- Key milestone markers showing technology proof-of-concept achievements
- Visual indicator showing this phase is complete
Our Core Technologies
Transforming how the world feeds itself without changing what it eats
Agronomics invests in innovative solutions that address critical inefficiencies in the global food system. Our portfolio companies are pioneering more efficient, sustainable methods of production.
Food system challenges
Conventional food production methods are too inefficient to meet
growing demand. The costs of these inefficiencies aren’t just financial.
The price is paid in diminished food security, public health and
environmental degradation.
Resource inefficiency
Conventional protein production is hugely inefficient, creating substantial waste in a system that must produce more with less to meet increasing demands.
40% of habitable land
Food and agriculture occupies 40% of Earth’s habitable land and contributes 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions
Growing demand
Global protein demand is projected to increase dramatically as population grows and incomes rise, making current production methods unsustainable.
3-8% only
Conventional meat production converts only 3-8% of feed calories into edible calories, with the remainder lost as metabolic waste
Environmental impact
Greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water pollution are the direct result of a food system that demands vast resources
943 million tonnes
Global protein consumption is expected to reach 943 million tonnes by 2054, an increase of over 70% from current levels
Foundational
technologies
Precision fermentation
DNA sequence for a target gene is inserted in a microorganism, either a fungi or bacteria.
The target gene can be for a wide variety of proteins like egg proteins and milk proteins.
This microorganism is added to a bioreactor.
The conditions inside the bioreactor are tightly controlled, to provide the ideal environment for the cells to multiply.
The microbes are fed media, made from sugar, salt, vitamins and other key nutrients needed to grow and multiply.
As the microbes multiply and grow, they produce the target protein
The microbes are then harvested, and the protein is purified for further uses.
Egg proteins can be used in baked goods, milk proteins can be used to make cheese, supplements or make baby formula more nutritious.
The same technology can be used to make oil such a palm oil or cocoa fat.
Cell Culture
A small number of cells is first added to a bioreactor. The conditions inside the bioreactor are tightly controlled, to provide the ideal environment for the cells to multiply.
A small number of cells is first added to a bioreactor.
The conditions inside the bioreactor are tightly controlled, to provide the ideal environment for the cells to multiply.
The cells are fed media, made from sugar, salt, vitamins and other key nutrients the cells need to grow and multiply.
As the cells multiply, they grow into muscle and fat cells you find in conventional meat.
Once the cells have matured, they are harvested, processed and crafted into various consumer products
Cell culture can also be applied to plant cells to manufacture things like cocoa, coffee and cotton.
Enabling technologies
Enabling technologies refers to anything used to scale up cell culture or precision fermentation technologies
This can include building facilities to increase capacity for cell culture or precision fermentation
This can include identifying and engineering new microbes to use for fermentation
This can include AI strain engineering, media development, or process optimisation
This can include novel bioreactor designs and innovation.
Market development
timeline
- Milestone markers for regulatory approvals and demonstration facilities
- Visual indicator showing this phase is in late stages
- Highlighted as current phase with “We are here” indicator
- Milestone markers for infrastructure development and first commercial products
- Visual emphasis showing active progress
- Future milestone projections for mainstream adoption
- Price parity indicators and market penetration targets
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