Participated · Equity · Sep 2024

MiAlgae cultivates microalgae on by-products from whisky distillation to produce sustainable omega-3s for aquafeed, pet food and human health markets. Its NaturAlgae product is positioned as a drop-in omega-3 alternative to reduce reliance on wild fish. The company is based at Heriot-Watt University and launched a demonstrator site in 2023 that validated its technology at scale. MiAlgae is now preparing to develop an industrial-scale production facility in Scotland to fully commercialise NaturAlgae. The business recently secured £14 million in fresh funding to support that scale-up and to help create green jobs. Management says the investment will be used to build the infrastructure needed to meet growing global demand while continuing biotechnology innovation. MiAlgae, founded in 2016 and led by Managing Director Douglas Martin, applies biotechnology to produce a sustainable source of omega-3 for animal and human consumption. The company’s platform uses low-value coproducts from the food and drink industry as a feedstock to grow microalgae rich in omega-3 oils. MiAlgae is initially focused on the pet food sector with planned near-term expansion into aquaculture, the largest global consumer of fish oil. It also intends to commercialise other high-value compounds and pigments through expansion of its platform. The recently raised funds will be used to expand the team and complete a commercial demonstrator facility near Stirling to drive commercial traction. Financially, the company secured a £2.3M funding package from new and returning investors to support these commercialisation efforts. MiAlgae is a biotech company that produces microalgae using co-products from the whisky distillation process. The microalgae are high in omega-3 and other nutrients and can be used to sustainably feed fish and create animal food. The company targets the global aquaculture and pet food industries. MiAlgae plans to use the £1m funding to commercialize its product, double the size of its business premises, commission a demonstrator plant in East Lothian and make five new appointments in the next 12 months. The round was backed by Equity Gap, Scottish Investment Bank, Old College Capital and new investor Hillhouse Group. Founded by Douglas Martin in 2016 and based in Edinburgh, Scotland, the company intends to scale operations to serve international markets. MiAlgae produces a new kind of nutritious animal feed made from microalgae grown using co-products from Scotland’s whisky distillation process. The microalgae is rich in omega-3 and other vital nutrients and is aimed initially at the aquaculture industry. The company says the product is economical and environmentally friendly and can serve as an alternative raw material for agricultural feed. MiAlgae plans to use the new funding to scale and expand production capacity 30-fold, expand its team, and build a new plant at a whisky distillery. The company is led by founder Douglas Martin and is based in Scotland. The article does not report revenue or user metrics.

Led · Equity · Jul 2024

The Cabrach Distillery is a community interest company preparing to open in late summer as the flagship asset of The Cabrach Trust, part of a wider regeneration effort in rural Speyside. Its core product is a new single malt Scotch and a heritage centre celebrating the area’s whisky-making legacy. The distillery’s inaugural bottling, The Feering, is a Speyside blend made from casks donated by neighbouring distilleries. The project expects to create around a dozen local jobs and to attract visitors, with revenue to be reinvested into community regeneration. The distillery has received external funding to support start-up operations, production and performance monitoring as it readies for production.