Key Highlights
- Clever Carnivore, a Chicago biotech startup, successfully closed a $7 million seed round led by Lever VC, aiming to revolutionize the cultivated meat sector.
- The funding underscores Clever Carnivore’s innovative approach in producing low-cost, high-quality cultivated meat, leveraging advanced science and technology.
- Dr. Virginia Rangos, CEO, emphasizes the team’s dedication and the investors’ confidence in their cutting-edge science and business model.
- Global investor participation includes entities like McWin Capital Partners (Spain), Thia Ventures (Belgium/Switzerland), and Valo Ventures (Palo Alto).
- With the new investment, Clever Carnivore plans to scale up production and relocate to a larger facility, while preparing to launch their Clever Bratwurst in early 2024.
Source: Business Wire
Notable Quotes
- “This funding is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team and reaffirms the confidence that investors have in our cutting-edge science, technology and business model.” – Virginia Rangos, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder at Clever Carnivore
- “We’ve been tracking and investing across the global cultivated meat sector since the first such company launched eight years ago, and we haven’t seen anyone come remotely close to Clever Carnivore’s astoundingly low current cost of production.” – Nick Cooney, Managing Partner at Lever VC
- “Paul’s experience with cell line development and low-cost media, coupled with Clever Carnivore’s cells’ superior growth performance in animal component-free media, places Clever Carnivore in a unique position to rapidly iterate and evolve their production processes and product formulation in a cost- and time-efficient manner.” – Subodh Gupta, Partner at Valo Ventures
SoH's Take
The successful funding round of Clever Carnivore signals a pivotal moment in the cultivated meat industry. Their approach, blending innovative science with cost efficiency, positions them as a frontrunner in the sector. This investment not only highlights the market’s readiness for sustainable and ethical meat alternatives but also showcases the evolving landscape of food technology where quality, taste, and affordability align. Clever Carnivore’s expansion, coupled with their commitment to sustainable practices, could very well redefine consumer expectations and set new standards in the protein market. Their progress will be crucial to observe as they aim to balance environmental concerns with consumer demands, potentially leading a new era in the food industry.
