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investors eat up orbillion bio’s plans for lab-grown wagyu beef, elk and bison

AVATAR Jonathan Shieber
Jonathan Shieber
Writer, TechCrunch
April 26, 2021
investors eat up orbillion bio’s plans for lab-grown wagyu beef, elk and bison

Orbillion Bio Secures $5 Million in Funding for Cultivated Meat Production

Orbillion Bio, a company focused on the development of cultivated meats, has attracted significant investor interest, resulting in a substantial funding round.

Just weeks after completing the Y Combinator accelerator program, the Silicon Valley-based firm has successfully raised $5 million in financing.

Leadership and Expertise

The company is spearheaded by Patricia Bubner, Gabriel Levesque-Tremblay, and Samet Yildirim.

Collectively, these leaders bring over three decades of experience in bioprocessing and the biopharmaceutical sectors.

Public Tasting and Product Showcase

Orbillion Bio recently hosted its inaugural public tasting event.

The event featured cultivated meats, including blends of elk, beef, and sheep, presented directly from the laboratory setting.

Investment Details

The $5 million funding round included contributions from several prominent investors:

  • At One Ventures, also supporting Finless Foods and Wild Earth.
  • Metaplanet Holdings.
  • k16 ventures, a European investment firm.
  • FoundersX Ventures, with prior investment in SpaceX.
  • Prithi Ventures, backing Mission Barns and Turtle Tree Labs.
  • Angel investors including Jonghoon Lim (CEO of Hanmi Pharmaceuticals), Kris Corzine, Ethan Perlstein (CEO of Perlara), and a leading university endowment.

Investor Perspective

Ali Rohde, GP at Outset Capital, highlighted Orbillion’s strategic focus on premium, distinctive meats like lamb, elk, Wagyu beef, and bison.

Rohde also emphasized the company’s strong scientific foundation, experienced team, and dedication to flavor, evidenced by the inclusion of a Master Butcher on their advisory board.

Lab-grown meat represents the future of food production, and Orbillion Bio is actively leading the charge,” Rohde stated.

Future Plans

The newly acquired funds will be allocated towards initiating pilot production of Orbillion Bio’s first commercial product.

This initial offering will be a cultivated Wagyu beef product.

#lab-grown meat#cultivated meat#Wagyu beef#elk#bison#Orbillion Bio

Jonathan Shieber

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Jonathan Shieber