Global early-stage alt-protein and food-tech investor Big Idea Ventures has launched its third portfolio company through the Generation Food Rural Partners (GFRP) fund.

Nexture Bio will develop a novel cellular scaffolding technology that will support the advancement of alternative meat products. The new company will specialise in biomaterial technologies including scaffolding that enable the creation of 3D alternative meat products that more closely resemble whole cuts of meat.

Frank Klemens, MD of the GFRP fund, said: “Additional protein sources are needed to feed the growing human population. I am excited about Nexture Bio because the groundbreaking technology can create structuring technologies that are either edible or will not exist in the final product. Our fund’s mandate is to create companies that provide solutions to the most challenging areas in food and agriculture. Nexture Bio plans to address the challenges in the cultivated meats industry using innovative technologies and a dedicated team that prioritizes both technology and the consumer.

Producing cell-based meat requires a platform that connects cells, allowing them to organise, grow and differentiate. Nexture’s platform facilitates this, enabling cell-based meat suppliers to address the specific needs of their markets and products.

The board of directors of Nexture Bio has appointed Teryn Wolfe as CEO. Before joining Nexture Bio, Teryn was the CEO at Matrix Food Technologies, an enabling technology company specialising in extracellular matrices for the alt-protein industry.

Wolfe commented: “The cultivated meat industry has made incredible progress over the past few years regardless of a plethora of obstacles, technical challenges, and frankly – undeserved pessimism. I firmly believe that to maintain progress and reach our collective industry-wide goals, we need to focus on enabling technologies like extracellular matrices – or, scaffolds. I am delighted to be joining Nexture Bio and working alongside an experienced, world-class team to develop technologies that will support the industry’s ability to scale, diversify, and provide the world with more sustainable animal protein sources.”

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