Climax Foods raises funds to accelerate development of plant-based foods

US-based data science company Climax Foods has secured $7.5m in seed funding to develop new plant-based food.

Established in 2019 by Dr Oliver Zahn, who previously led data science efforts at Impossible Foods, Climax Foods focuses on creating a new generation of plant-based foods using its artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Climax Foods will use the funding to conduct in-depth research into the taste, flavour, texture and nutrition of animal-based food categories, with an initial focus on cheese products.

The company intends to create plant-based food products that are smarter and safer for consumers than their animal-based predecessors.

Zahn said: “Today, more than 90% of all mammalian animals and more than 70% of all birds on the planet exist for the sole purpose of metabolising plants and being turned into food.

“This industry is complex and wasteful, creating as much climate change as all modes of transportation combined, and using more than a third of the earth’s water and usable land. By speeding up food science innovation, Climax Foods is able to convert plants into equally craveable foods without the environmental impact.”

Companies such as S2G Ventures, ARTIS Ventures, and At One Ventures, founded by GoogleX co-founder Tom Chi, invested in the company.

Chi said: “Climax Foods is unlocking a frontier of how expressive we can be with plant-based foods. They are laying the foundation for a future where healthy, affordable, plant-based foods rival or even surpass the flavour of the animal-based foods they are replacing.

“Beyond being delicious, the work is crucial for the transition away from unsustainable animal agriculture which drives massive habitat destruction and generates more than 25% of total greenhouse gas emissions.”