Chile’s Luyef Receives $1.25M to Develop Nutrients for Cultivated Meat Using Fermentation and Agro By-Products

Chilean biotech startup Luyef has received $1.25 million in grants to develop nutrients for cultivated meat production using fermentation and agro by-products. The company, which is focused on cellular agriculture, is working on scaling up cultivated meat production at industrial levels and using precision fermentation to produce animal proteins. They are commercializing a bovine myoglobin ingredient called TAMEE to enhance the taste and color of plant-based and cultivated meat products.

The grants, provided by The Ganesha Lab and the Chilean Economic Development Agency, will be used to develop thermostable growth factors and nutrient-rich media supplements from upcycled agro-industrial by-products. This innovation aims to replace costly additives and animal-derived components to make cultivated meat production more scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable. The support from the grants reflects the Chilean government's commitment to fostering emerging industries and high-risk technologies.