University of Cambridge Enterprise, also known as Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds, consisting of the Challenge Fund and the Venture Fund, is a resource for members of the University of Cambridge and the Babraham Institute. Investments are priced and structured competitively with other sources of early stage seed capital in order to encourage co-investment, follow-on funding and commercialisation of University of Cambridge and Babraham Institute inventions.

University of Cambridge Enterprise

Parkwalk is a London-based fund management firm.  Parkwalk invests in UK technology companies that have IP backing and freedom to operate, generally spun out of UK universities. Their funds seek to generate capital gains for their investors, enhanced by the attractive tax relief provided by EIS. Parkwalk entered this investment sector in 2009, anticipating a wave of tax-efficient incentives launched by the UK Government to stimulate innovative emerging technology companies and thereby help drive economic growth. Parkwalk utilises academic, technology transfer, venture capital and personal networks developed over many years to gain access to the highest calibre deal-flow.                                                                                                                 In 2017 Parkwalk joined forces with IP Group plc, a leading intellectual property commercialisation company that is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IPO. As at March 2019 the combined group has net assets of £1.2bn.

Parkwalk Advisors

Martlet Capital is an early-stage investor based in Cambridge, providing patient capital to deep technology and life science startups with high growth potential. They seek to support entrepreneurs with value beyond capital. They have experience of helping companies scale from first-round through to exit. Visit their website to take a look at how we work and their investment focus.

Martlet Capital

Investment firm which in backing biotech, offering investors the opportunity to back promising medical innovations via the EIS and  SEIS.

O2h Ventures

Downing Ventures is a division of Downing LLP. They invest venture capital into early and growth stage technology businesses. Our belief is that technology now forms an integral part of the everyday lives of consumers, corporations and governments. Further, they believe that they are now experiencing the benefits of the second wave of technology development, which is now based on sound infrastructure. Investing into this trend, they look for: Visionary entrepreneurs, with the ability to execute as well as dream. Large (potential) addressable markets. Distinct product / service advantages. Limited adoption risk for customers. They seek to invest 250,000 to 5 million per company. They will  invest in seed-stage deals and Series A deals, and then look to continue to support those companies through phases of subsequent growth. Fundamentally, they back entrepreneurs. They are supportive, hopefully helpful, investors.

Downing Ventures

The Cambridge Angels are a group of high-net worth investors who have proven experience as successful entrepreneurs in internet, software, technology and bio-technology. Members invest in and mentor high quality start-up and early-stage companies in these sectors in the Cambridge (UK) area and throughout the UK. Typical funding requirements that the Cambridge Angels meet are in the range of £50,000 to £500,000 - although it is worth noting that several of their portfolio companies have received more than £1m in funding from their Members over several funding rounds. Their Members have been responsible for a large number of the “Cambridge Phenomenon” success stories over recent years. Therefore, in addition to providing funding for early-stage companies, the Cambridge Angels also offer start-ups the considerable benefit of a wide range of expertise, contacts and directly relevant experience in establishing and growing entrepreneurial businesses successfully.

Cambridge Angels group

Qkine

Qkine manufactures high-purity, animal-free growth factors, cytokines and other complex proteins. Based on the Cambridge Science Park, UK, we combine proprietary protein production processes developed at the University of Cambridge with protein engineering techniques to develop unique products that tackle fundamental biological and scale-up challenges for the fast-growing stem cell, organoid, regenerative medicine and cultivated meat sectors. Qkine has an active R&D pipeline, with a continually expanding product range. Unique products available from Qkine include tag-free thermostable FGF-2 (FGF2-G3), the first animal-free TGF beta 1 for chemically defined stem cell media, and animal-free HGF (NK1). Qkine is an ISO 9001: 2015 certified company.

Qkine is a UK-based biotechnology company that develops animal-free growth factors, cytokines, and other complex proteins. These target diverse life science applications, addressing fundamental biological and scale-up challenges across stem-cell research, organoid cultivation, regenerative medicine, and cellular agriculture industries. The company’s serum-free cell culture media are produced in a microbial fermentation process and are optimized to facilitate cell expansion and maturation within bioreactors.

Making meat sustainable over the long term

Cell-cultured Meat

Qkine appoints Thomas Scientific as new US Distribution Partner for its innovative growth factor and cytokine portfolio

Qkine is a UK-based biotechnology company that develops animal-free growth factors, cytokines, and other complex proteins. These target diverse life science applications, addressing fundamental biological and scale-up challenges across stem-cell research, organoid cultivation, regenerative medicine, and cellular agriculture industries. The company’s serum-free cell culture media are produced in a microbial fermentation process and are optimized to facilitate cell expansion and maturation within bioreactors.In&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/36067">November 2024</a>, the company aunched a new range of food-grade proteins for cellular agriculture applications. The products are manufactured in the UK under a food manufacturing HACCP regime and are available with complete documentation and traceability.Key customers and partnershipsIn December 2022, Qkine established a collaborative partnership with the UK Government’s Center for Process Innovation to expedite process development and achieve the maximum yield of key products.&nbsp;

Mosa Meat is a Dutch cell-cultured meat startup founded by Dr. Mark Post of Maastricht University, and was the first-ever company to produce a lab-grown meat burger. The startup produces meat by growing myosatellite cells (muscle stem cells) extracted from an animal in a bioreactor fed with a nutrient-dense medium.The company replaced the fetal bovine serum (FBS) from its growth medium in July 2020, which led to an 88x cost reduction in its medium. As of March 2024, Mosa Meat operated the Center for Advanced Meat Production, Upscaling, and Sustainability (CAMPUS), a facility spanning over 79,000 sq ft that was designed to be expandable as demand grows.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21645">September 2023</a>, Mosa Meat became the first cultivated meat company to attain B Corp certification. The company also announced plans to apply for regulatory approval in countries worldwide. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21645">September 2023</a>, Mosa Meat became the first cultivated meat company to attain B Corp certification. The company also announced plans to apply for regulatory approval in countries worldwide. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31970">July 2024</a>, it conducted the first official tasting of its cultivated beef product, the Mosa Burger, in the Netherlands. This event gathered Dutch cattle farmers, food product developers, and industry representatives to collect expert feedback.Key customers and partnershipsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14175">November 2022</a>, Mosa Meat entered into an agreement with Singapore-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Esco Aster to commercialize its cultivated beef in Singapore. Further, in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16845">March 2023</a>, the company partnered withNutreco to develop a cell feed supply chain that can expedite production and scalability while reducing cost.Funding and financialsIn its latest funding round in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28536">April 2024</a>, the company raised EUR 40 million (~USD 42.5 million) in an oversubscribed funding round co-led by Lowercarbon Capital and M Ventures, with participation from PHW Group, Invest-NL, LIOF, and LEF. The funds were earmarked for scaling production procedures, reducing production costs, and gearing up for commercialization.

Mosa Meat

SuperMeat is a cellular agriculture startup developing cultured chicken meat. The company uses chicken cells and claims to grow them in a culture medium free from antibiotics and contaminants to develop its products. SuperMeat also operates a test kitchen known as The Chicken. It is claimed to be the world’s first farm-to-fork facility where diners can observe the production of cultivated chicken.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21733">September 2023</a>, The Orthodox Union (OU) certified SuperMeat’s cultivated chicken as “kosher.” Further, the OU and SuperMeat will collaborate on establishing guidelines for the industry.In&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35765">November 2024</a>, the company announced it had achieved cost parity for its cultivated chicken and could produce it at at USD 11.79 per pound at scale, matching the price of premium US pasture-raised chicken.Key customers and partnershipsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9319">March 2022</a>, SuperMeat signed an MoU with PHW to supply cultivated meat products including chicken, turkey, and duck to the European market. The company also <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8997">partnered</a> with Ajinomoto to set up a joint venture to accelerate the commercialization of cultivated meat while focusing on developing a cost-competitive cell growth media.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11867">July 2022</a>, the company signed an MoU with Switzerland’s largest retail supermarket chain and leading meat manufacturer, Migros to expedite production and distribution of cultured meat at a commercial scale with a focus on European markets.&nbsp;

SuperMeat

Uncommon (formerly HigherSteaks) is a UK-based cell-cultured meat startup that uses cellular agriculture to grow pork from animal cells. The company leverages cellular agriculture and in-house developed RNA technologies to cultivate meat and claims its technology eliminates the need for genetic engineering and growth media.In July 2020, the company unveiled the world's first lab-grown pork belly prototype and the second cell-based bacon (behind Mission Barns cell-based bacon unveiled in early 2020). The pork belly and the bacon were produced from a combination of cell-cultured muscle and plant-based proteins and fat. Uncommon plans to commercialize its cell-cultured meat by 2022-2025, pending regulatory approval.Funding and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19267">June 2023</a>, the company raised USD 30 million in Series A funding co-led by Balderton Capital and Lower Carbon Capital, with participation from Redalpine, East Alpha, and others. The funds were earmarked for the development of its innovative approach, expanding production, increasing the team, and initiating regulatory approvals.

Uncommon

Multus, a spin-off of SOSV’s IndieBio program, is a biotechnology company that specializes in the development of growth media solutions for cellular agriculture applications. Its portfolio includes serum-free FBS alternatives (Proliferum M and Proliferum LSR) and solutions that support cell adhesion (rh-Vitronectin) during the cultivation process.Multus leverages MediOp, a growth media formulation design platform, to develop its solutions. According to the company, this technology allows optimizing solutions using automated data analysis and insights. Multus also uses this platform to provide contract manufacturing services for custom formulation design and food-safe manufacturing compliant with ISO22000 to customers in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. In December 2024, the company launched&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/37120">Proliferum B</a>, an animal component-free alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for cultivated meat production.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25572">January 2024</a>, the company unveiled what it claims to be the first large-scale production plant-making serum-free growth media in the cultivated meat industry.Key customers and partnershipsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24911">December 2023</a>, the company partnered with New Wave Biotech, a bioprocess optimization software company, under a project funded through an Innovate UK Engineering Biology grant. Through this partnership, Multus planned to use New Wave Biotech’s AI software to optimize its process of developing precision-fermented ingredients for cell cultivation.&nbsp;

Multus

Based in Israel, Believer Meats (Future Meat Technologies prior to November 2022) develops hardware and cell lines for the manufacturing of cell-cultured meat, to commercialize its manufacturing hardware and techniques.Believer Meats uses fibroblast cells that can be triggered with small molecules to develop either fat or muscle cells. Fat and muscle cells are cultured in a unique bioreactor that removes the waste material from the media, allowing the company to recycle parts of the media to reduce feed media input by as much as 50%. The startup replaced FBS with molecules derived from Chinese hamster ovaries (CHO) to reduce production costs and plans to achieve price parity with animal counterparts.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12623">August 2022</a>, the company announced it has developed what it claims to be the world’s first cultivated lamb, using cell lines isolated from Awassi sheep.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15195">December 2022</a>, the company announced it has begun development of a 200,000 sq foot production facility in Wilson, North Carolina with an annual capacity of ~22 million lbs, which is claimed to be the largest cultivation facility in the world. Believer Meats plans to produce cultured chicken, pork, beef, and lamb for US, European, and Asian markets.Key customers and partnershipsIn March 2022, the company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9320">partnered</a> with Charoen Pokphand Foods to develop cultivated meat products for Asia.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17710">April 2023</a>, Believer Meats signed an MoU with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) to collaborate on the development and commercialization of cultivated meat products. Further, ADM will offer its ingredient pantry and nutrition knowledge to enhance Believer's cell-cultivated meat process.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30520">June 2024,</a> Believer Meats partnered with Abu Dhabi’s AgriFood Growth &amp; Water Abundance (AGWA), to advance cultivated meat production in the MENA region.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Believer Meats

Producers of cell-cultured seafood using cells extracted from fish. Startups have succeeded in developing prototypes of yellowtail and salmon

Producers of cell-cultured pork using cells extracted from animals. Startups have succeeded in developing prototypes of bacon and pork belly using cultured muscle and plant-based proteins and fat

Producers of cell-cultured beef using cells extracted from animals. Some producers in the industry are developing premium beef ranges such as Wagyu. Startups have only succeeded in developing prototypes in the minced form, with a few creating prototypes of (pieces of) steak using 3D bioprinters

Producers of cell-cultured chicken and duck using cells extracted from animals. Some producers in the industry are developing rare delicacies such as foie gras. Startups have only succeeded in developing products in the nugget form

Producers of growth media for cell-cultured meat production and ingredients for meat and meat analog (cell-cultured, plant-based) producers, which can include cell culture meat paste, culture fat, etc. Producers of growth media mainly focus on developing alternative growth media to FBS using plant-based or other sources

Developers of bioreactors and other technologies used in cell-cultured meat production. Industrial scaling and efficiency gains are key areas of interest for startups in the industry

Provide sustainable solutions for animal slaughter through the use of biotechnology

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 Qkine, a UK-based growth factor manufacturer, has introduced a new range of food-grade proteins specifically designed for cellular agriculture applications. These proteins are produced under stringent food manufacturing HACCP guidelines, offering thorough documentation and traceability to buyers.
 The new line of food-grade growth factors is sourced from agriculturally pertinent species and created via a scalable and animal-free fermentation process. Product offerings are accompanied by in-depth quality analysis, raw materials traceability, allergen analysis, CoO, CoA, beta-lactam-free, and animal-origin-free certification for transparency and safety assurance.
 Qkine suggests that these growth factors will help businesses comply with regulatory standards set by agencies like the FDA and FSA. They also propose that their products could provide enhanced efficacy, owing to species-matched growth factors. To further increase accessibility, the company is cooperating with partners to achieve cost parity at higher production volumes.
</div>

Qkine

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