Cultivated Biosciences, a Swiss startup developing creamy yeast-based fat for use in plant-based dairy production, has raised USD 1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Wingman Ventures. Other participants include Big Idea Ventures, Blue Horizon, ProVeg International, and the FoodHack Syndicate with additional support from CEO and Co-founder of The EVERY company Arturo Elizando and Co-founder of Planted Lukas Boni.

The funding will aid further optimization of the production process, food application studies, and product development with initial clients.

The company claims its non-GMO creamy yeast-based fat will offer a better mouthfeel that is likely to attract more flexitarian consumers while having natural emulsification properties, low lipid oxidation, and similar texture and color to dairy cream.

Cultivated Biosciences, founded in 2021, is a startup focusing on improving the texture of plant-based dairy products. The company has been backed by several leading investors in the field and has won several awards and grants in Switzerland and Europe. It is slated to begin product testing in 2023 with selected clients for high-value savory applications and is open to further partnerships, especially from the Swiss gastronomy and European and US food tech sectors.