TIME Magazine Selects Cultivated Meat and Lab-Grown Cotton as Top Innovations of 2024

TIME Magazine has recognized advancements in cultivated meat technology as one of the best inventions of 2024, underscoring the potential of these technologies to contribute to the future of our planet and food supply. The list features Dutch startup Meatable's cultivated pork technology, Boston-based Galy's lab-grown cotton, and California's Brightseed with its AI platform for functional plant-based ingredients.

Meatable has developed an innovative "Opti-ox" technology, allowing for cultivated meat production within just four days, maximizing productivity and scalability. Galy has pioneered techniques to cultivate cells to produce lab-grown cotton with the same characteristics as traditional cotton, but with reduced environmental impact. Brightseed leverages an AI platform to identify bioactive compounds in plants, driving innovation in health-focused foods.

Enifer Pursues New Food Approval for Fungal Protein in the EU, Singapore, and Beyond

Finnish startup Enifer has submitted a novel food approval application for its Pekilo mycoprotein in the European Union and plans to seek approvals in Singapore, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Following the completion of Series B funding and securing loans for a new factory, Enifer is moving forward with regulatory approvals in multiple markets.

Enifer is the first Nordic mycoprotein manufacturer to apply for new food approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) under the strictest safety standards, explained CEO Simo Ellilä. The company plans to complete a facility in Kirkkonummi, Finland, by 2025 with the capacity to produce 3,000 tons of mycoprotein annually. Pekilo, a nutrient-rich alternative to animal protein, can be used in pet food, aquaculture, and human foods.

Enifer also intends to integrate Pekilo into products through collaborations with Nutreco’s aquaculture feed division, pet food giant Purina, and dairy leader Valio. Amid a surge of interest in fungal proteins, Enifer is planning a limited release in Singapore.

심플플래닛, 세포배양 기술로 푸드앤테크대상 2년 연속 수상

세포 배양 기술 기반 미래식품 및 기능성 바이오 신소재 원료를 개발하는 심플플래닛 (SIMPLE planet)이 ‘2024 대한민국푸드앤푸드테크대상’에서 푸드테크 기술 부문 대상을 수상했다고 밝혔다.

심플플래닛은 △대량생산용 부유배양 특화세포주 확립 △안전성이 확보된 무혈청 식용배양액 개발 △미니 플랜트 단계의 고단백 배양육 파우더·불포화지방산 고함유 동물성 지방 원료 생산 등에 주력해 왔다. 이러한 세포 배양 기술력을 바탕으로 다양한 건강기능식 및 화장품 원료 등 기능성 바이오 신소재 원료 연구 범위를 확대하고 있다.

이번 시상식에는 ‘줄기세포 유래 시크리톰 (secretome)의 기능성 원료’로 출품하여 2년 연속 푸드테크 부문 대상을 수상했다. 

SIMPLE Planet Wins Food & Tech Award for Cell Cultivation Technology for the Second Consecutive Year

SIMPLE Planet, which develops future foods and functional bio-based materials using cell cultivation technology, has announced that it won the top prize in the Food Tech category at the "2024 Korea Food & Food Tech Awards."

SIMPLE Planet has focused on developing specialized cell lines for mass production, a safe serum-free edible culture medium, and high-protein cultivated meat powder and animal fat ingredients rich in unsaturated fatty acids at a mini-plant scale. With its advanced cell cultivation technology, SIMPLE Planet has expanded its research scope to include functional bio-based materials for health food and cosmetic ingredients.

At this year's award ceremony, SIMPLE Planet was honored with the top Food Tech award for the second consecutive year for its submission of "stem cell-derived secretome functional ingredients."

70년 에너지기업 삼천리, K스타트업 5곳 키운다

물을 전해액으로 사용해 안전한 배터리를 개발하는 스타트업, 동물을 죽이지 않고도 고기(배양육)를 생산하는 K스타트업이 삼천리그룹에서 수억 원씩 투자를 받게 됐다.

1일 삼천리그룹은 삼천리모터스 군포 커넥티드센터에서 투자 연계형 스타트업 발굴 콘테스트 '에스-투게더(S-Together)' 데모데이를 개최했다고 밝혔다. 에스투게더는 삼천리그룹이 내년 창립 70주년을 앞두고 창의적인 아이디어와 풍부한 발전 가능성을 갖춘 스타트업을 발굴·육성하기 위해 올해 처음 개최했다. 

이날 데모데이에서 △일회용품을 대체할 수 있는 다회용기를 개발하는 더그리트 △물 전해액을 사용해 차세대 비발화성 물 배터리를 개발하는 코스모스랩 △민감 정보 유출 없는 보안 합성 데이터를 생성하는 큐빅 △인공지능(AI) 기반으로 폐기물 선별 로봇을 생산하는 에이트테크 △세포 배양 식품 원료(대체 단백과 불포화 지방산)를 생산하는 심플플래닛이 지원 대상에 뽑혔다. 대상 5000만원(코스모스랩), 금상 3000만원(심플플래닛)을 비롯해 상금을 수여한 것과 별도로, 삼천리그룹은 이들 5곳 스타트업에 기업당 3억원 내외를 투자하고 사업화 연계 같은 지원을 진행할 계획이다.

Samchully, Celebrating 70 Years, Invests in 5 Promising K-Startups

A Korean startup developing a safe battery that uses water as an electrolyte and another producing lab-grown meat without animal slaughter are set to receive significant investment from Samchully Group.

On the 1st, Samchully Group held a demo day for its startup discovery contest "S-Together" at Samchully Motors' Gunpo Connected Center. The S-Together contest, launched this year to mark Samchully Group’s upcoming 70th anniversary, was created to identify and support startups with innovative ideas and strong growth potential.

During the demo day, five startups were selected as recipients for support: The Greet, which develops reusable containers to replace single-use products; Cosmos Lab, which creates next-generation, non-flammable water batteries using water-based electrolytes; Cubik, which generates synthetic data for secure information handling without compromising sensitive data; Eight Tech, which produces AI-based waste-sorting robots; and Simple Planet, which produces cultured food ingredients like alternative proteins and unsaturated fatty acids. Cosmos Lab received the grand prize of 50 million won, and Simple Planet received a gold award worth 30 million won. In addition to the prize money, Samchully Group plans to invest around 300 million won in each of the five startups and provide support for business commercialization.

"UN SDGs 충족해도 무관심…ESG처럼 분위기 만들어져야"

10년 전인 지난 2015년 UN은 빈곤과 기후 위기 등 인류를 위협하는 요소를 극복하기 위해 17가지 비전을 담은 'SDGs'(지속가능 개발 목표)를 제정했다. 오는 2030년까지 SDGs가 기업의 경영 전반에 적용되도록 하는 것이 목표였다.

하지만 10년이 지난 현재, SDGs라는 개념은 여전히 생소하다. 이는 창업 생태계에서도 다르지 않다. SDGs 가치에 부합하는 사업모델을 가진 스타트업이어도 아직 국내에서는 인정받지 못하는 분위기다.

UN의 '지속가능 발전 목표'를 달성하기 위해 유엔협회세계연맹(WFUNA) 서울사무국이 스위스 제네바에서 개최한 WISE(WFUNA Impact Startup Ecosystem) 콘퍼런스에서 바이오 푸드테크 스타트업 '심플플래닛'을 만나 이야기를 들어봤다.

"UN SDGs Lack Recognition; Need Atmosphere Similar to ESG for Broader Adoption"

Ten years ago, in 2015, the United Nations established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a framework of 17 goals aimed at addressing global challenges such as poverty and climate crisis by 2030. However, awareness of the SDGs remains low even a decade later, particularly within the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Korea.

The UN Association World Federation (WFUNA) hosted the WISE (WFUNA Impact Startup Ecosystem) conference in Geneva, Switzerland, where they discussed the importance of creating an ESG-like environment to encourage adoption of SDGs in business practices. At this conference, a bio-food tech startup, SIMPLE Planet, shared insights into the challenges of gaining recognition for startup business models aligned with SDG values within Korea.

For more details on future-focused innovations and technologies

발보아키친, 간편 오트밀 오트죽 2종 신규 출시

간편식 브랜드 발보아키친이 ‘2024 대한민국푸드앤푸드테크대상’에서 간편식 부문 대상을 수상했다고 6일 밝혔다.

이번 시상식에서 발보아키친은 간편 오트죽 2종, 매쉬드 포테이토 2종이 연달아 수상하면서 4관왕이라는 쾌거를 달성했다.

발보아키친은 그래놀라, 그래놀라바, 오트죽, 매쉬드포테이토 등 영양학 전문가의 체계적인 설계를 바탕으로 저당, 저칼로리 등을 비롯해 균형 잡힌 식습관 형성에 도움을 주는 제품들을 선보이고 있다.

이번에 대상을 수상한 발보아 오트죽 2종 (소고기미역, 후추계란)은 혈당지수가 낮은 오트밀을 한국의 죽 형태로 재해석한 제품이다. 매쉬드 포테이토는 물에 파우더 형태의 감자 분말을 넣어 1분이면 조리 가능한 것이 특징이다.

발보아 키친을 운영하는 (주)심플플래닛의 브랜드전략본부 이화진 상무이사는 “발보아키친의 오트죽, 매쉬드 포테이트는 식품 시장에서 전무했던 아이디어 상품으로 오랜 R&D의 결과물”이라며 “오랜 시간 동안 연구·개발한 만큼 많은 사랑을 보내주셔서 감사드리고 혁신적인 제품을 출시하여 식품 시장에서 존재감을 발휘하겠다”라고 말했다.

※ 발보아키친은 심플플래닛에서 론칭한 프리미엄 간편식 브랜드로 추후 심플플래닛의 세포 기반 대체 식품 원료를 활용한 세포농업 식품 브랜드로의 전환을 목표로 하고 있다.
※ 세포 농업 원료는 사용되지 않은 제품이다.

Balboa Kitchen Releases Two New Instant Oat Porridges

Instant food brand Valboa Kitchen announced on the 6th that it received the top prize in the convenience food category at the "2024 Korea Food & Food Tech Awards."

Valboa Kitchen, operated by SIMPLE Planet, received this recognition for its instant oat porridge products, which reinterpret low glycemic index oats in the form of Korean porridge in two flavors: beef and seaweed, and pepper egg. The company also showcased its mashed potato products, which can be prepared in one minute with water. Valboa Kitchen, operated by SIMPLE Planet, received this recognition for its instant oat porridge products, which reinterpret low glycemic index oats in the form of Korean porridge in two flavors: beef and seaweed, and pepper egg.

The brand also introduced two types of mashed potatoes, which can be prepared in just one minute by adding water to powdered potato flakes. According to Lee Hwa-jin, Executive Director of Brand Strategy at SIMPLE Planet, these oat porridges and mashed potatoes are innovative products that were unprecedented in the food market and are the result of extensive R&D. She expressed gratitude for the public’s support and affirmed the company’s commitment to launching more innovative products to make a mark in the food industry.

Ohly Launches Yeast-Based Bio-Nutrients to Boost Fermentation for Alternative Proteins

German supplier Ohly has introduced a new line of yeast-based bio-nutrients designed to enhance fermentation processes for cultivated meat, alternative proteins, cheese, and dairy substitutes.

These bio-nutrients act as a "powerful tool" by serving as a nitrogen source for achieving high yield, high batch output, and cost savings. They offer a balanced mix of amino acids, peptides, vitamins, minerals, growth factors, and nucleotides and can be tailored to meet specific requirements of each production host. The new line includes X-SEED® KAT Advanced, X-SEED® KAT Plus, and X-SEED® Carbo Peptone. Ohly has invested substantially in its X-SEED solutions, which support enzyme, probiotic, and culture production. The company is also constructing a modern enzyme plant in Hamburg, set to increase its production capacity for the alternative protein sector by up to 50%.