The FoodTech 500 Alumni News Round-up (April 18 – May 14 Edition)
Check out what some of the FoodTech 500 Alumni have been up to lately:
FREIGHT FARMS | Officially ceased operations and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, indicating a complete liquidation of its assets under the supervision of a court-appointed trustee. Read more
YEAP | Prepares to launch its protein derived from upcycled yeast in commercial products by the end of the year. Read more
MULTUS | Launched its food-grade basal media, DMEM/F12, which provides essential nutrients for optimal cell growth and is designed to be scalable for commercial production. Read more
MOA FOODTECH | Launched Albatros, an AI-driven microbiology platform designed to significantly accelerate and reduce the cost of new product development in the food and feed manufacturing industries. Read more
BOLDER FOODS | Ceased its operations, citing its inability to secure the necessary funding to continue its development and meet its financial targets. Read more
POSHA | Secured $8M to further develop its countertop robot, including expanding recipe options and integrating generative AI to quickly create and add user-suggested recipes. Read more
THE PACK | Has been acquired by Prefera Petfood, a European premium pet food manufacturer, to accelerate the development and market introduction of innovative pet food products under The Pack brand. Read more
LA VIE & SWAP FOOD | Partner with other French plant-based food companies – Hari&Co, Accro, and HappyVore – have established InterVeg, an association that aims to engage both policymakers and the general public to promote a shared vision for food that is sustainable, healthy, and contributes to national food sovereignty. Read more
BRIGHTSEED | Partners with Haleon, a global leader in consumer health, which will leverage the former’s Forager® AI platform to accelerate the identification of plant-based small molecules with the potential to improve human health. Read more
PHYTOLON | and Ginkgo Bioworks have achieved a significant breakthrough in natural food coloring, announcing a nearly threefold increase in the production efficiency of their color-producing yeast strains. Read more
EAT JUST | Introduced Just One, a range of protein powders made from the same mung bean base used in their popular liquid egg alternative, containing 30 grams of complete protein per serving and offering more essential amino acids than whey, pea, or soy protein. Read more
The company is also set to launch its vegan egg alternative, Just Egg, in Europe through an exclusive manufacturing and distribution partnership with Vegan Food Group. Read more
GARDIN AGRITECH | Secured $4.5M to advance its innovative optical photosynthesis sensor and AI platform, which measures crop photosynthesis in real-time, providing growers with early insights into plant health and development. Read more
COFFEECO UPCYCLE | Secured €715,000 in the first close of its €1M seed round to establish its flagship brand, Auraskin, as a globally recognized brand in coffee shops and lifestyle locations, with expansion plans across Greece, the UK, and the US markets. Read more
BLUENALU | Prepares to introduce its cell-cultivated bluefin tuna toro in California following its regulatory filing with the FDA. Read more
ARDA BIOMATERIALS | Secured $5.25M funding to support its ongoing research and development, help scale production capabilities, and finance the construction of a bigger facility, as it transforms brewery and distillery byproducts into New Grain™, a leather-like material. Read more
STANDING OVATION | Formed a strategic partnership with global food processing leader Tetra Pak to optimize the industrial production of alternative caseins. Read more
It also partnered with Bel Group France to upcycle whey waste from Bel’s cheese production into recombinant casein proteins using precision fermentation. Read more
DE NOVO FOODLABS | and Earth First Food Ventures have formed PFerrinX26, a 50:50 joint venture aimed at scaling the production of bovine lactoferrin using precision fermentation technology. Read more
PLURI | Completed the acquisition of approximately 71% of Kokomodo Ltd., an innovative AgriFoodTech company specializing in cultivated cacao production, for $4.5M paid in Pluri common shares. Read more
COMPOUND FOODS | Expanded beyond its consumer brand, Minus, to launch a B2B ingredients platform offering beanless coffee and cocoa-free chocolate alternatives. Read more
UBIQD | Secured $20M in Series B funding to accelerate the scaling of its quantum dot technology, which manipulates light to improve efficiency across multiple industries, with plans to expand manufacturing capabilities and strengthen research and development infrastructure. Read more
CROBIO | Secured €1.45M in seed funding to transform agriculture with its proprietary bacterial strains that significantly improve soil water retention, nutrient availability, and carbon sequestration, making crops more resilient to drought conditions while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Read more
BROWN FOODS | Unveiled UnReal Milk, a lab-made whole cow milk designed to match the taste, texture, and nutrition of conventional dairy milk while functioning identically in the production of butter, cheese, and ice cream. Read more
JUICY MARBLES | Launched Pork-ish, the second product in its new Meaty Meat lineup, which boasts a Nutri-Score A rating and 36g of protein per serving, marking the company’s most affordable offering to date at $10 per 180g pack. Read more
NEAT | Closed its final UK locations, potentially affecting 150 jobs and leaving only two sites operating in Milan. Read more
HOWGOOD | Collaborated with Watershed to provide enterprise food and beverage companies with comprehensive sustainability reporting tools featuring detailed agricultural emissions data, addressing the increasing regulatory demands from legislation. Read more
SOLAR FOODS | Developed a revolutionary Solein Protein Shake, a sugar-free product that delivers 10g of protein per 16g serving, contains all essential amino acids, iron, and vitamin B12, and matches the freshness and functionality of dairy-based whey without the environmental impact. Read more
MICROHARVEST | Announced promising results from its latest palatability study of MPX microbial protein in pet food applications. Read more
THIS | Launched a new range called “THIS Is Super Superfood,” a minimally processed whole-food option, which delivers 18g of protein per 100g—surpassing popular tofu brands. Read more
PUNA BIO | Closed its Series A funding round to fuel its innovation efforts and support its expansion into the US, Brazil, and Paraguay markets, where the company has already made significant regulatory and commercial progress. Read more
SHIRU | Reached a significant milestone with its AI-derived structured fat ingredient, OleoPro, now being produced at commercial scale. Read more
CALYX.ECO | Is part of PepsiCo’s Greenhouse Accelerator Program APAC, an initiative that aims to fast-track innovation in sustainable agriculture, the circular economy, and climate action within the food and beverage value chain. Read more
LAVIE BIO | Evogene Ltd.’s subsidiary, has been acquired by ICL, along with Evogene’s MicroBoost AI for AG platform. The transaction will transfer Lavie Bio’s core team, technology platform, microbial bank, data assets, and commercial products to ICL while preserving existing agreements with current partners. Read more
MOOLEC SCIENCE | Will soon become the parent company of Argentina’s Bioceres Group, precision fermentation player Nutrecon, and farm equipment manufacturer Gentle Tech. Read more
JONES FOOD COMPANY | Entered administration and ceased production, intending to sell its assets, but has not yet disclosed any information regarding potential interested buyers at this stage. Read more
REVO FOODS | Introduced THE PRIME CUT, a new category of functional plant-based foods designed for health-conscious consumers. Read more
CELLVA | Shifted its primary focus to microencapsulation technology, marked by the introduction of CoffeeCoa™, an innovative cocoa substitute. Read more
THE BETTER MEAT CO | Secured its sixth US patent, detailing a method to produce its Rhiza mycoprotein using potato waste as a feedstock. Read more
PROEON | Secured €1M from the Province of South Holland for the EGGcellent project, an initiative focused on developing a sustainable vegan alternative to chicken eggs specifically for the bakery industry. Read more
CLEARCOGS | Secured $3.8M in a seed funding round led by Closed Loop Partners to accelerate the development of its software, which provides predictive analytics to help restaurant operators make more informed decisions regarding food preparation, ordering, and staffing. Read more
ERATANI | Closed a $6.2M Series A funding round led by Clay Capital to facilitate its expansion across Indonesia, strengthen its collaborations with local partners, and introduce new precision-farming technologies aimed at enhancing efficiency in rice production. Read more
ŸNSECT | Secured €10M in bridge funding from its previous investors, providing the company with an operational runway for several months as it continues to seek further investment. Read more
BETTAFISH & HOOKED FOODS | Secured funding from EIT Food’s Fast Track to Market Initiative to accelerate their commercial growth, enter new markets, and expand their existing presence. Read more
IUNU | Secured $20M in a recent funding round led by S2G Investments to support its expansion into high-value markets across North America and Europe, as well as to promote the broader adoption of its LUNA platform. Read more
FARMWISE | Has been acquired by Taylor Farms, advancing the latter’s agricultural technology to promote sustainable farming practices and continue providing high-quality fresh foods to its customers. Read more
NOTCO | Has started offering access to its proprietary AI technology, Guiseppe, to other businesses to accelerate product development in the packaged food and beverage industry. Read more
VIVAGRAN | Debuted Tritordeum, a novel cereal crop created by crossing wild barley with durum wheat, and holds significant potential due to its nutritional benefits and climate resilience. Read more
NOPALM INGREDIENTS | Launched a new brand called REVÓLEO™, which focuses on producing sustainable oils and fats through fermentation for both the food and beauty industries. Read more
CLEARMEAT| Partnered with the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli to accelerate innovation within the biotech and FoodTech sectors in India. Read more
KOA | Collaborated with Altinmarka to launch a new product line called Cacaonly, which utilizes upcycled cocoa fruit pulp to sweeten chocolate products and aims to replace the need for refined sugars. Read more
TURTLETREE | Debuted supplement IronKind under a new consumer brand, Intentional. It features the company’s animal-free lactoferrin protein, combined with prebiotics, and aims to support healthy iron regulation, improve energy levels, and enhance gut health. Read more
PLENTY | Filed for bankruptcy, stating it secured $20.7M in debtor-in-possession financing as part of its proposed restructuring plan. Read more
THE EVERY COMPANY | Introduced a new sugar-free syrup under the white-label brand Dash, made from the company’s recombinant egg protein, offering 5 grams of protein per ounce, and aims to enhance the nutritional value of beverages like lattes without adding sugar. Read more
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