Participated · Seed · Jun 2023

Uncaged Innovations develops an animal-free leather alternative made from plant collagen using its proprietary BioFuze technology combined with roll-to-roll manufacturing. The company aims to mimic the texture and performance of traditional leather while reducing environmental impact: its product emits fewer greenhouse gases and uses less water and energy than conventional leather and is biodegradable. Uncaged focuses on scaling production to supply commercial customers and plans to support a commercial launch with the new funding. The company intends to expand its team, notably growing the manufacturing team to increase output. Founded by CEO Stephanie Downs and CTO Dr. Xiaokun Wang, Uncaged is positioning its solution as a sustainable replacement for animal leather. Uncaged Innovations develops a platform of biomimetic substitutes for animal hides, producing vegan leather alternatives that aim to match the luxury feel and durability of traditional leather. The company has built a formulation library based on composite plant-based proteins and polypeptides, leveraging grain proteins as the fundamental matrix to mimic the fibril structure of collagen. Its bioleather platform offers tunability to produce materials with varied mechanical and aesthetic properties for multiple end-use applications. Led by CEO Stephanie Downs, Uncaged positions its materials as sustainable replacements that mitigate environmentally harmful practices in the leather industry. The startup plans to use the recent funding to launch its vegan leather product. Financially, the company completed a $2M Pre-Seed raise.

Participated · Seed · May 2021

Cultured Decadence develops cell-cultured seafood products made from the cells of shellfish without shells or organs, targeting lobster and other shellfish. The company is developing cell-cultured lobster meat prototypes and plans a commercial launch after further development. It will use recent funding to expand its team and accelerate product development. Leadership includes John Pattison (CEO) and Ian Johnson (CSO). The company's technology can be applied across the $160 billion seafood market, including lobster, crab, shrimp, and scallops. It has also received non-dilutive support administered by the Center for Technology Commercialization from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Participated · Seed · Apr 2021

Evo Foods is a plant-based egg company founded by Kartik Dixit and Shraddha Bhansali in October 2019 and announced from Mumbai. The company produces a plant-based liquid egg formulated with patent-pending technology and Indian ingredients like moong beans and peas. Evo Foods raised Rs 6.2 crore in a pre-seed round. The round onboarded a mix of strategic and institutional investors. Shaun Neff has invested and joined Evo Foods’ advisory board. Other backers include Sustainable Food Ventures, Michiel Van Deursen (Capital V), Vaibhav Domkundwar (Better Capital), Anil Advani (Inventus Law), Sweden-based Kale United, LA-based Seven Hound Ventures, Hearthstone Investments and members of the GlassWall Syndicate. EVO Foods is a Mumbai-based startup that produces a vegan liquid egg replacer made from proteins extracted from legumes and other plant sources. The company uses advanced plant biochemistry and food science to create a cholesterol-free, antibiotic-free egg replica designed to match traditional egg uses without animal cruelty. Founded in early 2019 by Kartik Dixit and Shraddha Bhansali, EVO planned a product launch in July 2020 and will join Big Idea Ventures' New York accelerator cohort. Its stated mission is to bring the plant-based revolution to India, where cultural and dietary attitudes make egg an ambiguous category between vegetarian and non-vegetarian. EVO has received backing from alt-protein VC Big Idea Ventures and an angel investment from Ryan Bethencourt, and Bethencourt will join Stephanie Downs as advisors. The startup emphasizes safety benefits such as no salmonella risk and positions its product as a clean protein alternative for India's traditional egg market.

Participated · Equity · May 2020

Mycorena develops Promyc, a proprietary filamentous-fungi mycelium protein produced via fermentation in custom-designed bioreactors for use in vegan meat alternatives. The company intends to license Promyc to other food producers for B2B applications and sell in B2C channels as it commercializes the product. It already has B2B partnerships in progress, including with the ICA group to launch mycoprotein nuggets in Sweden, and launched a fungi-based fat product last year to enhance flavor in vegan foods. Mycorena runs an EU-backed LIFE RE:FOOD project that upcycles bakery and mill side-streams as fermentation feedstock, with the project expected to run until 2024. The company has begun construction on what it calls the first commercial-scale mycoprotein manufacturing plant in the Nordics, slated to be operational by 2023 and located close to major food and beverage manufacturers. The recent financing will support moving Promyc from prototype to commercialization in both B2B and B2C capacities. Mycorena develops Promyc, a fungi-based protein ingredient positioned as an alternative to both meat and conventional plant proteins like soy and pea. The company was founded in 2017 and has expanded product development and production at its Promyc Innovation Center in Gothenburg. Mycorena says Promyc offers superior taste and texture and can scale faster than other plant-based options, attracting interest from large and small food companies. The startup’s stated mission includes creating sustainable, environmentally friendly waste-management solutions for food and agriculture. The newly raised funds will finance an industrial production plant in Falkenberg and support efforts to reach the mass market. Mycorena is also funded by EIT Climate-KIC Nordics.

Participated · Series A · Jul 2018

Mosa Meat develops cultivated (lab-grown) meat products and has demonstrated its underlying technology, according to Invest International. The company is pursuing international market entry and intends to target Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States. Current plans include validating those markets, setting up production and supply-chain partnerships, and progressing regulatory approval trajectories. Mosa Meat does not yet have authorization to sell its cultivated products. Its recent €875,000 financing from Invest International is a repayable development contribution aimed at enabling market validation and commercial rollout. The company must still overcome regulatory hurdles, scale production and solve market-introduction challenges before its products can reach supermarket shelves.