Akankshya Mukherjee(intern@imaws.org)
ScaleUp Bio, a new Singapore-based precision fermentation solutions provider – a joint venture business of ADM and Temasek’s Nurasa – is positioning itself to emerge as a key facilitator for global food tech start-ups in need of specialized food-grade precision fermentation laboratory facilities and more. In 2023, it plans to establish two specialized food-grade precision fermentation facilities in Singapore. These new facilities will be the first of their kind in Singapore, open to bright start-ups from around the world in need of R&D assistance.
“Addressing urgent food security and supply issues driven by climate change and exacerbated by traditional food production sources – and in line with emerging consumer demands for more sustainably developed alternative proteins and other foods – has been a real challenge due to a lack of dedicated food-grade laboratory facilities, business guidance, and market assistance for start-ups” said Francisco Codoer, CEO of ScaleUp Bio.
“This is because most CDMOs throughout the world serve the pharmaceutical or biofuel industries first and foremost. We have created ScaleUp Bio’s entire business model to provide these new companies with the facilities, capabilities, and resources they have long need to scale and flourish in today’s industry” Codoer noted. As a result, start-ups and other early-stage enterprises are sometimes forced to rely on costly and unreliable laboratory facilities, often in an environment not designed for food. Building their own pilot facilities, on the other hand, would impose a substantial capital requirement right now.
In 2023, two world-class, specialised food-grade precision fermentation facilities will open.
The first facility, set to open in the first half of 2023, will be a joint laboratory created through a new multi-year collaboration with the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STARSingapore )’s Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), allowing for the delivery of tailored start-up infrastructure and service offerings.
This facility, developed specifically for start-ups and rising food tech enterprises, will have up to 100 litres of fermentation and downstream processing capacity, as well as analytical, testing, and process optimisation capabilities. It will be housed at Nurasa’s Food Tech Innovation Centre (FTIC) at Biopolis, a key Singapore research and development centre.
The second facility, which is also set to open for business in the second half of 2023, will provide nearly 2,300 square metres of space for start-ups and early-stage food tech companies from around the world to access up to 10,000 litres of fermentation and associated downstream processing capacity, as well as experts to help with process optimization and scale-up. This facility will also function as the organization’s headquarters.
Aside from physical laboratory facilities and technological skills, the company provides food tech start-ups with a wide range of options through its broad business ecosystem. Access to Asia and an innovation ecosystem backed by global leaders, “We understand the difficulties that young businesses encounter when attempting to negotiate Asia’s diverse legislation, cultures, and tastes. From here, we can provide smart market entrance to fast-growing Asian populations yearning for alternative sustainable food supplies from one of the world’s great innovation centres. As a result, launching our worldwide service from Singapore makes perfect sense” Codoer explained.
“Whether you are a Singaporean or an Asian inventor, or a food tech firm from elsewhere in the world, we want to hear from you. With our new facilities and access to top-tier talent, resources, and finance, we provide a fantastic platform for innovative firms looking to launch their ideas to global size and success” said Codoer.
