Hoofprint Biome

Hoofprint Biome is a biotechnology startup that aims to reduce methane emissions from cattle. The company, founded in 2023 by Dr. Kathryn Polkoff and Dr. Scott Collins, develops cattle probiotics and natural enzymes to improve cattle health and digestive efficiency by eliminating methane. 

Hoofprint Biome's approach involves using a yeast probiotic called Saccharomyces boulardii to transport special enzymes to cows' stomachs, where it releases the enzymes to eliminate methane while aiding animal health and nutrition simultaneously. This technology has shown an 80% reduction in methane in laboratory testing as of September 2023. 

Key customers and partnerships

Hoofprint Biome is collaborating closely with the laboratory of Dr. Vivek Fellner, a professor in the Department of Animal Science at North Carolina State University, for in vitro and in vivo testing of its probiotic feed additives. The company is also working with the university's Office of Research Commercialization and licensing patented techniques from Dr. Nathan Crook, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, to create its engineered probiotic.

Funding and financials

In August 2023, the company raised USD 2.5 million in pre-seed funding from AgriZeroNZ, Ponderosa Ventures, Good Growth Capital, and the Twynam Earth Fund.