The cell-cultured food industry is evolving rapidly—and with it, the need for smart, scalable, and economically viable processes. After conducting dozens of techno-economic analyses (TEAs) for cultivated food companies across the globe, our team has gathered key insights that can help startups navigate the journey from R&D to commercialization. Whether you're just starting or preparing to scale, these lessons can help you avoid common pitfalls and build a more resilient business.
🔍 Key Takeaways from Our TEA Work
- Prioritize science and process development. Set realistic, measurable targets—and revisit them often.
- Media costs matter. It’s likely your most expensive input. Source competitively and avoid relying on a single supplier.
- Simplify your process. Every additional step adds to both CapEx and OpEx.
- Reduce consumables. Especially critical at commercial scale—efficiency is everything.
- Design for scalability. Choose technologies that can grow with you.
- Manual is fine for R&D. But your commercial process must be automated and robust.
- Invest wisely. Early stage = science. Commercial stage = engineering.
- Don’t delay scale-up. Once your process is stable, move fast—Time to Market is crucial.
- Know your regulatory path. Understand requirements early to avoid costly delays.
- What works in flasks often fails at scale. Validate cell behavior, feeding strategy, and growth dynamics under scaled conditions before committing to major CapEx. These factors determine your expansion stages, facility size, and overall system design.
đź’ˇ Final Thoughts
We’ve witnessed remarkable progress in recent years. What once seemed impossible is now within reach. But success depends on more than just good science:🤝 Choose your partners carefully. 📊 Build a solid, realistic business plan. 🔬 Trust in your science—and your process engineers.To all the innovators out there: we’re excited to see what you’ll build next!Huge thanks to our amazing team: Eilon Elmalem, Aldy Munawan, I Wayan Surya Aryana – your expertise makes all the difference.