MicroHarvest to scale ‘world’s fastest protein production system’ for market entry in 2023

Hamburg-based biotech MicroHarvest harnesses the “power of microorganisms” to produce single-cell proteins for the B2B ingredients market.

The technology is based on microbial fermentation. Production begins with the bacterial strain and the start-up growth medium, before the fermentation process encourages the “growth” of the biomass. After this step, the protein can be harvested.

All of this, the company told us earlier this year, can happen in a day, making it the “world’s fastest” protein production system.

Now, after securing €8.5 million in Series A funding, the start-up is taking steps to scale up its fermentation process.

The “simplest” and “most scalable” process​

The funding round was led by Astanor Ventures and Happiness Capital, with participation from Faber and FoodLabs.

“We are delighted to partner with these distinguished funds. We have a strong shared vision to create impact on our food systems, using the power of nature,” said MicroHarvest co-founder and CEO Katelijne Bekers. “Together, we can have impact at scale, bringing the protein production system faster to market.”​

The Germany-based company will use the new funds to expand its R&D team, build a pilot plant in Lisbon and “accelerate” towards commercial-scale production.

After a “successful acceptance trial” this year, the start-up said a full-scale production trial will produce a product for further application trials, with the aim of entering the market in 2023.

Investor FoodLabs said it was “impressed” with what the MicroHarvest team has achieved to date. “There are very few start-ups that solve the problem of sustainable protein production at scale.​

“MicroHarvest’s approach is by far the easiest and most scalable way to produce sustainable proteins we have come across, with applications across the entire protein value chain,” said Christian Guaba of FoodLabs.

Pet food, food and nutrition​

Indeed, the start-up does not have its eyes closed vis-à-vis proteins intended for human consumption only. Possible applications along the protein value chain range from animal feed to direct application in food and feed.

“We are going to show within a niche market in animal feed that we can scale, build our reputation, and then move on to the next market,” Bekers told FoodNavigator in April.

Upon entering the animal feed and pet food markets, MicroHarvest plans to move into the protein ingredients business for human consumption. According to BCG, the alternative protein ingredients market is valued at $14 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14% through 2025.

By the end of the decade, the start-up plans to operate in the aquaculture, human nutrition, pet food and specialty micronutrient food markets.