Helikon Authored
Helikon's State of the Industry Report on Milk
We proudly present our second State of the Industry Report: Milk Alternatives. Read about three alternative milk technologies: plant-based, precision fermentation of milk components, and cell-based (i.e., milk produced from growing mammary cells in vitro). The technological, regulatory, and commercial successes from the last ten years hold promise for animal-free milk that better recapitulates animal-derived milk's taste/flavor, nutrition, and functionality.
New Startups
Humacyte is a regenerative medicine company that uses bioengineering to develop large diameter blood vessels, termed HAVs
Humacyte is a regenerative medicine company that uses bioengineering to develop large-diameter blood vessels, with a focus on bioengineered human acellular vessels (HAVs) to address unmet needs in vascular repair and replacement in addition to hemodialysis access. Their novel manufacturing paradigm allows for scalable production of HAVs, made by seeding vascular cells onto a biocompatible, biodegradable polymer mesh that grows into a tube-shaped vessel structure, then decellularized to create the HAV. Humacyte is finishing its initial clinical trials, and the vessels were given emergency approval for use in the Ukraine wart to treat vascular trauma injuries. These products have many applications, including great potential impact even in low-tech environments such as war zones.
Cool company alert - Blue Dot Change
Blue Dot Change is a company that aims to expand nature's process of breaking down methane over the ocean. By providing a catalyst, iron chloride, into the air, the company intends to mitigate the impact of methane on the climate. By using commercial ships' smokestacks to dispense the catalyst, the company creates an ideal environment to break up methane, reducing its effects on the climate.
New tech on the horizon
The Future of Food—CRISPR Crops That Capture Carbon
CRISPR-powered agricultural revolution: Gene editing helps create carbon-storing plants without GMO traits. Scientists at the Innovative Genomics Institute are using CRISPR to enhance photosynthesis, increase root depth, and optimize soil microbiomes for carbon sequestration.
Precision Fermentation
Swedish startup Millow makes meat substitutes with new fermentation tech
Millow, the Swedish startup, introduces Millow bites and mince, a minimally-processed meat alternative made from mycelium and oats. With a novel fermentation process, Millow achieves a balanced nutritional profile and a meat-like texture without the need for expensive downstream processing.