€4.1 million awarded to three research projects in cellular agriculture

Three research consortia in the Netherlands are receiving a combined €4.1 million to address key bottlenecks in the further development of cellular agriculture. The funding was awarded through a joint call by NWO and Cellular Agriculture Netherlands, as part of the National Growth Fund programme.

The projects specifically target two crucial challenges for the sector: scaling up production processes and reducing costs. This aims to accelerate the transition from laboratory settings to commercial application.

The funding goes to three consortia involving intensive collaboration between knowledge institutions and companies:

UP-CELL (TU Delft)

This project focuses on improving cell lines for large-scale production. By combining cell engineering with computational models, researchers aim to gain a better understanding of how cells behave under industrial conditions. The goal is to develop robust, efficient cell lines suitable for large-scale production.

MeatUp (Maastricht University)

This consortium focuses on the development of structured meat products. By combining biotechnology and materials research, researchers are working on methods to produce realistic meat structures. This includes investigating alternative raw materials such as seaweed and microalgae.

FungCows (Leiden University)

This project investigates new fungal fermentation processes for producing milk proteins without cows. The consortium covers the entire value chain: from strain development to scaling up and validating the production process.

The three projects build upon the existing research programme within the National Growth Fund, which has been running since 2024 and already encompasses 17 PhD and EngD positions. These new consortia will add another nine research positions. The scope of the call aligns closely with current knowledge needs within the sector. The emphasis on scaling up and cost reduction reflects where the greatest challenges and opportunities lie.

The projects are characterized by broad collaborations involving universities, startups, and industrial partners, both domestically and internationally. This approach aims to accelerate the translation of knowledge into practical technologies.

With this investment, the Netherlands is taking another step to strengthen its position in the international development of cellular agriculture, focusing on the concrete breakthroughs required for further scaling up.