MicroHarvest

Headquartered in Germany, MicroHarvest is a startup developing alternative proteins for plant-based applications. The company has developed a precision fermentation method, which it claims to be the world’s fastest protein production system. MicroHarvest produces an alternative protein by fermenting bacteria, and dehydrating it into powder form, which can subsequently be blended with various other components. According to the company, its scalable process can deliver complete protein products carrying a protein content of over 60% within a single day, compared to other protein production methods (plant and animal-based), which require months.

In November 2023 , the company unveiled its pilot plant in Lisbon, Portugal. This plant will have a production capability of one ton per day and will produce a single-cell protein using microbial fermentation for food and feed applications.

Key customers and partnerships

In May  2023, the company partnered with Simon Capital to bolster the operational knowledge of its team by leveraging Simon Capital’s extensive experience in the food and beverage manufacturing space. The company has also collaborated with a contract manufacturing partner to scale production given its commercial launch, slated for early 2024.

Funding and financials

In September 2022 , the company raised EUR 8.5 million (~USD 8.5 million) in Series A funding co-led by Astanor Ventures and Happiness Capital, with participation from Faber and FoodLabs. The funds were earmarked for expanding its R&D team and expediting commercial-scale production. 

In addition, MicroHarvest received a EUR 1.5 million (~USD 1.7 million) investment from Simon Capital in May 2023. The funds raised were to be deployed for accelerating commercialization efforts, including the construction of a pilot plant in Lisbon, enabling MicroHarvest to develop prototypes and accelerate research.