The FoodTech 500 Alumni News Round-up (December 11 – January 15 Edition)

Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately:

FORMO | The German fermentation specialist company has received €35M in a quasi-equity venture debt loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU’s lending institution, to scale up its dairy and egg alternatives and pursue regulatory approval for its animal-free casein protein. Read more

SENCROP | ISAGRI Group has acquired Sencrop, a specialist in agrometeorology and irrigation technologies. This acquisition, part of ISAGRI’s Horizon 2028 initiative, strengthens its position in connected agriculture. ISAGRI will leverage Sencrop’s 40,000 weather stations across 35 countries to enhance precision farming tools. Read more

BETTAFISH | Achieved dual recognition at the EIT Food Marketed Innovation Prize, winning awards for Best Alternative Protein-based Solution, and Woman in Innovation, the latter honoring its managing director and co-founder, Deniz Ficicioglu. These accolades highlight BettaFish’s commitment to addressing food security and sustainability through innovative approaches to protein production. Read more

REBELLYOUS FOODS | The Seattle-based plant-based chicken company has secured an additional $2.4M in funding. This investment, an extension of its 2023 Series B round that raised $9.5M, brings the company’s total funding to over $30M since its inception in 2017. Read more

BON VIVANT | France-based startup has achieved self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for its precision-fermented beta-lactoglobulin, paving the way for US commercialization. The company has also notified the FDA, expecting a ‘no questions’ letter by late 2025, reinforcing consumer and market confidence. Read more

STANDING OVATION | The French biotech specializing in precision fermentation has partnered with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE) to produce animal-free casein at scale. AFE’s fermentation plant in Nesle, France, will manufacture Advanced Casein, supporting Standing Ovation’s mission to deliver sustainable dairy alternatives to key industry players. Read more

FERMATA | The data science company specializing in computer vision for agriculture, has raised $10M in Series A funding from Raw Ventures. The investment will support Fermata’s vision to create a “digital brain” for horticulture, enabling autonomous crop management and advanced data-driven insights for growers. Read more

CROPX | Has partnered with CLAAS, a global agricultural machinery manufacturer, to integrate their platforms. This collaboration allows CLAAS users to import machine data into the CropX system for analysis and to create variable rate application tasks. Read more

DELIVERECT | Has acquired Tabesto, an all-in-one restaurant ordering and payment kiosk solution, to expand its offerings beyond online order management. Tabesto’s smart kiosk technology will enhance in-store service in France, Switzerland, the UK, Benelux, and Spain. Guillaume Hourmant, Tabesto’s CEO, will join Deliverect as Head of Deliverect Kiosk, driving its strategy and growth. Read more

PREFER | The Singaporean FoodTech startup has unveiled a cocoa-free chocolate prototype aimed at reducing the environmental and economic strain of traditional chocolate. CEO Jake Berber highlights skyrocketing cocoa prices and climate challenges as drivers for this innovation, with plans to launch the product for B2B use and host pop-ups in Singapore. Read more

ARBOREA | Secured $5.2M in funding to build a commercial-scale facility for its Biosolar Leaf system. This innovative platform industrializes photosynthesis to cultivate high-value microalgae proteins using sunlight as its primary feedstock while sequestering carbon and releasing oxygen. Read more

PIVOT BIO | Leading Agtech innovator has partnered with Hefty Seed Company, one of the largest independent agriculture retailers in the U.S. Starting next year, Pivot’s microbial nitrogen source, PROVEN® 40, will be available at Hefty’s 49 locations in 10 states. Read more

NURITAS | The Irish biotech startup has secured $42M in Series C funding to scale its AI-powered Magnifier platform, which accelerates the discovery of plant-based peptides. Backed by investors including M&G Investments and U2’s Bono and The Edge, the company plans to expand its peptide offerings, grow B2B partnerships, and launch new ingredients in 2025. Read more

ECOROBOTIX | Swiss Agtech leader is expanding its presence in the U.S. with new offices in Washington State, a growing dealer network, and an expanded team. The company aims to strengthen precision farming nationwide through its flagship ARA ultra-high-precision sprayer, which uses AI-powered Plant-by-Plant technology to reduce chemical use, cut costs, and minimize environmental impact. Read more

GOURMEY | French cell-based food company launched the industry’s first culinary advisory board, enlisting Michelin-starred chefs Claude Le Tohic, Rasmus Munk, and Daniel Calvert. The board will collaborate to enhance Gourmey’s foie gras, blending traditional culinary artistry with sustainable innovation. Read more

ORBILLION | Has scaled the production of cultivated beef muscle cells across North America, Europe, and Asia, marking significant progress toward making sustainable cultivated meat accessible worldwide. Unlike competitors, Orbillion is the only company scaling real muscle and fat cells without genetic modification, using its proprietary “bioware” technology to accelerate development and reduce costs. Read more

THE EVERY COMPANY | Secured a European Union patent for its recombinant ovalbumin, bolstering its extensive IP portfolio, which includes patents in the US, Finland, Germany, and Great Britain. This achievement underscores EVERY’s decade-long innovation in crafting functional protein ingredients for global markets. Read more

ONEGO BIO | The Finnish FoodTech startup has filed a GRAS notice with the FDA for its precision-fermented egg protein, Bioalbumen. Using fungi and biotechnology, Bioalbumen is a sustainable alternative to traditional eggs, requiring less land, water, and energy while reducing emissions. Read more

PLANTIBLE FOODS | ICL has announced a follow-on investment in Plantible Foods, participating in the company’s Series B funding round to strengthen its strategic partnership. This builds on ICL’s initial involvement in Plantible’s Series A round and reflects its commitment to sustainable innovations in the food industry. Read more

SOUND AGRICULTURE | The California-based Agtech company has raised $25M in a Series D extension led by BMO Impact Investment Fund and S2G Ventures. The funding will support the expansion of its product offerings and geographic reach. Read more

PLANTED | SevenVentures, the investment arm of ProSiebenSat.1, has partnered with Swiss FoodTech company Planted Foods in a media-for-equity deal worth millions. The collaboration, which will run until 2027, will boost Planted’s visibility through TV and streaming campaigns and position it as a leader in plant-based meat alternatives across Germany and beyond. Read more

ALL G FOODS | Australian biotech All G has achieved self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status in the US for its precision-fermented bovine lactoferrin, following recent approval in China. Market entry is planned for 2025, with All G aiming for a “no questions” letter from the FDA to solidify regulatory confidence, especially for infant formula applications. Read more

NEW CULTURE | Achieved a significant cost breakthrough in producing animal-free mozzarella. Compared to conventional cheese, it requires just 28% casein, significantly lowering production costs and bringing the company closer to price parity with dairy mozzarella. Read more

LUYEF | Chilean biotech startup focused on cellular agriculture, secured $1.25M in grants to advance cultivated meat production. The company uses precision fermentation to develop innovative solutions like TAMEE, a bovine myoglobin ingredient that enhances the taste and color of alternative proteins. Read more

ENKO | Achieved a key milestone together with Syngenta in their collaboration by identifying novel weed control molecules using Enko’s AI-driven ENKOMPASS platform. This innovation targets a new Mode of Action, crucial for combating resistant weeds like Palmer amaranth, which contribute to $32B in annual crop losses. Read more

YEASTUP | Raised €9.47M in Series A funding to convert a former dairy facility into a large-scale production site to upcycle over 20,000 tons of spent brewers’ yeast annually. The facility will leverage top-quality equipment, keeping capital expenditures minimal, to support Yeastup’s efforts to meet the growing global demand for its upcycled yeast-based ingredients. Read more

GAVAN | Secured $8M in a Series A funding round to scale up its plant protein-based fat solution, Fatrix®, and expand into Europe’s bakery and dairy sectors. The funding round was led by MoreVC and supported by several key players, including Lever VC, EIT Food, and DarkBoot Group. Read more

MULTUS | The UK-based startup has launched Proliferum B, a growth media free of animal components, designed to replace fetal bovine serum (FBS) in cultivated meat production. The media accelerates early-stage research, offering faster cell growth and consistent results across multiple cell types without the ethical and logistical challenges of FBS. Read more

KAMEREO | Successfully raised $7.8M in a Series B funding round, co-led by Sumitomo Corporation, Inspire Co, and SMBC Venture Capital. The funds will support Kamereo’s expansion to Hanoi and beyond, following its success in Ho Chi Minh City, which together make up over half of Vietnam’s GDP. Read more

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