NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Big Idea Ventures (BIV), a global investment leader within the food-tech, agri-tech, and materials science sectors, announced six new company investments through the Global Food Innovation Fund II (GFIF II). This latest cohort includes groundbreaking startups from around the world focused on innovations ranging from fermentation-enabled fatty acids and protein-based flavors to advancements in microbiome and gut health, as well as novel methods for developing cultivated meat.
“We are excited to welcome this diverse group of companies into our portfolio. The founders behind these startups are some of the most innovative minds in the food industry, and we’re excited to be working with them and our fund investors. We look forward to collaborating with them to help usher in the next generation of food solutions, from sustainable fats to microbiome-driven health products. I encourage investors, corporate leaders, and partners to reach out to the founders of the companies that most excite them and find out more about the innovative technologies and applications they are developing,” said Andrew D. Ive, Founder and Managing General Partner of Big Idea Ventures.
The new fund builds on the success of Big Idea Ventures’ New Protein Fund I, supporting and investing in companies focused on proteins, fats, ingredients, sweeteners, flavorings, and mono-crops. Backed by leading food corporations such as AAK and Buhler, GFIF II is dedicated to improving food security and sustainability worldwide.
“We are seeing a shift in the foodtech space toward solutions that improve nutrition and sustainable ingredients, and some of the companies in this cohort address these trends. From microbiome-targeting prebiotics to sustainable fat solutions and cultivated meat, these startups are driving the future of food. We’re excited to support their journeys and help integrate traditional industry players into these innovations,” said Henrietta Hearth, Vice President of Global Acceleration at Big Idea Ventures.
Meet the New Cohort:
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BiomeMega (Australia): Producing sustainable omega fatty acids from probiotic bacteria that have wide-ranging applications, including food and animal nutrition and cosmeceuticals.
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Future Biome (Argentina & Uruguay): Developing a new class of prebiotics to target health issues linked to the microbiome, such as chronic inflammation. Their platform customizes fungal precision prebiotics for individual microbiotas.
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MEATOSYS (Germany): Enabling farmers to produce cultivated meat on their farms using cells from their own animals. They supply a turn-key automated production system and business concept to farmers and sell the produced meat to the processing industry.
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Nalca Biotech (Chile): Creating continuous and modular production lines for precision fermentation. This modern infrastructure is faster and easier to use than traditional batch-based systems.
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NanoInGreen (Argentina & Chile): Developing probiotic bacteria-based ingredients with high absorption rates. Their first product is an iron substitute, with future developments focusing on vitamins, minerals, and natural preservatives.
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Renew Food (United Kingdom): Specializing in protein-based flavor ingredients. The company is currently developing a heme protein to give plant-based meats a realistic meaty taste.
