Cow-free dairy startup Those Vegan Cowboys closes €6.25 million funding round as it eyes crowdfunding campaign

Ghent-based FoodTech start-up Those Vegan Cowboys has actually safeguarded EUR6.25 million in its very first financing round to increase the advancement of its cow-free casein, an essential dairy products healthy protein used accuracy fermentation– with strategies to introduce a crowdfunding project in the coming months.

The financing round was led by Pieter Geelen, founder of navigating gigantic TomTom, and consisted of payments from Westland Kaas, the Dutch cheese manufacturer behind Old Amsterdam, and Wouter Veenboer, founder of the advertisement automation system ProductHero. The resources will certainly protect the start-up’s procedures for the following 2 years, as it borders closer to regulative clearance in the USA and increases for commercialisation.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Hille van der Kaa stresses the value of the financing: ” This is where sustainability, modern technology and market integrated. Our companions identify that animal-free casein is no more a remote vision, however all set for business application. This financial investment enables us to relocate from advancement to market access.”

This year has actually revealed ongoing financing task throughout accuracy fermentation and surrounding FoodTech sections, offering context for the EUR6.25 million preliminary elevated by Those Vegan Cowboys.

Current instances consist of PFx Biotech, a Porto-based start-up that safeguarded EUR2.5 million to create allergy-free human milk healthy proteins utilizing accuracy fermentation, and SUMM Ingredients from Copenhagen, which elevated EUR1.7 million to increase the business rollout of its fermented healthy protein active ingredient for food producers. At a later phase, Revyve, based in the Netherlands, shut a EUR24 million Collection B to range yeast-based healthy proteins developed to change eggs and ingredients in mainstream food.

EU-Startups has actually likewise reported on Fungu’it, which elevated EUR4 million to create fungi-based all-natural flavourings, and EvodiaBio, a Copenhagen-based business that safeguarded EUR6 million to scale fermentation-driven flavour innovations for commercial applications.

With Each Other, these 2025 rounds stand for roughly EUR38 million spent right into fermentation-led and very closely associated FoodTech development, prior to consisting of Those Vegan Cowboys’ very own funding.

The information indicate continual resources allotment throughout adjoining European markets, specifically in different healthy proteins, practical active ingredients, and fermentation-enabled food innovations.

Frank Fischer, CFO of Westland Kaas includes: ” As Westland Kaas, we have actually constantly integrated practice with modern technology. We remain to purchase development to transform cheese for future generations. Our financial investment in Those Vegan Cowboys shows our dedication to open up development and next-generation food innovations.”

Those Vegan Cowboys was established in 2020 by previous The Vegan Butcher owners Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman. The business’s development depends on generating casein– the crucial healthy protein in typical dairy products– utilizing microorganisms rather than cows. This allows the manufacturing of cheese that is bioidentical to its dairy products equivalent however totally animal-free.

The start-up is currently collaborating with 10 commercial companions throughout Europe on numerous applications for its cow-free casein, from thawing mozzarella options to semi-hard cheeses. It formerly joined financier Westland Kaas to introduce the plant-based cheese brand name WildWestLand, a nod to the business’s wacky cowboy-themed branding and an initial step towards mainstream acknowledgment.

The business is currently preparing to open its objective to the general public by means of a crowdfunding project– most likely the very first of its kind in the accuracy fermentation dairy products room. This effort intends not just to increase extra funds however likewise to promote brand name recognition and customer buy-in.

Samplings of their cheese models are prepared for 2026 in the Netherlands, providing very early backers an opportunity to experience the outcomes first-hand.

Financier Wouter Veenboer likewise highlighted the expanding seriousness for lasting options: ” This has the possible to be a significant advancement. As animals farming remains to industrialise, the demand to soothe the dependence on pets comes to be extra immediate. Cheese is just one of the items customers miss out on most when they minimize dairy products. I’m thrilled to assist make this vision a fact.”

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