Participated · Series A · Apr 2026

Founded in 2021, Planetary develops and operates a proprietary full-stack platform for bioprocess design, scale-up and industrial fermentation via its BioBlocks system. The company builds, owns and operates fermentation facilities to produce bio-based proteins, fibres and enzymes and pursues an IP-rich licensing strategy with agro-industrial partners, particularly sugar companies. Planetary has commercial traction through product launches under its B2B brand Libre®, including a nationwide mycoprotein filet launch with ALDI Suisse at price parity. It operates industrial-scale production in Aarberg, Switzerland and is scaling sugar-to-protein upcycling technology globally, targeting ultra-low-cost mycoprotein production below €0.85/kg in collaborations with partners in sucrose-rich regions. Planetary is rolling out additional launches across alternative meat and dairy, meat hybrids, fibre-rich products and protein fortification applications. The company plans to expand its global commercial rollout and technology licensing efforts using the newly raised capital.

Participated · Seed · Jan 2026

Munich-based Twogee Biotech is a 2024-founded biotechnology startup that offers a predictive enzyme-development platform combining enzyme screening, strain engineering and fermentation to convert low-value biomass residues into higher-value sugars for bio- and synthetic-biology applications. Its technology is designed for straightforward integration into existing industrial processes, helping partners create circular, low-CO₂ value chains while shortening development timelines and reducing scale-up risk. The company has already delivered initial MVPs and completed paid pilot projects with industrial customers, demonstrating early commercial traction. Twogee plans to commercialise its platform through a licensing model that enables customers to produce the enzymes locally, cutting costs and emissions and supporting decentralised production. Proceeds from its recent seed financing will fund further technology development and market rollout. The business has not yet disclosed recurring revenue figures but is backed by both financial and strategic investors, positioning it for its next stage of growth.

Participated · Series A · Jan 2025

Project Eaden develops ultra-realistic plant-based meats using proprietary fibre-spinning and compounding technology inspired by the textile industry. Its initial product lineup focuses on ultra-realistic hams, and the company is pursuing R&D of whole-cut meats. The startup closed an oversubscribed €15M Series A, bringing total funding to €27M, to support a European retail launch and further product development. Its products are endorsed by butchers, Michelin chefs and retail buyers. Project Eaden reports that each kilogram of its product reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 kg CO₂-eq, cuts water use by up to 56 m³ and decreases land use by up to 20 m². The company plans a multi-market European launch in 2025, starting with a retail debut in thousands of REWE supermarkets in Germany in the first half of the year. Project Eaden develops edible plant-based protein fibers and a fiber-spinning process intended to produce whole cuts of meat alternatives (the company aims to launch a plant-based steak this year). Its proprietary bio-fiber approach mimics the texture, juiciness and bite resistance of animal meat by bundling millions of thin fibers into finished cuts. The startup says the method is more scalable and less costly than extrusion and could be applied across beef, pork, chicken and seafood. Project Eaden is pre-revenue and currently moving from lab setup to prototype production with plans to refurbish manufacturing space for in-house scale-up. The company plans to hire R&D and food-grade materials staff and partner with culinary experts to debut the product. Longer-term plans include moving to a highly automated production facility and pursuing additional funding to accelerate a commercial plant build. Founders include materials scientist David Schmelzeisen, mymuesli founder Hubertus Bessau and ex-Zalando manager Jan Wilmking. Project Eaden develops animal-free steak and plans a wider portfolio of sustainable foods produced with proprietary technology that aims to recreate aroma, texture and visual appeal. The company says its process can handle a wide range of raw materials and is recruiting tissue engineers to reinvent plant-based meat "from the fiber up." Founders include Dr.-Ing. David Schmelzeisen (R&D), Jan Wilmking and mymuesli co-founder Hubertus Bessau. Project Eaden positions its product as highly palatable and cost-efficient, with the explicit goal of reducing food-related emissions by encouraging preference for sustainable options. The startup claims its first steak prototypes already outperform existing alternatives in taste, look and texture according to the lead investor. The newly raised funds will be used to further develop and scale the company's proprietary technology.

Participated · Series B · Dec 2024

Planet A Foods produces ChoViva, a cocoa-free, lower-carbon chocolate alternative made from sunflower seeds and other locally grown ingredients such as oats. The company currently produces about 2,000 tons of ChoViva per year and plans to scale capacity to over 15,000 tons (around a 7.5x increase) as it industrializes production. It supplies roughly 20 customers so far, including Lambertz, Lindt, Rewe Group and Deutsche Bahn, and targets mass-market snacking and confectionary applications rather than premium chocolate. Planet A claims a carbon footprint up to 80% lower for its vegan ChoViva and estimates large potential CO2 savings if bulk chocolate production switches away from cocoa. The team is developing a bio-identical cocoa-butter alternative via fermentation and exploring replacements for palm oil and other specialty fats, though some precision-fermentation versions will require novel-food approval in Europe. The company is a Y Combinator alum and is planning international expansion, including new production capacity in the U.S. and launches in the U.K. and France in early 2025. Planet A Foods develops ChoViva, a cocoa-free chocolate ingredient made via fermentation of locally sourced ingredients such as oats and sunflower seeds, available in milk, semi-sweet, and white varieties. ChoViva delivers a melt-in-the-mouth texture and full-bodied chocolate flavor while containing up to 30% less sugar. The company supplies food manufacturers and brands including Griesson-de Beukelaer, Peter Kölln, Lufthansa, REWE, and has been used by Lindt in a vegan chocolate product. Planet A Foods has scaled production to 750 kilograms of ChoViva per hour and employs a 50-person team in Germany. It expects to hit eight-figure revenue by the end of 2024 and plans international expansion beginning in the U.K., then other European markets, Asia, and the U.S. The company also intends to extend its fermentation platform to additional plant-based ingredients with further product launches expected in Q1 2024. QOA has developed a fermentation process that uses natural byproducts and proprietary microbacteria to create a vegan product that mimics the texture and flavor of chocolate without artificial additives. The company was founded this year by Drs. Sara and Maximilian Marquart, a food chemist and a material scientist, and was part of Y Combinator this year. QOA’s product aims to address sustainability and supply risks in the cocoa industry, including threats from pathogens, climate change, deforestation and child labor. The firm says its fermentation process will enable scaling by 2035 and expects to price products at parity with or below traditional chocolate. QOA already has a product test kit with nine options, expects a first product on the market in 2022, and is in talks with initial B2B customers. The new $6M seed funding will support building a pilot production facility in Munich to complement one in Switzerland, hiring, and preparation for a Series A to fund larger production lines.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2022

Equinom uses its Manna™ technology platform and a large seed vault to breed higher-quality, non-GMO source crops (including pea and soy) optimized for food applications that require minimal processing. Its optimized crops aim to improve taste, nutrition, and reduce cost and complexity for plant-based foods, enabling food companies to deliver tastier and more affordable alternatives to meat and dairy. Equinom plans to commercialize these plant-protein ingredients through established multinational ingredient suppliers and expand seed development and grain production for ultra-high protein soy and pea varieties. The company also intends to invest in R&D and breeding programs for additional crops including chickpea, fava, mung bean, and cowpea, and to add key personnel. Financially, Equinom announced a $35 million tranche of funding and has raised over $71 million in total to date. The company presented this news from Indianapolis. Equinom develops seeds for plant-based proteins using AI-driven technology, a distinct methodology, and a proprietary genomic database to breed improved traits such as protein amount and functionality, flavor, yield, and field performance. The company begins with exotic and ancient crop types and applies non-GMO breeding methods to reverse years of yield-focused breeding that it says reduced ingredient quality. Its sesame seeds are grown on over 100,000 acres across five continents, and Equinom says it has secured 'millions of dollars in contracts' with market-leading food brands for custom-designed ingredients. Improved seeds for pea, soy, and other legumes are slated to debut in October this year. Equinom has collaborated with Sabra, PepsiCo, and Roquette and positions itself as a 'sophisticated ingredient company' targeting food manufacturers seeking lower-cost, cleaner-label plant-based inputs. The company will use new funding to boost sales and marketing and to expand R&D. Equinom is a Kibbutz Givat Brenner, Israel-based seed-breeding company led by CEO Gil Shalev that builds an ecosystem connecting food companies to the supply chain to improve transparency and responsible sourcing of plant protein. The company develops mechanically harvestable seed varieties and has become a preferred supplier for sesame seeds. Equinom plans to launch a high-protein pea variety in 2021. The firm closed a $10M Series B to support its growth. It intends to use the funds to accelerate global expansion and to build talent and infrastructure. The description and plans are focused on supplying high-value plant-protein ingredients to food companies. Equinom develops proprietary software, algorithms and data‑science methods to identify genomic regions controlling complex, multi‑gene crop traits and to select optimal combinations for cross‑breeding. The company deliberately avoids genetic modification and gene editing, positioning its products for a global clean‑label market. Equinom both builds the technology stack and runs breeding programs, selling seed and collecting royalties as a primary revenue stream. Its first commercialized crop is sesame, bred for mechanical harvestability and higher yield; the company targets capturing 5–10% of the $8 billion sesame market. Equinom is now focusing on legumes, starting with peas, aiming to commercialize varieties with 35%–55% higher protein content and improved protein quality by 2021. The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Israel; it is building a gene bank/database to improve discovery across species via machine learning. EQUInom is an Israeli seed‑breeding startup that uses computational breeding technology to create seeds for the global food industry. The company applies genomics, bioinformatics, and phenomics in its proprietary breeding platform. It plans to use the new capital to boost its plant‑protein seed breeding program. The $1.25M round was led by Hazera, a field crops and seed production specialist group. EQUInom has signed with Obela, the joint venture of PepsiCo and Strauss Group, to participate in a breeding program using its proprietary technology. Recent market research cited in the article notes the plant‑protein market totaled $7.7 billion last year and could reach $10 billion by 2020, indicating growing demand for protein‑rich crops. The funding round brings the company’s total financing to $2.25M.