Innovative climate tech startup Arborea has secured significant funding to boost its sustainable protein production technology.
- Arborea’s Biosolar Leaf system offers a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional agriculture.
- The technology uses significantly less water and land while promoting carbon sequestration.
- New funding will facilitate the launch of a commercial-scale facility to meet future global protein demands.
- Leading investors see potential in Arborea’s ability to transform the food industry with its innovative processes.
Arborea, a promising climate tech firm, recently raised £4.1 million in a funding round aimed at advancing its sustainable food production technology. With operations based in London and Portugal, the company plans to utilise these funds to establish a commercial-scale protein production facility. This initiative is grounded in its innovative Biosolar Leaf technology.
The Biosolar Leaf system is designed to produce a higher yield of protein per square mile compared to traditional agricultural methods. The process reduces reliance on climate-intensive livestock practices by leveraging photosynthesis through micro-plants like marine microalgae. The system effectively sequesters carbon dioxide while using sunlight as an energy source, releasing breathable oxygen in return.
One of the key advantages of Arborea’s technology is its efficient use of water. It requires five times less water than soy cultivation and 40 times less than conventional livestock farming. Such efficiency aligns well with the global push towards sustainable agricultural practices, providing an alternative solution to pressing environmental concerns.
The company’s vision extends to meeting the projected global protein demand by 2050 using a relatively small land area. According to Arborea, this could be achieved on non-fertile land the size of the New York Metropolitan Area, highlighting the scalability of their solution.
The investment round was led by Indico Capital Partners, with additional backing from Banco Português de Fomento. Stephan de Moraes of Indico Capital expressed optimism about Arborea’s potential, noting its capability to produce protein quantity beyond traditional food production methods. This positions Arborea to significantly impact the food industry, particularly in reducing reliance on animal-based proteins.
The investment in Arborea underscores the growing recognition of innovative, sustainable solutions in tackling food security and climate change challenges.
