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MicroHarvest develops sustainable protein ingredients utilizing microbial fermentation technology. The company leverages rapid biological processes to produce high-quality protein in significantly shorter timeframes, often within 24 hours, compared to traditional methods. These protein solutions are designed for integration into various applications, primarily serving the animal feed and pet food industries by offering an efficient and environmentally conscious nutritional source.
The company was founded in 2021 by Katelijne Bekers, Luísa Cruz, who serves as CTO, and Jonathan Roberz. Their collective insight centered on addressing the growing demand for protein and the environmental impact of conventional food production, recognizing the untapped potential of microorganisms to create scalable and sustainable nutritional alternatives. This foundation aimed to harness biotechnology for a more resilient and efficient protein supply chain.
MicroHarvest targets businesses within the feed and pet food sectors seeking to enhance their product offerings with sustainable and high-quality protein. The company's overarching vision is to contribute to a healthier planet by providing accessible nutrition, ultimately striving to reduce the carbon footprint associated with global food systems through their innovative ingredients. They are focused on delivering the next generation of sustainable protein solutions.
MicroHarvest has raised $10.5M across 2 funding rounds.
MicroHarvest has raised $10.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
MicroHarvest is a biotechnology company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, that develops sustainable protein ingredients using advanced microbial fermentation technology.[1][7] It produces high-quality protein biomass from natural bacteria in just 24 hours, targeting both human nutrition (e.g., food, beverages, pet food) and animal feed (e.g., aquaculture, livestock), addressing the projected 50% rise in global protein demand by 2050 while slashing CO₂ emissions by over 95% compared to traditional sources.[1][5][7] The company serves food manufacturers, agribusinesses, and research institutions through customized protein solutions and strategic partnerships, with strong growth momentum including over €9M ($10.13M) raised from investors like FoodLabs, Astanor, and Happiness Capital, a new aquafeed pilot plant in Portugal (March 2025), scaled production to 10 tons per day (November 2024), and palatability trials showing pet preference for its microbial protein (April 2025).[2][3]
MicroHarvest was founded in 2021 by a team with over three decades of combined biotechnology expertise, more than a decade in ingredients industry business and product development, and extensive startup experience.[1][7] The idea emerged from the need to tackle the food system's 26% contribution to global CO₂ emissions and the looming protein shortage, leveraging nature's efficient microorganisms—like those used in brewing beer or yogurt—to create scalable, climate-independent protein production.[5][7] Early traction included joining accelerators like Unreasonable Group and Plug and Play, raising initial funding, developing proprietary technology recognized as the world's fastest protein production system, and accolades such as Next Heroes in Food and Agtech 2022; pivotal moments include opening a pilot plant for commercialization and recent scaling milestones.[2][3]
MicroHarvest rides the alternative proteins wave amid surging demand for sustainable nutrition, fueled by climate pressures and a food system responsible for 26% of global CO₂.[5][7] Perfect timing aligns with 2050's 50% protein demand spike, regulatory pushes for low-emission agtech, and investor interest in biotech scalability, as seen in its funding and accelerator spots.[2][5] Market forces like aquaculture growth and pet food innovation favor it, with pilots in Portugal and production ramps positioning it against competitors like Eternal (fungi-based) and Biovolf (micro-vegetable).[3] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering microbial solutions that decarbonize supply chains, inspiring partnerships, and proving biotech's role in resilient food security.[1][2]
MicroHarvest is poised for explosive growth, targeting multiple kiloton production and commercial rollout post-2025 pilots, with expansions into aquafeed and pet nutrition driving revenue.[2][3] Trends like AI-optimized fermentation, ESG mandates, and precision agtech will accelerate its path, potentially capturing significant market share in a $100B+ alternative protein space. Its influence could evolve from innovator to supply chain staple, transforming global protein access—echoing its mission to feed the world sustainably through biotechnology's speed and scale.[1][7]
MicroHarvest has raised $10.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
MicroHarvest's investors include Simon Capital, Bitburger Ventures, Arnout Dijkhuizen, Eric Ng, Faber Ventures, FoodLabs.
MicroHarvest has raised $10.5M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Series A in May 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2023 | $2M Series A | Simon Capital | Bitburger Ventures | Announced |
| Sep 20, 2022 | $8.5M Series A | Arnout Dijkhuizen, Eric NG | Faber Ventures, FoodLabs | Announced |
