National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency established in 1950 and based in Alexandria, Virginia. It is dedicated to supporting research and education in science and engineering across a wide range of disciplines. The NSF provides significant non-dilutive funding, up to $1.5 million, to startups and small businesses through its America's Seed Fund initiative, which is part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program mandated by Congress. With an operating budget of approximately $7.8 billion, the NSF is committed to advancing fundamental research and education, thus fostering innovation and technological development in the United States.

James Donlon

Program Director

Debasis Majumdar

Program Director

Graciela Narcho

Staff Associate

Sethuraman Panchanathan

Director

Past deals in Nutrition

Canomiks

Grant in 2022
Canomiks operates a genomics and artificial intelligence-based technology platform that focuses on testing and certifying the biological efficacy and safety of ingredients and formulations. Its services cater to the functional food and beverage, dietary supplement, and skincare industries, allowing companies to develop safe and effective products efficiently. By leveraging omics science, data analytics, machine learning, and bioinformatics, Canomiks streamlines the validation process for product efficacy, ultimately enabling clients to enhance product quality while reducing development time and costs. The company's long-term vision is to actualize the concept of food as medicine.

Botany AI

Grant in 2022
Ummino offers precision fermentation technology for fortified food and beverage products. The company's technology unlocks rare compounds to transform commodity ingredients into high-value functional foods.

Bactana

Grant in 2022
Bactana Corporation focuses on researching and developing nutritional products aimed at enhancing microbiome health in livestock and pets. The company has created a product platform called FPS-4, which leverages the beneficial interaction between an animal’s immune system and metabolism to boost productivity while ensuring good health. Bactana's approach includes identifying and isolating beneficial molecules from anaerobic bacteria found in the animal microbiome. The company also targets metabolic conditions and digestive disorders in pets, aiming to develop therapies for issues such as prediabetes and diabetes. Additionally, Bactana is committed to creating sustainable products that reduce the reliance on antibiotics and conserve natural resources in livestock production. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut, Bactana serves cattle farmers primarily in Connecticut and New York.

Novel Farms

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Novel Farms, Inc. is a company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2020, that specializes in the production of cell-based meat products aimed at ethical consumers. Utilizing microbial fermentation and proprietary tissue engineering technology, Novel Farms develops cruelty-free and affordable 3D bioscaffolds, which enable the creation of structured meat products that replicate the taste and texture of traditional gourmet meats. The company focuses on making cell-based meat a desirable culinary option for a new generation of consumers, promoting a more sustainable and ethical approach to meat consumption. Through its innovative methods, Novel Farms seeks to achieve price parity with conventional meat, making its offerings accessible to a broader audience while transforming the future of food.

Tender Food

Grant in 2021
Tender Food is a food technology startup focused on developing plant-based and cultured meat products. Founded by researchers from Harvard University, the company utilizes novel fiber production technology to transform plant proteins into fibrous structures that closely replicate the texture and mouthfeel of traditional meat. This innovative method aims to create alternative meats that not only match the taste and nutritional value of animal meat but also promote vegan food options. Through its sustainable approach, Tender Food seeks to support meat companies and enhance the consumer experience with realistic and environmentally friendly alternatives.

Novel Farms

Grant in 2021
Novel Farms, Inc. is a company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2020, that specializes in the production of cell-based meat products aimed at ethical consumers. Utilizing microbial fermentation and proprietary tissue engineering technology, Novel Farms develops cruelty-free and affordable 3D bioscaffolds, which enable the creation of structured meat products that replicate the taste and texture of traditional gourmet meats. The company focuses on making cell-based meat a desirable culinary option for a new generation of consumers, promoting a more sustainable and ethical approach to meat consumption. Through its innovative methods, Novel Farms seeks to achieve price parity with conventional meat, making its offerings accessible to a broader audience while transforming the future of food.

The Natural Nipple

Grant in 2021
The Natural Nipple specializes in the development of innovative feeding bottles that enhance the breastfeeding experience for mothers and their babies. Their products are designed to closely mimic the shape of the natural breast and replicate the maternal flow rate of breast milk, helping to eliminate nipple confusion. This allows infants to transition smoothly between bottle and breast, addressing a common challenge for breastfeeding mothers. By facilitating this transition, The Natural Nipple aims to support improved mother-baby health and bonding, while also promoting protective neurological development through the establishment of a healthy microbiome. This approach seeks to prevent long-term issues associated with gut bacterial dysbiosis.

Lypid

Grant in 2021
Lypid specializes in the production of vegan fats designed to replicate the taste and functionality of animal fats. By utilizing animal-free proteins and a novel formulation combined with microencapsulation techniques, Lypid creates a product that mimics the texture, mouthfeel, flavor transfer, and cooking behavior of traditional fats. This innovative approach provides consumers with a healthier alternative that contains minimal artificial additives, reduced hydrogenation, and lower trans fat content, contributing to a decrease in the carbon-intensive reliance on animal sources.

Nabla Bio

Grant in 2021
Nabla Bio operates an autoreverse platform that facilitates the rapid discovery of novel protein variants with unique properties. By leveraging insights gained from billions of natural proteins, the company engineers these enhanced proteins for both medical and industrial applications. Through extensive experimentation, Nabla Bio develops new medicines and improves nutritional products, allowing clients to conduct complex measurements of protein function and implement innovative solutions in various fields.

Intrinsyx Research Corporation

Grant in 2021
Intrinsyx Bio has spent the last 3.5 years validating and commercializing 3 decades of the leading academic research in the plant microbiome research from the University of Washington. Our exclusively licensed collection of microbes are proven and published to 􀂡x Nitrogen aerobically throughout the inside of plants as well as improve yield, Phosphorous e􀂣ciency, and increase abiotic (salinity and drought) and biotic stress tolerance. We have developed shelf stable microbial inoculants that drastically improve crop yield and nutrient use e􀂣ciency, garnering interest from some of agriculture’s largest companies.

Nutramaize

Grant in 2019
NutraMaize is an Indiana-based AgBioScience company focused on commercializing a nutrient-rich, non-GMO corn variety known for its deep orange color, which results from a high carotenoid content. This proprietary corn offers various health benefits, including support for eye health, immune system enhancement, and a potential reduction in the risk of certain chronic diseases. NutraMaize aims to provide consumers with a more nutritious and better-tasting food option through its innovative agricultural practices.

Meati

Grant in 2019
Meati Foods is a Boulder, Colorado-based company specializing in the production and sale of fungi-based meat alternatives. Founded in 2016, the company aims to provide sustainable and nutritious plant-based options that serve as an alternative to traditional meat products. Meati Foods utilizes a proprietary fermentation process to create minimally processed steaks made from natural ingredients, ensuring its offerings are free from common allergens. The company markets its products online, making them accessible to a wide audience seeking vegan food choices that are both healthy and environmentally friendly.

Sasya

Grant in 2019
Sasya is a biotech company that produces functional supplements. Its products are applicable across all species including humans, companion animals, and fish.

Meati

Grant in 2018
Meati Foods is a Boulder, Colorado-based company specializing in the production and sale of fungi-based meat alternatives. Founded in 2016, the company aims to provide sustainable and nutritious plant-based options that serve as an alternative to traditional meat products. Meati Foods utilizes a proprietary fermentation process to create minimally processed steaks made from natural ingredients, ensuring its offerings are free from common allergens. The company markets its products online, making them accessible to a wide audience seeking vegan food choices that are both healthy and environmentally friendly.

Nutramaize

Grant in 2017
NutraMaize is an Indiana-based AgBioScience company focused on commercializing a nutrient-rich, non-GMO corn variety known for its deep orange color, which results from a high carotenoid content. This proprietary corn offers various health benefits, including support for eye health, immune system enhancement, and a potential reduction in the risk of certain chronic diseases. NutraMaize aims to provide consumers with a more nutritious and better-tasting food option through its innovative agricultural practices.

InnovaNutra

Grant in 2017
InnovaNutra, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Davis, California, specializes in bio-based encapsulation food technology aimed at enhancing the bioaccessibility of nutrients and phytochemicals for food and medicinal applications. The company offers a cloud-based software-as-a-service product suite that formulates concentrated amounts of health-promoting nutrients while mitigating undesirable flavors such as bitterness or astringency. This innovative technology enables businesses to enhance the shelf-life and delivery of sensitive natural ingredients used in food and skincare products, facilitating the development of clean label offerings in the food and cosmetic sectors.

Triton Algae Innovations

Grant in 2016
Triton Algae Innovations, Ltd. specializes in the development of proteins derived from natural algae, particularly the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Incorporated in 2012 and based in San Diego, California, the company has established a platform that allows for the scalable and environmentally friendly production of a variety of natural proteins, including enzymes, antibodies, hormones, and antioxidants. Triton's innovations address food and feed shortages by offering vegan plant proteins that boast complete amino acid profiles and are rich in essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A. Their products cater to diverse market sectors, including infant formulas, nutraceuticals, therapeutics, and cosmetics, while also promoting benefits for gut health. Through its pioneering biotechnology tools and GRAS-certified processes, Triton aims to enhance nutritional health and provide better-tasting food alternatives.

InnovaNutra

Grant in 2015
InnovaNutra, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Davis, California, specializes in bio-based encapsulation food technology aimed at enhancing the bioaccessibility of nutrients and phytochemicals for food and medicinal applications. The company offers a cloud-based software-as-a-service product suite that formulates concentrated amounts of health-promoting nutrients while mitigating undesirable flavors such as bitterness or astringency. This innovative technology enables businesses to enhance the shelf-life and delivery of sensitive natural ingredients used in food and skincare products, facilitating the development of clean label offerings in the food and cosmetic sectors.

Superbrewed Food

Grant in 2015
Superbrewed Food is a biotechnology company focused on producing naturally brewed microbial protein aimed at providing quality and affordable nutrition. The company specializes in developing new probiotics for both animals and humans, leveraging synthetic biology and bioprocess development. Its protein products are nutritious, allergen-free, non-GMO, and versatile, allowing clients to create delicious and sustainable alternatives to popular beverages. Through its innovative approach, Superbrewed Food seeks to enhance the nutritional landscape while promoting sustainable food practices.

Triton Algae Innovations

Grant in 2014
Triton Algae Innovations, Ltd. specializes in the development of proteins derived from natural algae, particularly the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Incorporated in 2012 and based in San Diego, California, the company has established a platform that allows for the scalable and environmentally friendly production of a variety of natural proteins, including enzymes, antibodies, hormones, and antioxidants. Triton's innovations address food and feed shortages by offering vegan plant proteins that boast complete amino acid profiles and are rich in essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A. Their products cater to diverse market sectors, including infant formulas, nutraceuticals, therapeutics, and cosmetics, while also promoting benefits for gut health. Through its pioneering biotechnology tools and GRAS-certified processes, Triton aims to enhance nutritional health and provide better-tasting food alternatives.

Nature's Fynd

Grant in 2014
Nature's Fynd is a Chicago-based food company that specializes in producing a unique protein derived from a microbe found in geothermal springs. Founded in 2012 and originally known as Sustainable Bioproducts, Inc., the company focuses on creating sustainable food options that benefit both consumers and the environment. Utilizing innovative fermentation technology, Nature's Fynd is able to cultivate protein using significantly less land and water compared to conventional agricultural methods. The company also operates an additional office in Bozeman, Montana, and aims to contribute to a more sustainable food system through its revolutionary approach to protein production.

Innovesca

Grant in 2013
Innovesca, LLC is a food innovation company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that specializes in developing and producing nutritious ingredients through natural processing. The company focuses on creating plant-based ingredients that enhance nutrition by maximizing the benefits of whole foods. One of its notable products is a dried, shelf-stable amaranth powder, which can be incorporated into various functional foods, such as bars, cereals, and healthy snacks. Innovesca aims to optimize nutrition derived from underutilized plants, particularly in developing countries, while supporting small communities in growing these nutrient-rich foods. Through its innovative approach, Innovesca seeks to improve the nutritional quality of food products and promote healthier diets.

Arcadia Biosciences

Grant in 2013
Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. is an agricultural technology company based in Davis, California, focusing on the development of crop productivity traits primarily in hemp, wheat, and soybean. Established in 2002, the company employs advanced screening, breeding, and biotechnology techniques to create products that enhance farm economics and improve the value of crops as food ingredients, health and wellness products, and for industrial applications. Its product lineup includes GoodHemp, a range of non-GMO hemp seed varieties aimed at genetic improvement; GoodWheat, which transforms wheat into a functional food; and a drought and herbicide-tolerant soybean trait known as HB4. Additionally, Arcadia Biosciences produces plant-based food and beverage products, including high-fiber pasta and coconut water, thereby catering to consumer demands while promoting environmental sustainability. The company operates in diverse markets, including the United States, Canada, Africa, and India, and collaborates with several industry partners to advance its initiatives.

ChromaDex

Grant in 2013
ChromaDex Corporation is a global nutraceutical company based in Los Angeles, California, focused on promoting healthy aging through innovative ingredient technologies. The company is best known for its flagship product, Nicotinamide riboside (NIAGEN), a patented form of vitamin B3 that enhances nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels, which naturally decline with age. In addition to NIAGEN, ChromaDex offers Immulina, a spirulina extract designed to improve immune function. The company operates through three main segments: Consumer Products, Ingredients, and Analytical Reference Standards and Services, with the majority of its revenue generated from the Consumer Products segment. ChromaDex markets its products directly in the United States and Canada, while also utilizing international distributors, and employs in-house expertise in chemistry, regulatory affairs, and safety consulting to develop commercially viable ingredients across various industries, including dietary supplements, food, beverage, skin care, and pharmaceuticals.

Premix

Grant in 2013
Premix is a nutrition solution for cattle, horses, and sheep. They offer ruminant nutrition, feedlot technology, pasture cattle solutions, dairy cattle solutions, and equine nutrition. They provide products for beef and dairy cattle, horses, sheep, and goats.

Calysta

Grant in 2012
Calysta, Inc. is a biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of protein ingredients derived from innovative sources. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with additional facilities in Houston, London, Stavanger, and Singapore, Calysta focuses on producing nutritional feeds and health products for fish and livestock. The company utilizes a patented fermentation platform that operates without arable land, plant, or animal products, thereby promoting sustainability in food production. Its product line includes FeedKind, FeedKind Net Zero, and Positive Protein, which aim to address the increasing global demand for sustainably produced food while preserving biodiversity. Additionally, Calysta produces industrial chemicals and biofuels from methane, contributing to enhanced food security and the efficient use of resources. The company has established a strategic partnership with Bluestar Adisseo Company to further its mission in the field of cellular agriculture.

Nature's Fynd

Grant in 2012
Nature's Fynd is a Chicago-based food company that specializes in producing a unique protein derived from a microbe found in geothermal springs. Founded in 2012 and originally known as Sustainable Bioproducts, Inc., the company focuses on creating sustainable food options that benefit both consumers and the environment. Utilizing innovative fermentation technology, Nature's Fynd is able to cultivate protein using significantly less land and water compared to conventional agricultural methods. The company also operates an additional office in Bozeman, Montana, and aims to contribute to a more sustainable food system through its revolutionary approach to protein production.

Metabolic Technologies

Grant in 2012
Metabolic Technologies LLC, founded in 1990 and based in Missoula, Montana, specializes in producing health and nutritional products. The company is known for its innovative use of clinically proven ingredients, including the beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) nutrient compound, which is a key component in its sports nutrition offerings. These products are designed to help athletes and other consumers prevent muscle loss, enhance strength, and improve recovery while promoting better body composition. Additionally, Metabolic Technologies licenses a range of ingredients that can be incorporated into various supplement products, making its health ingredients widely available across the market. As of June 2020, it operates as a subsidiary of TSI Health Sciences, Inc.

Agrivida

Grant in 2007
Agrivida, Inc. is an animal health and nutrition company that specializes in developing feed additives for various livestock, including poultry, swine, dairy, beef cattle, and aquaculture. Founded in 2003 and based in Four Seasons, Missouri, Agrivida focuses on innovative enzyme solutions to enhance animal nutrition. Its flagship product, GRAINZYME, utilizes advanced technology to produce beneficial enzymes such as phytase and glucanase within corn kernels. This approach allows for a natural and efficient means of integrating these enzymes into animal diets, promoting healthier livestock while also reducing environmental impact. Agrivida's mission is to provide effective nutrition solutions that support sustainable food production across the agriculture sector.

Agrivida

Grant in 2006
Agrivida, Inc. is an animal health and nutrition company that specializes in developing feed additives for various livestock, including poultry, swine, dairy, beef cattle, and aquaculture. Founded in 2003 and based in Four Seasons, Missouri, Agrivida focuses on innovative enzyme solutions to enhance animal nutrition. Its flagship product, GRAINZYME, utilizes advanced technology to produce beneficial enzymes such as phytase and glucanase within corn kernels. This approach allows for a natural and efficient means of integrating these enzymes into animal diets, promoting healthier livestock while also reducing environmental impact. Agrivida's mission is to provide effective nutrition solutions that support sustainable food production across the agriculture sector.

Agrivida

Grant in 2005
Agrivida, Inc. is an animal health and nutrition company that specializes in developing feed additives for various livestock, including poultry, swine, dairy, beef cattle, and aquaculture. Founded in 2003 and based in Four Seasons, Missouri, Agrivida focuses on innovative enzyme solutions to enhance animal nutrition. Its flagship product, GRAINZYME, utilizes advanced technology to produce beneficial enzymes such as phytase and glucanase within corn kernels. This approach allows for a natural and efficient means of integrating these enzymes into animal diets, promoting healthier livestock while also reducing environmental impact. Agrivida's mission is to provide effective nutrition solutions that support sustainable food production across the agriculture sector.
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