Participated · Series D · Sep 2021

Calysta develops and commercializes FeedKind®, a sustainable, traceable single‑cell protein alternative feed ingredient for fish, livestock and pet nutrition. The company’s technology uses a proprietary, commercially validated gas fermentation process with naturally occurring, non‑GM microbes that use methane as an energy source. Calysta intends to use the new funding to support global scale‑up of FeedKind production and to scope and pre‑develop a production site outside Asia. It is currently working toward completion of a commercial FeedKind production facility in China through Calysseo, its 50/50 joint venture with Adisseo, which is set to come online late 2022. The company also operates an R&D facility in the UK. The business is led by Thomas Huot, Ph.D., and its COO. Calysta develops and commercializes FeedKind, a sustainable single-cell protein feed ingredient produced through a patented gas fermentation process using naturally occurring, non-GM microbes that consume methane. The product requires no arable land and very little water, and does not compete with the human food chain. Calysta has positioned FeedKind initially for aquaculture and has completed extensive customer trials demonstrating its safety and nutritional efficacy. FeedKind is already being produced at Calysta’s Market Introduction Facility (MIF) in Teesside, England to support market development with animal nutrition companies. The company is pursuing a worldwide rollout and plans to deploy multiple production plants to scale supply. Recent capital and a strategic partnership are intended to accelerate production expansion and commercial deployment. Calysta develops and commercializes FeedKind® protein, a family of sustainable, traceable nutritional ingredients for fish, livestock and pets. The company intends to use the majority of its Series D proceeds to advance commercial-scale manufacturing of FeedKind. Calysta expects FeedKind to enter commercial production in 2019 and is pursuing large-scale gas fermentation capacity. In November 2016 Calysta and Cargill, with several third-party investors, announced plans for a gas fermentation facility in Memphis, TN to produce FeedKind. That Memphis facility is expected to come online in 2019, producing up to 20,000 metric tons per year initially and expanding to up to 200,000 metric tons per year at full capacity. Calysta also operates a Market Introduction Facility in the United Kingdom supplying sample quantities of FeedKind for customers and is working with strategic investors on marketing, distribution and production expansion. Calysta develops sustainable proteins and industrial materials using a proprietary gas fermentation platform. Its Calysta Nutrition unit commercializes FeedKind™ protein, a family of environmentally friendly nutritional feed additives for fish and livestock, while Calysta Energy focuses on high-value industrial materials. The company completed a $30 million Series C financing to advance new product development, commercial manufacturing and continued platform advances. Calysta plans to scale FeedKind™ production and commercial introduction, including collaboration with Cargill on North American manufacturing and global marketing. In January 2016 the company announced conditional receipt of a UK grant to develop a Market Introduction Facility in northern England as its first research and market introduction facility for FeedKind™. Calysta is an innovator in sustainable industrial products for food and energy security, based in Menlo Park, CA. The company operates two business units: Calysta Nutrition, which develops and commercializes fish and livestock nutritional products, and Calysta Energy, which is developing high-value materials for industrial and consumer products. Its flagship offering is Microbial Protein™ Feed aimed at making aquaculture feed more sustainable and efficient. Calysta intends to advance development and market introduction of its high-value nutritional products as well as traditional chemical products. The company completed a $10 million Series B to support those development and commercialization efforts. No operating metrics (revenue/users) are disclosed in the article.