Fungu’it raises €4M to develop fungi-based flavorings

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In France, foodtech startup Fungu’it has raised €4 million (US$4.6 million) to build a pilot plant to demonstrate its solid-state, fungi-fermentation platform for producing natural flavorings.  

The company uses filamentous fungi to upcycle agricultural by-products, including flaxseed, sunflower press cakes, and legumes, natural flavorings. Through solid-state fermentation, these waste are converted into high-value ingredients with less water and energy compared to traditional methods.

“Our technology revolutionizes the creation of natural, sustainable, and high-performance flavorings, while upcycling often wasted by-products. This circular, innovative approach is established as a key driver of transformation for the agro-food sector, moving towards a healthy, long-lasting and affordable diet,” Anas Erridaoui, CEO and Co-founder of Fungu’it, told EU Startups.

The company has in development a meaty umami flavor and a chocolate flavor that can reduce the use of cocoa in a recipe by up to 25%. The round was led by Asterion Ventures. Evolem and UI Investissement via Oser BFC also participated.