Molecular Farming Startup PoLoPo Secures $1.75M to Grow Animal Proteins in Potatoes
Israeli molecular farming startup PoLoPo announces the successful closing of a $1.75 million pre-seed funding round to continue developing its proprietary technology, which uses potatoes as plant biofactories to produce animal proteins. PoLoPo will start by growing the main protein in egg white, ovalbumin, in potato tubers to extract it and develop an egg white alternative for the food industry. According to the startup, its proteins will be identical to ovalbumin in terms of functionality, nutritional value, and protein sequence. FoodLabs led the pre-seed round; further investors include CPT Capital, Siddhi Capital, Plug and Play Ventures, Milk & Honey Ventures, and HackCapital. Proteins in potatoes “We’re glad to have won a group of such renowned and like-minded investors,” said one of PoLoPo’s founders, Dr. Maya Sapir-Mir. …
