Luyef Secures $1.25 Million in Grants to Advance Cultivated Meat Production

Luyef, a biotechnology startup based in Santiago, Chile, has secured $1.25 million in grants to advance its efforts in cultivated meat production. Founded in 2020 by biotechnology engineer Kris Blanchard, the company focuses on scaling sustainable and cost-effective meat production using precision fermentation to produce animal proteins.

The grants include approximately $1 million from Chile’s Economic Development Agency (CORFO) and $250,000 from the Good Food Institute (GFI). CORFO’s funding will support the development of thermostable growth factors and nutrient-rich media supplements derived from agro-industrial by-products, aimed at reducing costs and improving scalability. GFI’s grant will fund the creation of a nutrient-rich media supplement using hydrolysates from lupin waste and lipid-producing yeast, addressing the high expense of traditional cell culture media.

Luyef is commercializing a bovine myoglobin ingredient, TAMEE (The Authentic Meat-Eating Experience), to enhance the taste and color of plant-based and cultivated meat products. With support from investors such as Sustainable Food Ventures, Big Idea Ventures, and others, the startup is also pursuing a $4 million seed round to further its mission. Recognized as one of Hello Tomorrow’s Deep Tech Pioneers, Luyef continues to gain traction in the biotechnology field.

Dr. Blanchard emphasized the significance of these grants, noting that they represent progress toward a sustainable and animal-free production system while highlighting the Chilean government’s role in supporting high-risk technologies. The funding positions Luyef to make further strides in addressing the challenges of scalability and sustainability in cultivated meat production.