StartLife has awarded €100,000 pre-seed funding to each of two pioneering Dutch agrifoodtech startups, New Dawn Bio and AlgaeforFood. Funded in collaboration with the Province of Gelderland and Oost NL, this financial boost will enable the startups to advance their groundbreaking solutions for sustainable food systems.
“We are proud to support New Dawn Bio and AlgaeforFood as they tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing our planet,” said Loet Rummenie, StartLife’s Program Director. “These startups exemplify both the ingenuity and determination needed to create a more sustainable agrifood sector and the unwavering commitment of the Food Valley ecosystem to fostering innovation and sustainability.”
Cultured Wood and Algae-Based Proteins for a Sustainable Future
New Dawn Bio is revolutionizing the future of forestry by growing premium wood directly from cells, offering a sustainable substitute for deforestation-heavy traditional wood products. Founding CEO Clement envisions a future where the highest quality woods can be sourced without degradation of our planet’s most crucial forests. “This funding allows us to accelerate our R&D and get to market faster,” said Tom.
AlgaeforFood, led by founder and CEO Ewoud de Voogd, is tackling the global food challenge with its innovative micro-algae-based food ingredients. The startup is developing egg yolk replacements to create high-quality, sustainable emulsifiers and binders that address the growing demand for plant-based diets. “StartLife’s support propels our mission to bring algae-based emulsifiers to market and make a real impact on the future of food,” Ewoud remarked.
Bridging Gap Between Concept Development and Seed-stage
The funding is part of StartLife’s mission to support startups addressing critical challenges in the food and agriculture industries. The pre-seed fund is designed to help early-stage startups in the Netherlands bridge the gap between concept development and seed-stage financing. The initiative provides critical resources, mentorship, and access to StartLife’s global agrifood network.
The awarded funds will be used to advance product development, validate business models, and attract further investment. Both startups are key contributors to StartLife’s and Oost NL’s broader initiative to showcase the Netherlands as a global agrifood innovation powerhouse fuelled by game-changing startups. The support of the Province of Gelderland is instrumental in driving these efforts, positioning both the Food Valley region, and the Netherlands, as a hub for agrifoodtech excellence.
