Biotech firm cultivates a sustainable future with Innovate UK support
Bristol-based biotech company, Extracellular, is at the forefront of sustainable food innovation, developing cultivated meat products that promise to revolutionise health, environmental and food security. With bespoke business growth support from Innovate UK, Extracellular is rapidly scaling its operations, securing vital funding and making significant strides in the cultivated meat industry. The company has since raised £1.8 million in investments and secured more than £2 million in contracts from global customers.
Extracellular’s innovative technology cultivates meat by growing muscle and fat cells in a fermentation process, akin to brewing beer, reducing our reliance on animal products. The method not only reduces environmental impact but also strengthens food security, with Extracellular actively exploring opportunities to expand into land-scarce nations like Israel and Singapore.
“Cultivating beef in this way will require 95% less land than traditional cattle farming,” explains Nico Hutton, Chief Commercial Officer at Extracellular. “There’s still a long way to go before we see these products on the shelves in the UK, although progress is steady. Ten years ago, we needed a 1,000 times drop in costs, but new efficiencies are bringing these costs down. Today, the cost of cultivated meat production could theoretically be below £100 per kilogram and it continues to decrease.”
Bespoke strategic support
Extracellular began working with Innovate UK Business Growth in 2023, receiving tailored business growth support from Innovation and Growth Specialist, Stephen Robertshaw. Stephen helped Extracellular to develop a detailed growth action plan, focused on funding and finance to overcome key challenges. “Stephen’s been great,” says Nico. “He really believes in what we’re doing and has been fantastic at understanding our blockers and connecting us with the right specialists at the right time.”
Nico also praised the speed and efficiency of the support, stating: “I’ve really appreciated the pace at which the support has been delivered.”
Harnessing specialist funding and finance advice
Innovation and Growth Specialist, Andrew Mercer, also contributed with advice that was instrumental in helping the company secure appropriate funding. “When we started working with Andrew, we were considering an Innovate UK Innovation Loan, but he was able to advise that we weren’t at the right stage for that, which saved us a huge amount of time,” shares Nico. “Instead, he connected us with the right debt providers and we were able to secure £150,000, which was awesome.”
The funds have been used to launch a pilot-scale facility in Bristol, featuring a 2,000-litre bioreactor that’s already attracting significant customer interest. Nico adds: “Susie’s also been great at helping us to understand the grant funding landscape both inside and outside of Innovate UK.
“She’s extremely knowledgeable in this space and has been able to point us in the direction of the European Innovation Council and Eureka grants that suit us perfectly. I didn’t know anything about those before speaking with her.”
Contributing to UK economic growth and society
Innovate UK’s support has also extended to regulatory and international market guidance. “We’ve had specialist support on the international regulatory environment, which steered us in the right direction.
“Overall, the support has had a really substantial impact in terms of avoiding potholes and helping us to go further faster,” Nico concludes.
The scaling of Extracellular’s operations is expected to create new job opportunities over the coming years. Following support from Innovate UK Business Growth, Extracellular secured £1.8 million in investments alongside more than £2 million in contracts from global customers, further enhancing the UK’s attractiveness as a hub for biotech innovation.
By reducing reliance on traditional livestock farming, the company aligns with the UK government’s net-zero emissions goals. With ongoing support from Innovate UK, Extracellular is well-positioned to help generate significant economic and social benefits for the UK, enhance food security and pave the way for a sustainable food future.
Stephen’s [Innovation and Growth Specialist] been great…He really believes in what we’re doing and has been fantastic at understanding our blockers and connecting us with the right specialists at the right time.
– Nico Hutton, Chief Commercial Officer at Extracellular