Cellular agriculture enables the growth of real animal cells, resulting in the production of meat in bioreactors. BlueNalu, Gourmey and Mosa Meat are demonstrating that cultivated meat can meet commercial and culinary standards. This approach significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and land use compared to conventional livestock.
Molecular farming utilizes plants as bioreactors to produce functional proteins. Nobell Foods produces casein from soybeans, Moolec Science generates myoglobin in safflower, and BioBetter expresses growth factors in tobacco plants. Molecular farming has lower capital requirements and energy use than fermentation or cell culture and can leverage existing agricultural infrastructure.
Upcycling transforms food byproducts into high-value ingredients. Renewal Mill converts soybean pulp into protein- and fibre-rich flour, and YeastUp extracts proteins and fibres from spent brewers’ yeast. Upcycling avoids new land use, reduces landfill methane emissions and builds circular supply chains.
Sustainable inputs, such as microalgae, fungi and pulses, are being harnessed to create high-nutrition, low-impact ingredients. Companies like Algama utilize microalgae to create cost-effective egg replacers, while Ingrediome employs precision fermentation with cyanobacteria to produce authentic meat proteins for deli products, significantly reducing environmental impact. Together, these innovations form a new wave of resilient, scalable ingredients that support a healthier planet.
Technology and data
Artificial intelligence and digital tools are accelerating the development of new foods. AI can optimise formulations, predict taste and texture, model mouthfeel, and simulate nutrition profiles. Climax Foods uses machine learning to replicate cheese textures without dairy, reducing product development cycles from years to months.
AI also identifies novel blends of plant fibres and oils to mimic animal fats. This reduces development time, lowers costs and helps overcome consumer resistance to plant-based or cultivated products. Companies are combining AI with sustainable inputs, using fungi as scaffolds for cultured meat or algae in fermentation media to lower costs.
These digital tools are enabling modular, flexible and scalable innovation. Ingredients can be adapted to local tastes, regional crops can be used effectively, and supply chains become more resilient to climate or market shocks. AI is no longer a peripheral tool; it is integral to creating a new, 21st-century food system.
Beyond food
The same foundational bio-innovations that are transforming our food system are now actively reshaping the materials landscape. We are moving beyond food to a world where animal-free collagen, mycelium leather and textiles derived from algae offer viable, sustainable alternatives. These novel materials reduce emissions throughout the entire product lifecycle, support a circular economy, and offer consumers ethical choices.
For the food industry, this means the opportunity to fully decarbonize supply chains by complementing novel protein innovations with biodegradable packaging and next-generation coatings, all produced without the use of petrochemicals or animal inputs.
Furthermore, the cell-ag approach is rapidly expanding beyond food and materials into high-value industrial markets. Companies are establishing critical beachheads in nutraceuticals, personal care and pharmaceuticals. A prime example is TissenBioFarm’s collaboration on the DR.KJ brand, which leverages proprietary biotissue engineering to create high-performance, regenerative skincare, demonstrating a straightforward and successful path from lab-based innovation to a premium consumer product.
Challenges
Significant barriers still hinder the growth of novel food technologies. Outdated regulatory frameworks struggle to keep pace with innovations like cellular agriculture, requiring harmonized, science-based standards to facilitate scaling. Infrastructure is another major constraint, as large-scale production depends on specialized bioreactors and facilities, necessitating shared hubs and public investment.
Consumer skepticism and perceptions of “lab-grown” products must be addressed through transparency and clear labelling.
Furthermore, powerful legacy industries and their lobbying influence pose a substantial obstacle. Finally, for true global impact, these innovations must reach emerging markets through technology transfer and regional partnerships to ensure equitable adoption.
A call to action
The transformation of our food system is a pivotal step toward decarbonising our economy and building a regenerative future. Entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and industry professionals now have the opportunity to shape a system where food nourishes people and preserves the planet. This requires integrating novel ingredients, investing in B2B infrastructure, advocating for clear policy, and educating consumers — all to reduce our collective footprint and make our methods more humane.
This future is already unfolding. Imagine a world where burgers grow in bioreactors, desserts originate from upcycled grains and proteins are produced directly from plants without harming animals. These innovations are genuine today. Cell-cultivated meat offers a kinder alternative in restaurants, upcycled snacks provide a healthier choice in supermarkets, and algae-based proteins are appearing on shelves.
We have the knowledge, tools, and experience to redefine how food is produced. Beyond Impact is proud to partner with the B2B innovators and pioneers who are leading this cleaner, kinder, healthier revolution.
Together, we can build a food system that sustains life, strengthens communities, and preserves ecosystems for future generations.
Article by Claire Smith, the founder of humane investment platform Beyond Investing, is a vegan and environmentalist with 33 years experience in finance and investment at top-tier banks and investment houses
Beyond Investing creates investment programs designed for animal advocates and climate conscious investors in both public listed equity markets and venture capital.
Beyond Advisors is the architect of the US Vegan Climate Index, Europe Vegan Climate Index and Global Vegan Climate Index, a range of stock indexes which screen out all animal exploitation and fossil fuel from major market benchmarks, and the Vegan World Index, which provides a targeted portfolio of small to midcap companies relevant to the vegan trend. Beyond Advisors US subsidiary Beyond Investing is sponsor of the US Vegan Climate ETF, listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Beyond Impact focuses on investment in early stage and growth companies providing vegan, plant-based and cruelty-free products and services.
Beyond Animal is a networking and funding platform for the animal-free products industry to connect, share information and collaborate, which incorporates Funding by Beyond Animal a tool for qualified investors to access direct investments in animal alternatives.
Claire is the founder of Beyond Cruelty Foundation, formed to campaign for zero animal exploitation and to fund safe havens for animals, which will also receive a portion of profits of companies under the Beyond Investing umbrella.Previously, she was a research analyst, partner and shareholder at alternatives advisory firm Albourne Partners, covering managers globally across systematic quantitative equity, convertible and volatility and hedging strategies. Claire also led a project to expand Albourne’s proprietary database on alternatives managers and digitize the research process.
Prior to joining Albourne in 2004, Claire provided bespoke hedge fund research to London funds of funds and published well over 100 articles in the financial press. From 1986 to 1998 Claire was employed at various UBS group companies as a derivatives broker, marketer and structurer. Claire started her career in 1985 as a credit analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank after completing a Masters program in Chemical Engineering and Management at Imperial College, London.
Claire founded 100 Women in Finance in Geneva in 2007 and oversaw its growth in Switzerland through till 2014, as a member of the London Board, organizing over 100 events, including seven Galas which raised well over $1 million for charity. From 2013 to 2018 Claire served on the Board of AVVEC, a Geneva-based charity that provides support to victims of domestic violence.