech from that of …

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Jellatech Inc. 3 team shot

©brandiebairdphoto
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

BREAKING: Jellatech Reveals its First Animal-Free, Cell-Based Collagen

Today, June 27th, Jellatech reveals a major milestone in its mission to eliminate animals from the food system, starting with collagen and gelatin: after just two years of existence, the North Carolina team announces the successful development of a full-length, triple helical and functional collagen made from its own proprietary cell lines.  Founded in 2020 by Stephanie Michelsen, who was included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2022, the company secured $2 million in seed funding last year and just recently received a strategic investment from cellular-focused VC firm CULT Food Sciences. Collagen — a by-product of the meat industry — is widely used across various categories in a highly lucrative market totalling around $8.4 billion. Demand for the ingredient is increasing due …

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cultivated collagen

© Aleph Farms
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Aleph Farms Develops Cultivated Collagen to “Replace the Whole Cow”

Israeli cultivated meat company Aleph Farms has revealed it will be expanding with a new platform for cultivated collagen production. Collagen is normally derived from cow hides and bones, meaning its production relies on the animal agriculture industry. But with the help of some of the components used for its cultivated steaks, such as bovine cell sources and animal-free growth medium, Aleph Farms has discovered how to produce collagen without the cow. The company can now make several types of collagen, all identical to those found in nature. According to Aleph, the products outperform plant-based and fermented collagen, which the company says can’t match the attributes of the conventional variety. The cultivated collagen is the first product to emerge from Aleph’s incubator, following 18 months …

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Stephanie Michelsen Jellatech

Founder Stephanie Michelsen, image by Camilo F. Muñoz Segovia
Investments & Finance

Canada: CULT Announces Strategic Investment in Cultivated Collagen & Gelatin Pioneer Jellatech

Canadian investment company CULT Food Science Corp. announces it has completed a strategic investment in Jellatech Inc., the world’s first cell-based collagen and gelatin ingredient company. Jellatech also counts Ryan Bethencourt’s Sustainable Food Ventures as a prominent investor. Jellatech, founded in 2020 by Stephanie Michelsen, who has been included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2022, closed a $2 million pre-seed fundraise last April. Stephanie’s sister Nikita is also operating in the cultivated arena, having recently launched new startup Pearlita, with a new research lab in Raleigh, NC to grow oysters from cellular agriculture.  Impressive portfolio CULT has made several key investments in animal-free companies over the past six months, including cell-cultured meat company Novel Farms last August; into Biftek, producer of a …

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skincare-entrepreneur-kim

Sally Olivia Kim, ©Geltor
Fashion, Design & Beauty

Geltor Announces New Vegan Collagen Brand With Crushed Tonic Founder Sally Olivia Kim

Geltor announces a partnership with beauty and wellness entrepreneur and author Sally Olivia Kim for the launch of a line of vegan DTC biodesigned CPG products, as the demand for vegan beauty products continues to rise globally. The partnership follows a longstanding relationship between Geltor and the collagen expert, influencer, and founder-CEO of the Crushed Tonic brand, who joined the biodesign company as Entrepreneur-in-Residence in October. The author of The Collagen Glow states: “I had been searching high and low for a truly vegan collagen option – there are so many products out there that claim to be vegan, but animal protein inherently cannot be vegan, of course.” “So when I discovered Geltor’s technology in fermenting proteins to create this beautifully effective and sustainable real …

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Geltor

©Geltor
Products & Launches

“First-of-its-Kind” Vegan Collagen Hits Market from US Biodesign Company Geltor

US biodesign company Geltor, Inc. has announced a “first-of-its-kind” animal-free collagen for the food and beverage industries. The company claims its biodesigned ingredient product PrimaColl sets a new bar for collagens in terms of functionality, performance, and sustainability. “An unprecedented opportunity to access new markets with a bona fide collagen that is truly animal-free” Specialty protein company Geltor has designed PrimaColl, its animal-free collagen for use in the vegan food industry, as well for use in kosher and halal diets. Geltor is currently in discussions with category-leading food and beverage companies, with potential for first-to-market rights in select product categories. Geltor has also previously developed a plant-based elastin product named Elastapure for the vegan beauty industry. The California-based company claims its new high-purity, bioactive ingredient …

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Photographs by Jellatech, Captured by Camilo F. Muñoz Segovia
Science

Jellatech Announces $2M Pre-seed Round For Animal Free Gelatin & Collagen

North Carolina-based biotech startup Jellatech today announces a $2 million pre-seed fundraise to further develop its cell-based, animal-free collagen and gelatin products which have applications in skincare & cosmetics, and medical & pharmaceutical as well as food & beverage. According to TechCrunch, the global collagen market is expected to reach $7.5 billion by 2027 and the gelatin market is set to hit $6.7 billion over the same period. With conscious consumerism on the rise in the wake of Covid, demand for sustainable, vegan alternatives is increasing globally. Jellatech is producing real collagen and gelatin through cellular agriculture, as opposed to through the isolation of these parts from meat industry byproducts. The company reports that it has received several inquiries from potential customers and partners keen …

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Zellulin, cellbased collagen Avant

Zellulin ©Avant
Fashion, Design & Beauty

World’s First Cell-Based Collagen Product ‘Zellulin’ is Revealed by Avant

Hong Kong’s Avant is known to vegconomist readers as the first cultivated meat company in China, whose proprietary technology platform produces animal-free fish proteins for various applications ranging from food to skincare. Avant today announces today the launch of Zellulin®, the world’s first cell-based functional protein for the cosmeceutical functional ingredient market.  Following its US$3.1 million seed round funding last year, Avant aims to be a global leader in producing functional, safe, and sustainable cultivated marine products in a fully contained environment. With Zellulin, Avant’s utilises its cell culture biotechnology to enter the US$52.5 billion global anti-aging product market. The product contains multi-functional marine protein peptides that promote anti-oxidation, regeneration, and repairing of skin more effectively than collagen alone as per quantitative studies. It can …

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Geltor

PRNewsfoto/Geltor Gina Boswell
Company News

Biodesign Geltor Receives $91.3M Series B Funding

Geltor yesterday announced that it has closed its Series B financing round at $91.3M. The California based biodesign company creates advanced designer animal-free products aimed at consumer brands with global scale in the beauty, nutraceuticals, and food/beverage sectors, recently launching plant-based elastin Elastapure and collagen products.

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