In Australia, cultured meat startup Vow has raised $6 million to expand its product pipeline of oddball meats, including kangaroo and alpaca.
Led by Australia’s Square Peg Capital, the oversubscribed seed funding will help the company “outperform meat, instead of simply replacing it,” according to a press release issued by the Sydney-based startup. The company, which claims it is the first to cultivate meat from undomesticated animal cells, is building a food design study and lab in Sydney and has boosted company payroll from five to 22 in the last twelve months.
Blackbird Ventures, Grok Ventures and Tenacious Ventures also participated in the funding round. Square Peg Capital’s James Tynan will be added to Vow’s board.
“This latest round of investment allows us to focus on the culinary opportunity and make food that really excites people,” says Tim Naismith, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Vow. “We believe that the only way to change the behavior of billions of people is to make many products that are simply better than what we have today.”