top of page
Business

Clever Carnivore raises $7m to scale-up cell-based meat production

FoodBev Media logo.png

Phoebe Fraser

7 December 2023

7 December 2023

Clever Carnivore raises $7m to scale-up cell-based meat production

Placeholder.png

Chicago-based biotech start-up Clever Carnivore has announced the successful closing of its $7 million seed round funding.


Clever Carnivore is currently manufacturing celll-based pork sausage, with plans to unveil its prototype product, the Clever Bratwurst, in early 2024.


The round was led by Lever VC, a global investor in the alternative protein industry. Clever Carnivore received substantial backing from national and international investors, including Spain's McWin Capital Partners; Thia Ventures headquartered in Belgium and Switzerland; California's Valo Ventures; Newfund Capital from France; and US-based Stray Dog Capital.


The oversubscribed funding round is set to enable Clever Carnivore to accelerate its expansion plans and fuel the company’s mission to redefine the way consumers access and enjoy high-quality meat products.


Virginia Rangos, CEO and co-founder of Clever Carnivore, said: “We are delighted with the enthusiastic support from our investors in this seed round. This funding is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team and reaffirms the confidence that investors have in our cutting-edge science, technology and business model. With this investment, we are well positioned to revolutionise the protein market and enhance the overall consumer experience.”


The company has optimised its growth media to support its unique cell lines, achieving a reduction in cell culture media costs that it claims are "one to two orders of magnitude lower than any other cell-based meat company globally".


Nick Cooney, managing partner of Lever VC, commented: “We’ve been tracking and investing across the global cultivated meat sector since the first such company launched eight years ago, and we haven’t seen anyone come remotely close to Clever Carnivore’s astoundingly low current cost of production, a testament to the company’s phenomenal science".


Clever Carnivore plans to relocate its Lincoln Park operations to a larger nearby facility by year-end. The expansion will allow the company to scale up production into 500-litre bioreactors and add in test kitchens, as Clever Carnivore’s early growth has already surpassed the capacity of its inaugural lab.


#CleverCarnivore #US

Related news

Placeholder.png

DMC Biotechnologies introduces fermented myo-inositol ingredient

US-based biomanufacturer of fermentation-based ingredients, DMC Biotechnologies, has announced the availability of fermented myo-inositol...

Placeholder.png

Sun Chemical launches sustainable smart farming facility for spirulina production

Sun Chemical has unveiled a new edible algae cultivation facility in California, US, operated by its subsidiary Earthrise Nutritionals....

Placeholder.png

Taylor Farms acquires agri-tech business FarmWise

Taylor Farms, a US-based producer of ready-to-eat salads, has announced its acquisition of agri-tech group FarmWise's business. FarmWise...

Placeholder.png

Oklahoma passes bill prohibiting cultivated meat products

The Oklahoma House of Representatives has passed a measure prohibiting the manufacture and sale of cultivated meat products in the state.

Business

Clever Carnivore raises $7m to scale-up cell-based meat production

FoodBev Media logo.png

Phoebe Fraser

7 December 2023

bottom of page