Key Takeaways
- Brevel, a climate food-tech company, has extended its seed round to US$25 million through warrant exercises by existing investors.
- The funding will support go-to-market activities, scale-up operations, and advance microalgae protein development.
- Notable investors include NevaTeam Partners, Siddhi Capital, the EU’s EIC Fund, and The Food Tech Lab.
- Brevel’s platform combines light and fermentation to produce nutrient-rich, functional, and flavor-neutral microalgae proteins.
- The company completed a commercial production scale-up and entered a joint-development agreement with CBC Group.
Brevel’s Seed Round Expansion Secured Through Warrant Exercise
Brevel Ltd., an Israeli-based climate food-tech company, has raised over US$5 million in a seed extension, bringing the total raised in the current round to US$25 million. The extension was driven by the exercise of investor warrants issued during the initial seed round closing in June 2023. The warrant exercise was entirely voluntary, signaling continued investor confidence in Brevel’s progress.
Among the returning and new investors are NevaTeam Partners, Siddhi Capital, the European Union’s EIC Fund, Good Protein Fund, The Food Tech Lab, and PVS Investments.
Brevel’s Focus on Microalgae-Based Protein Solutions
Brevel’s goal is to develop affordable, functional, and neutral-flavored microalgae-based protein ingredients suitable for a wide range of food and beverage applications. The company targets reducing the carbon footprint of protein production by replacing animal-based ingredients with climate-friendly alternatives.
“Our investors chose to reinvest based on Brevel’s impressive progress following the last round,” said Yonatan Golan, Co-Founder and CEO of Brevel. “Our vision is to scale up high-quality microalgae protein to meet global consumer demand in a sustainable way.”
Commercial Progress and Strategic Agreements
Recent milestones for Brevel include:
- Completion of a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) commercial production facility
- Scaling production technology to a 5,000-liter capacity
- Signing a joint-development and commercial agreement with The Central Bottling Company (CBC Group)
- Continued advancements in protein and polar lipid ingredient development
The new funding will support commercialization efforts, joint venture manufacturing negotiations, and future offtake agreements with industry partners.
Combining Light and Fermentation for Scalable Production
Brevel’s proprietary process merges traditional sugar-based fermentation with controlled light exposure in indoor bioreactors. This method allows the production of high yields of nutrient-dense microalgae without genetic modification.
While fermentation has typically been limited to dark environments, Brevel’s approach enables the retention of light-dependent nutrients and adds commercial value to the biomass.
Functional and Nutritional Ingredient Development
The company’s downstream processing yields a white, flavor-neutral microalgae protein isolate with full amino acid composition. It functions well in a variety of applications, offering emulsifying, gelling, and foaming capabilities. The ingredient is non-GMO, non-allergenic, and suitable for use in meat and dairy alternatives.
In addition to protein, Brevel’s process generates co-products such as oils, antioxidants, and fibers, forming a diversified ingredient portfolio that supports economic viability.
Brevel’s Path Toward Cost Parity and Next Product Launch
Brevel’s model draws parallels to soy protein production, where value is derived not just from the primary protein but also from the sale of secondary co-products.
“The combination of light and fermentation lets us optimize each part of the biomass,” said Golan. “This brings us closer to price parity with traditional protein sources.”
The company plans to introduce new microalgae-based food ingredients over the coming months, further expanding its offering.
