NEW TECH FOODS

Brno-based startup Mewery has raised €3 million to advance its cultivated meat technology and move towards industrial-scale testing.

The funding includes a €2.5 million grant from the EIC Accelerator programme, recommended by the European Innovation Council and funded by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.

The investment will enable Mewery to increase biomass production volumes in preparation for pilot testing with meat producers. Founder and CEO Roman Lauš said: “This will be a crucial step that will open the way for us to test our technology with meat producers. We are already starting to approach companies that are interested in being among the first to bring a new generation of food to the market.”

Mewery expects to begin pilot projects in the EU, including the Czech Republic, in the coming months.

Over the past year, the company has raised €3 million in total funding – including public support, VC investments and international awards – bringing its total funding since inception to more than €4 million.

Lauš stated: "Thanks to European grants, we were able to focus all our efforts on research and development last year – which is exactly what grant funding should be used for, ie to enable scientific development to reach a stage where it makes sense for commercial scaling and becomes relevant for venture capital."

"We see this award and funding from local sources as a strong sign of confidence – not only in our team, but also in the very idea of cultivated meat as a sustainable alternative. European validation at this level proves that our project is at the absolute forefront of technology and ready for scaling up to pilot production. Such recognition is a significant validation of the scientific and technical quality of our solution and also strengthens the prestige of the entire Czech innovation ecosystem."