In another sliver of good news for alternative protein, French biotech startup Nutropy raised funds this week and now has plans to launch its animal-free cheese in the next couple of years.
Elsewhere, the Bezos Earth Fund announced a $30 million “challenge” for AI solutions for climate and nature, while the EU reversed its reversal of the upcoming deforestation law.
Finally, a historic seed deposit of African crops was made at the “doomsday vault” in Norway, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office teamed up with precision fermentation startups The EVERY Company and Vivici to “explore the establishment of a 4-million-litre industrial-scale facility for alternative protein production.”
Funding news
🇩🇰 Armed with $47m, MATR Foods to scale next generation of alt meat via solid-state fermentation AgFunderNews
🇳🇱 TRACT Raises €18.6M Series A to Expand Supply Chain Intelligence Platform for Global Agrifood Industry Fox40 News
🇫🇷 With $8m in funding, France’s Nutropy eyes 2027 launch of animal-free cheese Green Queen
🇺🇸 Agtech startup Plastomic raises $5.8M to advance crop trait editing technology St. Louis Inno
🇴🇲 KitchenomiKs secures $3.2 million to expand across GCC Wamda
🇮🇳 Fragaria Fruits raises $2m in seed funding to scale high-tech berry farming in India iGrow News
🇬🇧 Elbow Beach inks £1.5M into UPP to automate broccoli waste-to-protein tech Tech Funding News
🇮🇳 Asha Ventures, BII invest in snack brand Wonderland Foods Deal Street Asia
🇺🇸 Symrise invests in Cellibre’s advanced precision fermentation platform Vegconomist
M&A, IPOs & partnerships
🇺🇸 Making every drop count: AgZen partners with Corteva to redefine spray efficiency AgFunderNews
🇬🇧 Fieldwork Robotics partners with Portuguese Research Centre Hort News
🇦🇪 Vivici and The Every Co explore 4m-liter alt protein facility in UAE AgFunderNews
Funds, grants & accelerators
🇺🇸 Bezos Earth Fund announces $30 million in AI Grand Challenge Awards Bezos Earth Fund
🇨🇮 Another $14m unlocked for Africa’s smallholders as part of $200m private-sector finance initiative AgFunderNews
🇬🇧 Lidl GB announces £30bn investment to support British food and farming FoodBev Media
People moves
🇮🇱 Incredo names CEO and chair Snack and Bakery
🇨🇦 Tyler Groeneveld named as new CEO of Protein Industries Canada Vegconomist
🇺🇸 Ricky Stevens joins RESERVOIR as Head of Technology Partnerships LinkedIn
Other news
🇧🇪 Brussels U-turns on anti-deforestation law delay Politico
🇺🇸 Plant-based cheese startup Stockeld Dreamery shutters as flexitarian dream fizzles AgFunderNews
🇳🇴 Arctic ‘doomsday vault’ welcomes Africa’s forgotten crops in historic seed deposit AgTechNavigator
🇺🇸 MycoWorks to close factory and focus on sourcing Eco Textile [Disclosure: AgFunderNews’ parent company AgFunder is an investor in MycoWorks.]
🇺🇸 Little Leaf Farms touts largest CEA leafy greens facility The Packer
🇺🇸 Agtonomy accelerates gobal expansion with AI-powered autonomous fleets in Southeast US and Australia Agtonomy
