Edinburgh-based food tech company, Roslin Technologies, is set to receive investment from Kickstart Ventures through the Ayala Corporation Technology Innovation Venture (ACTIVE) Fund. This strategic partnership aims to further Roslin’s mission of becoming the global leader in providing animal cell lines for the cultivated meat industry.
Cultivated meat, grown directly from animal cells without raising animals, is an emerging field of food technology. Spun out from the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, where Dolly the Sheep was cloned in the nineties, Roslin Technologies is at the forefront of this sector. The company specializes in developing pluripotent animal stem cells that can self-renew indefinitely and differentiate into desired end tissues such as fat and muscle cells. With customers across North America, Europe, and Asia, the company supplies these cells to cultivated meat producers globally.
Kickstart Ventures, backed by the Philippines’ oldest and one of the largest conglomerates, Ayala Corporation, is a venture capital firm known for investing in companies addressing systemic supply chain issues. The firm views the increasing food prices, the growing global protein gap, and the resulting food insecurity as significant challenges in the Philippines. The potential of cultivated meat to offer shorter supply chains, reduced production time, and comparable nutrition to conventional meat is seen as a compelling and scalable solution.
Kickstart Ventures’ investment will strengthen Roslin Technologies’ footprint in Asia and expand its international shareholder base, which includes investors from the UK, Europe, Asia, and the US, indicating the global potential of Roslin’s offering.
Roslin Technologies’ CEO, Ernst van Orsouw, expresses excitement about the partnership, saying that Kickstart’s passionate involvement will assist in expanding the company’s Asian presence. Minette Navarrete, President and Co-Founder of Kickstart Ventures, recognizes the investment as a milestone. She emphasizes the significance of innovative technologies like Roslin’s in addressing food security globally, especially in emerging markets.
Natalie Black, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific, lauds the investment, highlighting the strength of the UK’s tech sector and its potential impact on the future of food security.
Image provided by Roslin Technologies
