We are redesigning precision fermentation to enable truly-scalable animal-free food production. Unsustainable agriculture and livestock industry are among the key drivers of GHG emissions, land use change and water use. To fight against environmental degradation, the food industry has been looking at innovative technologies to produce animal-free proteins. Precision fermentation allows production of biological compounds in microorganisms. Through this method, animal proteins can be produced in yeast and fungi and utilised for human consumption. However, precision fermentation is a technology developed over 50 years ago and optimised for the production of pharmaceutical high-value compounds like insulin. Without fundamental redesigning it cannot solve the key challenges that the current food industry is facing. At BravelyCultured we are a team of PhD scientists and food supply-chain sustainability experts and we are selecting for novel marine microorganisms and seaweed-based feedstocks for precision fermentation. Our goal is to develop the technology which will decouple our food-supply chains from agriculture and shift it towards utilisation of the most plentiful resource on the planet -- the ocean. The core objective of this project is to co-optimize our seaweed-based feedstocks and the most promising yeast and fungal strains to enhance cellulase enzyme secretion capacity. Cellulase finds extensive use in wine, coffee, juice, paper, and textile industries. Our aim is to provide a cost-effective and sustainably produced source of cellulase (high yielding cellulase secreting microorganism growing on optimal seaweed based feedstock), creating a readily commercialisable outcome. Our novel marine microorganisms naturally produce cellulase when cultivated on seaweed feedstocks. To further enhance cellulase yields, we will employ directed evolution and random mutagenesis techniques. Collaborating with Multus Biotechnology, experts in feedstock development, we will optimise our seaweed-based feedstocks, significantly improving the economics of precision fermentation. In the long term, we envision applying synthetic biology approaches to engineer our optimised strains for animal protein production on sustainable feedstocks, forming the cornerstone of our commercialisation strategy. Through this grant, we are eager to unlock the vast potential of precision fermentation and pave the way for a more sustainable and ethical food future.

Our global food system needs transformational change. Today, animal-derived protein production occupies 83% of farmland and accounts for 60% of agriculture GHG emissions. If the world shifted to a plant-based diet, we would reduce global land use for agriculture by 75%, as well as decrease its impacts on deforestation and freshwater use. However, drastic dietary changes are difficult to achieve, and current vegan alternatives do not meet consumers' expectations in terms of taste and texture. At BravelyCultured, we are bravely cultivating the future of sustainable protein production. We use precision fermentation and collaborate with existing plant-based food manufacturers to produce delicious foods that taste and feel like the foods we know and love, but at a reduced cost to both people and planet. Our solution emits 81% less carbon and uses 97% less freshwater than mainstream agriculture and is 31% cheaper than current traditional precision fermentation techniques. BravelyCultured are harnessing the power of the ocean to cultivate the next generation of alt-proteins by precision fermentation. By using sustainable feedstocks containing seawater, seaweed, and food waste we will dramatically reduce the environmental impact of protein production. In order to use such feedstocks, however, we must identify novel marine species of yeast or fungi that can naturally produce high yields of protein in these conditions. Marine environments offer a treasure trove of untapped potential. It is thought that less than 1% of marine fungi have been discovered! During this project, we will isolate and cultivate a vast panel of marine yeast and fungi and assess their potential for protein production. Ultimately, we will genetically engineer our top candidate species such that they produce high-quality protein ingredients that are sustainable, nutritious, and delicious. We will collaborate with existing plant-based dairy and meat manufacturers to bring to the market alternative foods that are a perfect replica of their animal-derived counterparts but have a net-positive impact on the planet.