Big Idea Ventures

Nanoingreen is a green synthesis company focused on transforming plant-based products into functional foods through precision fermentation processes. The company develops specific formulations that enhance the nutritional profile and functionality of food products, enabling clients to create next-generation offerings with unique flavors and textures. By incorporating these formulations, Nanoingreen aims to address future health challenges and improve the overall quality of plant-based foods, positioning itself as a leader in the functional food market.

Future Biome is a biotechnology company focused on enhancing health through innovative microbiome solutions. The company specializes in developing precision fungi-based prebiotics aimed at improving gut health. Utilizing a predictive bioinformatics platform, Future Biome customizes prebiotic formulations to suit individual microbiota profiles or specific market segments, aiming for increased efficacy and predictable outcomes. Their initial product, a fungal prebiotic, has demonstrated significant improvements in microbiota function in laboratory studies, showing up to 500% enhancement with complete efficacy compared to existing market benchmarks. Future Biome plans to initiate clinical trials for this groundbreaking prebiotic in April 2024, marking a significant step towards personalized gut health interventions.

MeatOSys equips farmers with technology and supplies to cultivate meat on their farms, using cells harvested from their own animals, ensuring full traceability. This process increases meat production while reducing animal usage. The company also supplies the food industry with the resulting cultivated meat.

Perfat Technologies is a health-focused technology company that specializes in developing innovative fat-management applications using healthy vegetable oils. The company utilizes advanced oleogel and ultrasound technologies to create plant-based fats and alternative protein products, optimizing bioprocesses for enhanced research and development. This approach helps lower production costs and improve sustainability in food processing. By enhancing the techno-functionalities of oils such as rapeseed and sunflower, Perfat Technologies enables a broader application of these healthier alternatives in the food industry, promoting better choices for consumers.

Niskus Biotec specializes in producing food ingredients that enhance the sustainability, supply chain security, and functionality of various products. The company focuses on developing functional, protein-rich ingredients suitable for a wide range of food and beverage applications, aimed at improving nutrition, taste, and texture. Niskus Biotec collaborates with agri-food companies to facilitate the development and implementation of scaled-up manufacturing processes, utilizing specially designed solid-state fermenters. This flexible, staged approach allows businesses to effectively integrate these innovative ingredients into their offerings.

Mogale Meat Co. is a privately incorporated limited liability company developing real meat products from southern Africa’s prized wild antelope, poultry and free-roaming livestock, using advanced cellular agriculture technologies. The company is focused on developing a vertically integrated pro-diversity food technology platform to make healthy and nutritious cell-cultivated meat accessible to Africa's rapidly growing population and export to global markets. Mogale is Managing Partner of MeatOurFuture – an XPRIZE "Feed the Next Billion" semi-finalist.

Cultivated Biosciences is a food production company focused on developing specialized fat ingredients derived from oleaginous yeast to enhance plant-based dairy products. The company aims to improve the mouthfeel and creaminess of animal-free cheese and yogurt, providing healthier alternatives to traditional dairy. Its yeast-based ingredients maintain a clean label and support sustainable production processes while mirroring the texture and color of conventional dairy. Additionally, these ingredients feature low lipid oxidation and natural emulsification properties, contributing to a superior sensory experience for consumers seeking plant-based options.

Esencia Foods is a food processing company that specializes in creating sustainable seafood alternatives using mushroom mycelium. The company focuses on developing fish and seafood products that are rich in protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, catering to consumers seeking healthy and nutrient-dense options. By employing solid-state fermentation techniques, Esencia Foods produces vegan, non-GMO products that are free from antibiotics, offering innovative food experiences designed to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Novel Farms, Inc. is a Berkeley, California-based company founded in 2020 that specializes in the production of cell-based meat delicacies. It focuses on developing cruelty-free, low-cost, and tunable bioscaffolds through microbial fermentation and proprietary tissue engineering technology. The company's mission is to create gourmet meat alternatives that replicate the taste and texture of conventional meats, appealing to a new generation of conscious consumers. By producing whole-muscle cuts of cultivated meat, Novel Farms aims to make synthetic meat-based delicacies accessible and desirable, transforming the consumption of cell-based meat into a sought-after culinary experience.

Algrow Biosciences specializes in creating sustainable and nutritious food ingredients derived from microalgae. The company focuses on producing dairy alternative products by utilizing functional and versatile algae proteins through a gentle, solvent-free biorefinery process. Its technology effectively targets specific molecules in microalgae that are associated with undesirable flavors and green pigments. By doing so, Algrow Biosciences aims to offer consumers complete proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and other essential nutrients, contributing to a more sustainable food system. The company operates primarily on a business-to-business model, supplying innovative ingredients to various sectors within the food industry.

Mycosortia is a company focused on transforming food byproducts that are unsuitable for human consumption into valuable alternative protein products through its proprietary microbial biotransformation technology. By employing microbial consortia fermentation, Mycosortia upcycles byproducts such as spent barley grains, okara, and wheat bran. The company produces FibProtTM, a functional protein powder marketed as a high-value ingredient for food manufacturers. In addition to supplying functional ingredients, Mycosortia also formulates and offers a range of alternative protein food products, including protein cookies, bars, and shakes, to customers through B2B2C sales. Through these initiatives, Mycosortia aims to unlock the value of food side streams while contributing to sustainable food production.

Mogale Meat Co. is a privately incorporated limited liability company developing real meat products from southern Africa’s prized wild antelope, poultry and free-roaming livestock, using advanced cellular agriculture technologies. The company is focused on developing a vertically integrated pro-diversity food technology platform to make healthy and nutritious cell-cultivated meat accessible to Africa's rapidly growing population and export to global markets. Mogale is Managing Partner of MeatOurFuture – an XPRIZE "Feed the Next Billion" semi-finalist.

Aqua Cultured Foods is a producer of fungi-based food products that specializes in fermentation-enabled seafood alternatives. The company focuses on creating plant-based options that closely mimic the taste, texture, and freshness of traditional seafood, including tuna, scallops, squid, and shellfish. By employing advanced scientific methods, Aqua Cultured Foods aims to provide delicious and healthy seafood choices while ensuring sustainability and protecting marine ecosystems. The company is committed to making seafood accessible to consumers without the environmental impact associated with conventional fishing practices.

De Novo Foodlabs specializes in developing animal-free dairy products and proteins that offer nutritional profiles identical to cow's milk. The company employs precision fermentation technology to create innovative ingredients that are sustainable, vegan, and free from antibiotics. By integrating bioinformatics and advanced biotechnology, De Novo Foodlabs modifies the functionality of proteins and essential nutrients, ensuring that its offerings are not only healthier for consumers but also easier to produce and less harmful to the environment. This approach allows food companies to take a phased strategy in creating healthier and more sustainable products for their customers.

Farmsow is a B2B ingredients company focused on producing alternative healthy ingredients to address the sustainable nutrition gap. The company utilizes net-zero technology to upcycle agricultural sidestreams and leverages industrial fermentation to create substitutes for tropical oils and animal fats. These innovative ingredients are designed for a variety of applications, promoting a clean and healthy lifestyle through the principles of synthetic biology. By bridging the gap between sustainability and nutrition, Farmsow aims to provide consumers with healthier options while contributing to environmental sustainability.

The Frauxmagerie is a manufacturer specializing in plant-based cheese products that serve as alternatives to traditional dairy cheese. The company offers a range of artisanal cheeses, including both aged and fresh varieties, which are characterized by sophisticated flavors and rich textures. Each cheese, or "frauxmage," is meticulously handcrafted using only five natural ingredients: raw cashews, nutritional yeast, vegan probiotics, salt, and bacterial cultures. By innovating traditional cheese-making techniques, The Frauxmagerie produces authentic, dairy-free products that are not only healthier but also environmentally conscious, catering to consumers seeking ethical and delicious food options.

Jellatech is a biotechnology company based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with research and development operations in Wageningen, Netherlands. The company focuses on producing high-quality, pure, animal-free collagen and gelatin through innovative cellular agriculture techniques. By cultivating cells in bioreactors, Jellatech aims to eliminate the dependency on animals for these essential ingredients, catering to clients across various sectors including food and beverage, medical, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries. Jellatech's commitment to providing safe and sustainable alternatives positions it as a forward-thinking leader in the biotechnology field.

incrEDIBLE reinvents the way we eat or pack our food by replacing single use plastics with edible cutlery. Our edible spoons are vegan, natural and made with non-gmo grains. They can stay firm for up to 30 minutes in hot foods and come in 2 shapes and 5 flavors! Did you EAT your SPOON today? PS: More incrEDIBLE shapes like edible straws, edible sporks are on the way!

New Breed Meats specializes in the production of plant-based protein products designed to mimic the taste and texture of traditional animal meats. The company focuses on creating alternatives that are accessible to a broad audience, ensuring that their offerings are free from the top eight allergens, including soy and gluten. By utilizing non-GMO ingredients, New Breed Meats aims to provide delicious, meaty options that cater to consumers seeking non-animal protein sources.

Aqua Cultured Foods is a producer of fungi-based food products that specializes in fermentation-enabled seafood alternatives. The company focuses on creating plant-based options that closely mimic the taste, texture, and freshness of traditional seafood, including tuna, scallops, squid, and shellfish. By employing advanced scientific methods, Aqua Cultured Foods aims to provide delicious and healthy seafood choices while ensuring sustainability and protecting marine ecosystems. The company is committed to making seafood accessible to consumers without the environmental impact associated with conventional fishing practices.

Cellcraft is a B2B cultivated meat start-up based in Cambridge, focused on developing a scalable manufacturing platform for cultivated meat. The company provides a comprehensive system that includes raw materials, hardware, software, and bioprocesses, enabling food producers to locally manufacture delicious cultivated meats at a commercial scale. By utilizing intelligent technologies and AI-driven software, Cellcraft aims to empower food producers to create customized meat products that cater to local tastes and specifications. The company addresses significant global challenges related to food security and sustainability, promoting access to sustainable food solutions.

Meat.The End is a company focused on developing innovative protein texturizing technologies aimed at transforming plant-based meat alternatives. By utilizing advanced extrusion processing, the company enhances the texture and appearance of plant-based products to closely resemble animal proteins. This technology addresses a significant barrier to consumer adoption of meat substitutes, as the texture of many existing alternatives often falls short of expectations. Meat.The End's solutions enable producers of plant-based proteins to create nutritionally balanced products that offer a more convincing and satisfying eating experience, ultimately facilitating the mass production of healthier alternatives to traditional animal-based foods. Through its industry-oriented approach, the company contributes to the advancement of the plant-based food sector.

Angie's Tempeh is a plant-based protein manufacturer specializing in the production of tempeh through advanced fermentation technology. The company focuses on creating protein-rich foods by utilizing a precise fermentation process that results in firm tempeh characterized by thick, white mycelium and a distinctive mushroom-like aroma. Angie's Tempeh provides a natural and wholesome form of plant-based protein, catering to consumers seeking delicious and nutritious alternatives to traditional protein sources.

Blue Ridge Bantam is a pioneering cultured meat company based in the South, specializing in turkey, which is recognized as America's original source of protein. The company focuses on advancing avian cell-based technology with the aim of facilitating a shift towards meat products that are not only healthy and flavorful but also sustainable. Blue Ridge Bantam utilizes a biotechnology approach to produce cell-based poultry meat by harvesting tissue and fat cells from animals and cultivating them in a bioreactor. This process yields a product that mirrors the biological composition of traditional meat while integrating cultivated fat cells with plant proteins to create a hybrid offering, catering to the growing demand for sustainable meat alternatives.

MeliBio, Inc. is a technology-driven company based in Oakland, California, founded in 2020 by Aaron M. Schaller, PhD, and Darko Mandich. The company specializes in producing vegan nectar products that serve as a molecularly identical alternative to traditional honey. By employing advancements in plant biology, precision fermentation, and synthetic biology, MeliBio creates honey without the involvement of bees, aiming to mitigate the negative impact of commercial bee farming on biodiversity. In 2023, MeliBio launched its consumer-facing brand, Mellody, further expanding its market presence. Recognized by TIME as one of the Best Inventions of 2021, MeliBio is committed to providing sustainable and innovative solutions in the food industry.

The world's first Restorative Food company that revives your health, restores farmer livelihoods and rejuvenates the planet! We use sustainable indigenous ingredients to create nutritionally-rich avatars of familiar foods! Our first product range is inspired by traditional Indian dairy favourites.

Grounded Foods Co. is a West Hollywood-based company that specializes in producing plant-based cheeses crafted from cauliflower and hemp seeds. Founded in 2019 by behavioral economist Veronica Fil and international award-winning chef Shaun Quade, the company employs a proprietary fermentation process that utilizes imperfect vegetables to create products that closely resemble the flavor and texture of dairy cheese. Their product lineup includes gruyere style cheese, camembert style cheese, marinated hemp seed feta, and hemp seed cream cheese, all designed to offer high nutritional value while promoting environmental sustainability. Grounded Foods sells its offerings through both retail stores and online channels, aiming to provide consumers with viable dairy-free alternatives.

Confetti Snacks is a Singapore-based company that specializes in crafting gourmet plant-based snacks made from nutrient-dense vegetables. The company focuses on upcycling imperfect produce, transforming it into delicious snacks that are not only rich in minerals and fiber but also infused with unique Singaporean flavors and spices. Confetti Snacks prioritizes environmental sustainability by offering its products in 100% home compostable packaging. In addition to promoting healthy eating, the company is committed to social responsibility, contributing a portion of its proceeds to efforts aimed at alleviating global hunger and malnutrition.