MicroHarvest – a German biotech start-up focused on advancing sustainable protein production – has launched its pilot plant in Lisbon, Portugal.

The new facility is designed to enable the company to produce single-cell protein samples and is a milestone in MicroHarvest’s mission to reshape the landscape of sustainable food production.

MicroHarvest’s technology enables the sustainable production of high-quality protein ingredients containing over 60% raw protein within just 24 hours. The approach reduces resource consumption compared to conventional methods and offers competitive, scalable and consistent protein solutions applicable across diverse sectors, including human food, feed and pet food.

The pilot plant will facilitate MicroHarvest to operate “beyond lab-scale” in-house, accelerating the start-up's journey towards commercialisation and market availability.

At the plant, MicroHarvest will produce protein samples for customers, enabling it to hone its technology and test production runs before bringing them to commercial scale.

Luísa Cruz, CTO of MicroHarvest, said: "This pilot plant serves as tangible evidence of the scalability of our process. With a lower investment when compared to alternative technologies, and within a mere 200 square metres, we can achieve a daily production of 25 kg."

Katelijne Bekers, CEO of MicroHarvest, commented: "Within just six months of opening our Lisbon office, our team has doubled in size, and we've achieved an impressive feat by constructing the pilot plant in record time – a truly remarkable journey. Within the next three months, we are on track to introduce our first product to the market. These milestones underscore our commitment to driving real impact by bringing commercially competitive, consistent and sustainable ingredients to market fast."

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