Alternative Proteins grants
85 listings tracked right now · page 1 of 2
Funding for plant-based, fermentation and cultivated proteins and their supply chains. Active funders include the Bezos Earth Fund and Good Food Institute-aligned philanthropy, the USDA and EU Horizon, Innovate UK, and Singaporean and Israeli food-tech programmes. Listed below are the open alternative proteins grant calls in that landscape, taken from each funder's own notice and re-checked on every refresh.
This is the most fragmented funding landscape on the site. Money comes from agriculture and environment ministries, the EU Common Agricultural Policy and Horizon Cluster 6, the World Bank and IFAD, and a large conservation philanthropy sector including the Global Environment Facility and the major nature foundations. Cheque sizes span four orders of magnitude, and eligibility frequently turns on land tenure, on partnership with a local organisation, or on both.
This page lists open alternative proteins grants currently tracked by Raise Lens — 85 of them right now, sorted with the soonest deadline first. Every listing has been classified against the sustainability taxonomy rather than matched on keywords, so what appears here is alternative proteins work rather than anything whose description happens to mention it.
The funders publishing alternative proteins grants here include 51176802, Thrive Philanthropy, ProVeg, among 2 others. Who is funding matters as much as what: eligibility, reporting burden and the realistic timeline to a decision vary far more between funders than between individual calls.
Geographic coverage on this page spans GLOBAL, EUROPE, LATAM, AFRICA, ASIA. Eligibility is usually tied to where the work happens or where the applying organisation is registered, and the two are not always the same — worth checking before investing time in an application.
1 of these close within the next 30 days. Deadlines are taken from the source listing and re-checked on every refresh, but the originating funder remains the authority — always confirm against the official notice before you submit.
Diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources for increased EU resilience and strategic autonomy
••••• organisation
This Horizon Europe call funds innovation projects to diversify EU sources of nutritional food ingredients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, fibres) through agricultural and food biotechnology, enhancing food security and strategic autonomy. Eligible applicants include research institutions, SMEs, large companies, and consortia developing alternative ingredient sources, circular-economy food production, and food-safety solutions.
Alternatives to Industrial Animal Agriculture
••••• organisation
The funder funds non-profit organizations outside the US working to transition food systems away from industrial animal agriculture through plant-based diet promotion, plant-food access, and sustainable alternatives awareness. Mid-sized or larger nonprofits with proven track records are eligible for grants ranging from US$10,000 upward.
Fast-Track To Impact Programme
••••• organisation
The Fast-Track To Impact Programme provides mentorship, networking, and resources to alternative protein startups to accelerate sustainable food innovation. It supports registered companies with a minimum viable product in plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated protein categories, offering expert guidance on pitching, fundraising, brand development, and market expansion.
Automated Scientific Discovery – Food (RAISE pilot)
••••• organisation
This Horizon Europe RAISE pilot funds automated scientific discovery and laboratory automation applied to food systems, alternative proteins, and food ingredients, supporting research teams to develop self-driving labs and AI-driven discovery platforms. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, SMEs, and consortia across EU member states and associated countries.
A Sustainable Aquaculture Fund
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The funder invests equity in sustainable aquaculture companies across the value chain—from fish farms and hatcheries to feed mills, disease management, and alternative seafood. The fund targets entrepreneurs building a more sustainable aquaculture food system.
Corporate Venture Capital Fund for Sustainable Agrifood Innovation
••••• organisation
PINC is a corporate venture capital fund investing €200k–€1M in early-stage agrifood startups focused on planetary health, novel food technologies (precision fermentation, cell cultivation), and circular food systems. The fund targets companies in the Nordics and Europe with strategic alignment to Paulig's business interests.
Corporate venture funding for food and agriculture technology startups
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ADM Ventures invests in early-stage food and agriculture technology startups developing innovations in human nutrition, animal nutrition, industrial biosolutions, and related agri-food technologies. The fund targets cutting-edge startups solving problems across the food and agriculture value chain.
a Swiss specialty-chemicals venture fund
••••• organisation
The funder Ventures is a corporate venture fund investing in early-stage startups developing innovations in nutrition, health, beauty, and sustainability that complement the funder's core businesses in taste, texture, perfumery, and animal nutrition. The fund targets companies advancing sustainable food systems, alternative proteins, and health-focused biotechnology.
Food and Agriculture Scale-up Accelerator
••••• organisation
A scale-up accelerator program for established food and agriculture companies seeking to reach mainstream adoption, focusing on plant-based food, sustainable seafood, agtech, foodtech, and food waste solutions. Targets companies with early product-market fit looking to scale operations.
Global Food Innovation Fund Accelerator
••••• organisation
A twice-yearly 5-month accelerator program investing $200K initial capital plus up to $3.5M follow-on funding for alternative protein and food-ingredients startups. The program operates in New York City, Paris, and Singapore with cohorts launching each January and July.
Generation Food Rural Partners Fund
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This fund commercializes university-developed intellectual property in food, protein, and agriculture innovation by launching new companies and recruiting management teams. It targets rural US economic development through partnerships with universities and strategic investors.
Global Food Innovation Fund II (GFIF II)
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GFIF II invests in early-to-growth stage companies developing alternative proteins, sustainable fats, ingredients, sweeteners, and flavorings to improve food security and sustainability globally. The fund targets founders and companies worldwide working on food-tech innovation, with ticket sizes up to $3.5M.
A US AgTech-Focused Venture Fund
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Cultivian Sandbox Ventures invests in early-stage food and agriculture technology companies developing innovative solutions across the full value chain, with emphasis on sustainable production, equitable distribution, and healthy consumption. The fund targets startups and scale-ups commercializing agtech and food-tech solutions backed by strategic corporate LPs.
A Corporate Venture Fund for Food Innovation
••••• organisation
Rich Products Ventures is a corporate venture fund investing in early-stage and growth-stage companies developing food-tech and sustainable food-system innovations, including plant-based proteins, climate-friendly ingredients, food waste reduction, sustainable packaging, and supply-chain automation. The fund targets entrepreneurs and companies advancing better-for-you CPG products, alternative proteins, and foodservice technology.
A European agri-tech venture fund
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PeakBridge Ventures SICAV plc is an investment vehicle backing FoodTech and NutriTech founders developing protected, scalable technologies that address systemic pain points in the global food supply chain. The fund targets early-to-growth stage ventures with proprietary solutions in food systems innovation.
Growth Stage Food-Tech Fund II
••••• organisation
PeakBridge Growth II is a growth-stage investment fund targeting FoodTech, NutriTech, and AgriFood companies from Seed to Series B with scalable, evidence-based solutions in food, nutrition, and health. The fund seeks protectable innovations that advance food systems and nutrition outcomes.
Spain Foodtech Acceleration Programme
••••• organisation
A 6-month acceleration programme for early-stage Spanish agri-foodtech startups offering mentoring, corporate partnerships, and internationalisation support across the full food value chain. Targets ventures in agtech, alternative proteins, sustainable packaging, precision nutrition, smart distribution, and deep tech applied to food systems.
Alternative Protein Fund
••••• organisation
The funder invests in early-stage companies developing alternative proteins and biomaterials to replace animals in food and material supply chains, including plant-based proteins, fermentation, recombinant proteins, cultivated meat, and enabling technologies. The fund targets visionary founders building the future of food through capital and strategic support.
Sustainable Food Technology Venture Grant
••••• organisation
The funder funds innovative sustainable food technologies in synthetic biology and precision fermentation, with a specific focus on scaling the animal-free dairy industry. The programme brings together global industrial partners to develop manufacturing capacity in precision fermentation dairy production.
Early-Stage Sustainable Protein Fund
••••• organisation
This fund backs early-stage founders building alternative protein companies using cell-based, plant-based, and recombinant technologies. It targets the earliest stages of food-tech innovation focused on sustainable protein production.
Growth-stage food entrepreneurs reducing waste and emissions
••••• organisation
The funder invests in growth-stage food entrepreneurs developing solutions to reduce waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve nutrition, and enhance resource efficiency. The fund targets small and mid-sized enterprises scaling sustainable food-system innovations.
Sustainable Food System Venture Fund
••••• organisation
Early-stage venture fund investing in founders building sustainable food system innovations across five themes: alternatives, productivity, consumer engagement, waste reduction, and essential reinvention. Targets pre-seed and seed-stage food-tech and agri-food startups.
A Global Food Ecosystem Fund
••••• organisation
The funder invests in scalable, category-defining businesses across the full food value chain, including alternative proteins, food technology, supply chains, and consumer platforms. The fund backs founders and operators at various stages seeking to redefine global food systems within the $9 trillion market.
Roll-ups / Growth Fund
••••• organisation
A $100M growth fund managed by AgFunder that supports scaling of sustainable food and agriculture companies through consolidation and platform-building. Targets established companies in alternative proteins, agtech, and sustainable food systems ready for significant capital deployment.
Seed: Backing mission-aligned founders working at the intersection of biology, technology and agriculture
••••• organisation
The funder is backing early-stage founders building mission-aligned companies at the intersection of biology, technology, and agriculture, with a focus on sustainable food systems. Investment areas include alternative proteins, regenerative crop practices, sustainable packaging, and food distribution.
Climate & Impact Fund
••••• organisation
The funder invests in sustainable businesses across Asia that address climate change and social inequality, targeting companies capable of mitigating over 1 gigatonne of greenhouse gas emissions or improving 10+ million lives within a decade. The fund focuses on clean energy, alternative proteins, emissions reduction, and circular economy sectors.
AGIR Pre-Seed Fund
••••• organisation
Pre-seed equity fund managed by Demea Sustainable Investment supporting early-stage startups and ventures in agri-food and biotech with a focus on responsible innovation. Eligible for founders and teams developing sustainable agriculture, food systems, and biotechnology solutions.
Alternative Protein Venture Fund
••••• organisation
The funder invests early-stage venture capital in innovative companies developing plant-based foods, cellular agriculture, food technology, and biotechnology solutions that advance health, sustainability, and animal welfare. The fund targets startups and early-stage companies across food, beverage, and biotech sectors with a focus on alternative proteins and food-system innovation.
Early-stage climate-tech venture fund
••••• organisation
Early-stage equity and SAFE investment fund targeting food, agriculture, and climate-tech startups across Asia Pacific, with focus on alternative proteins, sustainable ingredients, food waste reduction, and agricultural emissions. Suitable for founding, pre-seed, and seed-stage companies in these verticals.
An Early-Stage Sustainability Fund
••••• organisation
Early-stage equity investment fund targeting startups developing sustainable food solutions including alternative proteins, cultivated meat, plant-based foods, and food technology. Provides capital plus strategic support through industry partnerships, incubators, and academic collaborations.
Food System Fund
••••• organisation
The funder's Food System Fund provides pre-seed and seed equity investments of $50k–$250k to early-stage teams building foodtech and food-system solutions globally. The fund focuses on rebuilding the global food system with occasional investments in adjacent meaningful ventures.
Alternatives Investment
••••• organisation
The funder invests in diverse seafood alternatives, including plant-based and cell-based protein companies, to address sustainable protein demand and reduce aquaculture pressure. The fund targets early-to-growth stage ventures in the alternative protein and food systems space.
Seed-stage program stream for science- and technology-based agri-food companies seeking to scale
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CDL AgriFood is a seed-stage accelerator program for science and technology-based companies in the agri-food sector seeking to scale their operations. The program supports early-stage startups developing innovative solutions across the food and agriculture value chain.
AgriFood Programme
••••• organisation
The funder's AgriFood Programme is a domain-focused investment initiative supporting AgriFood and AgTech startups from pre-seed through Series B with mentor-driven support, market introductions, and access to corporate partners. The programme targets early-stage to growth-stage founders building solutions in agriculture, food systems, and related technologies.
Co-investments: Direct co-investment opportunities alongside Fund I and Fund II for aligned strategic partners…
••••• organisation
The funder is offering direct co-investment opportunities alongside its Fund I and Fund II for strategic partners investing in biosolutions and transition-economy companies. This is a capital deployment vehicle for aligned investors seeking to participate in early-stage life sciences, alternative proteins, biomaterials, and related sustainability sectors.
Fund II: Continuation vehicle investing in superior, scalable, and sustainable biosolutions across advanced nutrition, functional ingredients, life sciences, and next-gen materials
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A continuation venture fund investing in biosolutions companies across advanced nutrition, functional ingredients, life sciences, and next-gen materials with sustainability and scalability focus. Targets startups and growth-stage companies in Europe and developed global markets that meet Article 9 SFDR sustainability standards.
Fund I: Early-stage venture capital investing in biosolutions across alternative protein, ingredients, life sciences, and biomaterials
••••• organisation
Early-stage venture capital fund investing in biosolutions companies across alternative protein, ingredients, life sciences, and biomaterials sectors, targeting the transition economy in developed markets globally. Fund is structured as an Article 9 SFDR impact vehicle with explicit sustainability objectives.
Modular Accelerator Programme for Agrifoodtech Startups
••••• organisation
The funder offers flexible, modular support services for agrifoodtech and foodtech startups, allowing them to cherry-pick specific ecosystem services without committing to a full accelerator cohort. The programme is designed for early-stage ventures in the food and agriculture technology space seeking targeted mentorship, networking, or operational support.
Leading Agrifood Accelerator
••••• organisation
The funder Accelerate is a flagship accelerator programme supporting early-stage FoodTech and AgriTech startups with mentorship, ecosystem access, and funding connections. The programme targets innovators in the food and agriculture technology sectors operating in or connected to the Wageningen Food Valley region.
Pre-seed Fund for Early-stage Agrifoodtech Startups
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Pre-seed investment fund providing initial capital to early-stage agrifoodtech startups based in the Netherlands. Targets ventures at the earliest stages of development in agriculture, food production, and related technology sectors.
Cluster Changemakers Accelerator
••••• organisation
An accelerator programme supporting organizations across Asia that are building plant-based food systems and scaling movement-building initiatives. The grant funds early-stage to growth-stage organizations working on alternative proteins and food-system transformation.
A Nordic food company's corporate venture capital fund
••••• organisation
PINC is a corporate venture capital fund investing $500k–$1.1M in pre-seed and seed-stage agrifood startups focused on planetary health, novel food technologies (precision fermentation, cell cultivation), and circular food/materials systems. Startups with strategic alignment to Paulig (a food company) are preferred, though the fund is flexible on investor role.
Mudcake Microfund
••••• organisation
Mudcake Microfund is a pre-seed investment vehicle from ex-founders targeting early-stage startups using science and technology to transform the food system, including agri-tech, biotech, climate tech, and software solutions. The fund invests globally from bases in Stockholm and Paris.
A European venture fund launches growth-stage investment strategy, scaling proven agrifood businesses with larger capital deployments across the value chain
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Astanor Growth is a growth-stage investment fund that deploys larger capital to scale proven agrifood businesses across the value chain. It targets companies beyond early development stages seeking expansion capital.
Early-Stage Agrifood Venture Fund
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The funder is an early-stage venture capital fund investing in agrifood innovation companies from seed to growth stage, targeting transformations across soil health, marine systems, and gut microbiome. The fund backs precision agriculture, food tech, biotech, and sustainable food production startups.
A US specialty-chemicals-and-agriculture company's corporate venture arm
••••• organisation
The funder is the corporate VC arm of Wilbur-Ellis investing in early-stage technologies across agriculture, novel food ingredients, and specialty chemicals. The fund provides capital alongside market access, pilot trials, talent recruitment, and go-to-market support leveraging Wilbur-Ellis' global distribution and business divisions.
Animal Agriculture
••••• Foundation
The funder funds initiatives addressing sustainability, animal welfare, and transformation of animal agriculture and food systems. Eligible applicants likely include nonprofits, social enterprises, and research institutions working on sustainable protein alternatives, regenerative farming, and food-system decarbonization.
A Pooled Fund for Plant-Based Food Systems
••••• organisation
A pooled fund enabling donors to collectively invest in plant-based food systems initiatives and related supply-chain work globally. Eligible organizations working on alternative proteins, food-systems decarbonization, and sustainable agriculture can access capital.