The FoodTech 500 Alumni News Round-up (January 16 – February 12 Edition)

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

SOLAR FOODS | Partnered with Italian algae startup KelpEat to use its Solein® microbial protein in the latter’s new protein crackers, in combination with EU-farmed seaweed. The snacks contain over 35% protein plus essential nutrients like B12 and magnesium, launching at Florence’s Pitti Taste food fair before entering the U.S. market. Read more

LES NOUVEAUX AFFINEURS | Has been acquired by French plant-based cheese maker Jay&Joy, strengthening their position in the dairy-free market. The former will maintain its brand identity while integrating with the latter, as founder Nour Akbaraly joins as chief operating and innovation officer. Read more

MELT&MARBLE | Partnered with Finnish food company Valio to enhance plant-based products’ sensory qualities through the former’s innovative fat technology, improving texture, mouthfeel, and juiciness. Read more

HEURA | Strengthened its B Corp status, achieving a score of 111 points—an 18% increase since 2021. This places Heura at the top of the food products category for companies with over €1M in revenue and ranks them third nationally among businesses with more than 50 employees. Read more

MELIBIO & THE PROTEIN BREWERY | Took the first and second spots at the recent Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition’s NGT3 pitch slam—the former securing $15,000 and dedicated mentorship time, while the latter getting $10,000. Read more 

NOPALM INGREDIENTS | Scaled successfully its fermentation-based oils and fats production to 120,000 liters at industrial scale. The company’s innovative process uses yeast fermentation to convert food industry byproducts into premium, food-grade oils, providing a sustainable alternative to palm and other tropical oils. Read more

MONARCH TRACTOR | Launched Autodrive, pioneering the first commercially available fully autonomous feature in a driver-optional tractor. By combining electrification and autonomy, the MK-V Dairy electric smart tractor addresses labor challenges while boosting efficiency and reducing costs. Read more

CROBIO | Secured €805,000 in Defra funding through the Farming Innovation Programme to advance its living soil amendment technology. The grant was supported by Innovate UK and awarded in partnership with the University of York and Biorenewables Development Centre. Read more

ONETHIRD | Secured €3.5M in Series A funding and appointed Henrike Langbroek as its new CEO. The investment will support the development of OneThird’s AI and sensor technology while facilitating expansion across European and North American markets. Read more

THE PACK | Collaborated with London-based Meatly to launch the world’s first cultivated chicken dog treats at Pets at Home in the UK. The product, called Chick Bites is available from February 7 at the retailer’s Brentford store, priced at £3.49 for a 50g pouch, with an initial run of 750 units. Read more

BREVEL | Partnered with Israel’s Central Bottling Company (CBC) to create functional drinks and dairy alternatives using microalgae. This 10-year collaboration grants CBC access to Brevel’s microalgae protein, oils, and antioxidants to develop innovative plant-based products. Read more

INNOVAFEED | Partnered with Agryco to promote sustainable farming through the commercialization of Hilucia Frass, an organic fertilizer derived from insect breeding. By integrating insect-based fertilizers into agriculture, the partnership aims to reduce environmental impact while enhancing soil biodiversity and crop resilience. Read more

VANILLA VIDA | Achieved its first large-scale indoor vanilla harvest, using an innovative farming system that cuts the time from planting to bloom in half and boosts vanillin yields. The first beans are being harvested in northern Israel, with additional harvests expected from greenhouses in central and southern Israel by late 2025 and early 2026. Read more

AISPRID | Secured €10M in Series A funding to expand its patented autonomous tomato deleafing robot. In 2024, 30 units were deployed across five major French tomato cooperatives, covering 70% of the country’s greenhouse tomato market. Read more

TENDER FOOD | Received $5.4M from the US Department of Energy to scale its low-energy fiber-spinning system for producing plant-based whole-cut proteins, aiming to lower energy intensity and production costs. The funding was part of over $136M allocation under the TIEReD Program, targeting decarbonization in energy-intensive industries like food and beverage, chemicals, and steel. Read more

AEROFARMS | Launched a patented vertical farming technology to grow nutrient-rich greens at scale, offering a climate-agnostic and sustainable solution. Showcased at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the innovation addresses global food security by providing year-round fresh greens while cutting land and water use significantly. Read more

BIOTALYS | Provided updates on the regulatory progress of its first biofungicide, EVOCA. In Europe, the Dutch regulatory authority, CTGB, has recommended the approval of EVOCA’s active ingredient across the European Union. The process now moves to the Dutch Institute for Health and Environment for further classification and packaging assessments. Read more

SHIRU | Launched a global Request for Partners to collaborate with a beverage company to discover and scale a natural sugar replacement. Leveraging its proprietary ProteinDiscovery.ai platform, the partnership will focus on developing scalable, sustainable solutions to meet rising consumer demand for healthier, natural ingredients. Read more

ALEPH FARMS | Plans to collaborate with Thai Union to localize its cultivated beef steak, Aleph Cuts, after submitting its regulatory application to BIOTEC under the Thai FDA. CEO and Co-Founder Didier Toubia emphasized Aleph Farms’ ongoing engagement with regulatory agencies to ensure transparency and collaboration during the approval process, which could take approximately 18 months. Read more

PIVOT BIO | Partnered with Logan Agri-Service, Inc., an independent supplier of agricultural inputs, to expand access to its microbial nitrogen solution, PROVEN® 40. Available at all Logan Ag locations, the innovative solution complements the company’s trusted product lineup and aims to support corn farmers with advanced nutrient management tools. Read more

TEBRIO | The Spanish biotech firm has initiated the construction of what will become the world’s largest insect farm in Salamanca, Spain. This 90,000-square-meter facility aims to produce over 100,000 metric tons of protein and lipid products annually from the mealworm species Tebrio monitor. These products will include high-quality protein for animal feed, organic biofertilizers, and chitosan for various applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Read more

HEURA | The Spanish plant-based company has opened a new innovation laboratory in Barcelona’s 22@ district to advance healthier and more sustainable food solutions. The facility will support the development of six new patents in 2025, targeting exceptional nutritional density in widely consumed food categories. Read more

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