NAPIC Backs 33 Alternative Protein Projects With £1M in Second Funding Round

The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) has awarded over £1 million to 33 collaborative projects in its second round of Collaborative Programme Funding (CPF II), focusing on fermentation, plant proteins, algae, and food safety. The applications were open across six streams with varying grant sizes, ranging from Networking Awards up to £10,000 to PoC 2 projects up to £100,000 over 6 to 12 months. The funded projects cover a wide range of areas such as novel ingredient development, manufacturing scale-up, food authentication, consumer acceptance, and regulatory questions.

One of the recipients, HyphaPRO, a startup based in Exeter, is utilizing fungal precision fermentation to produce egg proteins. Another project involves the University of Sheffield and ProVeg UK working on increasing the uptake of plant-based meals in primary schools. NAPIC, one of four UK alternative protein centres, aims to create healthier, more sustainable food systems through collaboration and innovation across the entire ecosystem, showcasing the breadth of UK innovation and its potential impact on society, industry, and the economy.