Polish biotech startup Proteine Resources has secured €9.5m in blended financing from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator to develop next-generation functional proteins using insects.
Proteine will use the funding to build a factory producing functional, high-performance proteins tailored to the needs of animals at a scale not seen before in Europe.
The facility will feature an automated, AI-driven bioconversion platform using specially-bred buffalo mealworms to upcycle mushroom stems and mycelium that would otherwise be wasted into a beef alternative for petfood. The company claims its unique process produces premium-grade protein rich in bioavailable taurine and L-arginine with a similar profile to beef and which is highly palatable for pets. The protein has been given veterinary approval by the EU.
Konrad Wlodarczyk, co-founder of Proteine Resources, said: “We’re not just producing protein – we’re delivering a performance ingredient.
“It works because it’s built with biology in mind — from the input stream to the metabolic profile.”
Proteine Resources is backed by VC firms SMOK Ventures and Bitspiration Booster.
