All-Female Investor Collective Supports New Zealand’s Opo Bio in Bio-Manufacturing Expansion

Epic Angels, the largest all-female investor collective globally, has joined a funding round for Opo Bio, a biotechnology startup based in New Zealand specializing in cell line manufacturing for cultivated meat and related sectors. Led by WNT Ventures, with contributions from Booster NZ, Inventors Fund, and funding through Callaghan Innovation, the investment will support Opo Bio's expansion in research and development, business development teams, and patent portfolio. The company, founded by Olivia Ogilvie and Laura Domigan at the University of Auckland, develops patented technology focused on producing high-quality cell lines for bio-manufacturing applications, aiming to provide accessible and affordable solutions to scale bio-manufacturing processes.

Opo Bio's technology addresses significant environmental concerns related to traditional livestock farming by improving the scalability and cost efficiency of bio-manufacturing, supporting reductions in animal use and associated greenhouse gas emissions. With a recent launch of Opo-Oink, a porcine cell line range for cultivated pork production, the company aims to revolutionize the bio-manufacturing industry and reduce its carbon footprint. Epic Angels, known for championing female-led innovation and supporting early-stage startups in the Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions, is excited to back Opo Bio's growth plans and leverage its global network of investors to aid in their success.