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Shiru raises $16m series B to expand AI-powered ingredient discovery platform
Shiru is “building a comprehensive platform that will revolutionize ingredient discovery across multiple molecular classes,” claims founder and CEO Dr. Jasmin Hume.
Shiru is “building a comprehensive platform that will revolutionize ingredient discovery across multiple molecular classes,” claims founder and CEO Dr. Jasmin Hume.
Antwerp-based FlyBlast has a stable black soldier fly breeding line that expresses human insulin “at very high yields,” claims CEO Johan Jacobs.
The firm, which raised a $226m series B round in 2021 when money was cheap and interest in alt proteins was sky-high, has since struggled to navigate a more challenging environment, with investor sentiment souring on meat alternatives amid declining retail sales.
The pair are also exploring using lactose permeate, a byproduct of milk protein production, as a feedstock for Superbrewed Food’s microorganisms, creating a circular solution.
Potato protein is highly soluble and has gelling, foaming, emulsification, binding, texturizing and stabilizing properties. It is also non-allergenic, which makes it attractive to formulators if the availability is there and the price is right, says ReaGenics.
“Shiru’s hypothesis has been that there are likely much more than a dozen sweet proteins out there, but it’s very difficult to find them if you don’t have the right tools,” says founder Dr. Jasmin Hume.
The firm—which makes a yellow, protein-packed ingredient called Solein by feeding microbes elements from the air—is planning to go public via a technical listing on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
Under the deal, Leprino will have exclusive global rights to produce casein proteins made via Fooditive’s precision fermentation platform.
Palacios’ Spanish omelets are sold in a ready-to-eat format in retail and foodservice locations in multiple countries.
Israeli startup Brevel has opened a facility with the capacity to produce hundreds of tons of neutral-tasting, highly-functional algae protein it claims will ultimately be able to compete with pea and soy protein.
Dyeing fabric is terrible for the environment, says Chui-Lian Lee. But what if you could create textiles with inherent color, and skip the dyeing step altogether?
Shiru has also developed AI and ML-based models to predict protein expression in microbial systems, helping firms determine the most cost effective way to produce target proteins at scale.
Climate-related cost increases for livestock companies will come from higher feed prices and expected carbon taxes, says FAIRR.
Alternative proteins have been touted as a solution to greening emissions-heavy food systems and have attracted billions in investment. But a new report warns they “will not save the planet.”
The US-based investment platform’s third installment wants to make food more nutritious, sustainable, and accessible through bioactive elements.
The San Francisco-based company will use the Series A funds to grow its team and further develop its “proprietary” food preparation platform.
The Series B funds will be used to scale up the Irish company’s platform, which aims to unlock additional health benefits for food and beverage products.
The Toronto-based startup is hoping to digitalize an antiquated industry that relies on middlemen to broker deals between buyers and sellers.
Mori, a savvy sericulture startup spinning out of MIT and Tufts, has a plan to reduce food waste by effectively marinating sausages, strawberries or steaks with an imperceptible and edible micro-layer of silk-based proteins.
In every conversation I have with the FoodShot team, I learn something new. Now they’re turning their attention to the protein debate with a unique approach.