Alternative Protein Solutions Database
Discover ideas for new startups, commercial ventures and products, research projects, ecosystem support, and investment opportunities for plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived proteins.
Cultivated
Fermentation
Plant-Based
| Opportunity | Production platform | Solution category | Value chain segment | Technology sector | Maturity level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Affordable animal-free omega-3 ingredients for alternative seafood and other alternative protein applications
In order to appeal to health-conscious consumers, alternative seafood products should contain similar omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA, content to conventional seafood. Animal-free omega-3 ingredients can be expensive… |
Fermentation
Plant-Based
|
Commercial | Investment Production R&D Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs | Bioprocess design Crop development Host strain development Ingredient optimization Target molecule selection | |
|
Novel methods for long-chain omega-3 fatty acid production
As the alternative seafood industry scales up, a low-cost and abundant source of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids will become necessary. Several means of producing these compounds have been investigated… |
Fermentation
|
Research | R&D Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs | Bioprocess design Host strain development Ingredient optimization Target molecule selection | |
|
Preventing oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids before and after addition to alternative seafood products
Deeper fundamental knowledge of the causes and prevention of oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids before, during, and after addition to alternative seafood products is needed to improve their nutritional and… |
Cultivated
Fermentation
Plant-Based
|
Research | End Products Investment Production R&D Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs | Bioprocess design Crop development End product formulation & manufacturing Host strain development Ingredient optimization Target molecule selection | |
|
Improving efficiency and assessment of adaptation to suspension growth
Improving methods for adapting cells to suspension culture can facilitate cell line development and bioprocess design for cultivated meat. |
Cultivated
|
Research | R&D | Bioprocess design Cell line development | 1 – Inception |
|
Developing open-access model production facility blueprints
Open-access blueprints would provide a head start on facility design and allow equipment manufacturers and engineering companies to address standard industry needs. |
Cultivated
Fermentation
Plant-Based
|
Commercial Research | Production R&D | Bioprocess design End product formulation & manufacturing | 1 – Inception |
|
Computational models of perfusion flow through scaffolds
For tissue-structured cultivated meat production, the transition from the proliferation phase to differentiation phase may involve seeding cells onto a prefabricated scaffold within a perfusion bioreactor. Medium is then perfused… |
Cultivated
|
Research | R&D | Bioprocess design Scaffolding | |
|
Expand capacity for demonstration-scale and mid-scale co-manufacturing
Companies entering the alt protein space often struggle to secure line time at demonstration-scale and mid-scale commercial production facilities. Greater availability of mid-scale contract capacity would reduce capital outlays and… |
Cultivated
Fermentation
Plant-Based
|
Commercial Ecosystem | Production R&D Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs | Bioprocess design End product formulation & manufacturing | |
|
Database of facility engineering, design, and construction firms
Dedicated brokers, consultants, directories, and other matching mechanisms could help connect alternative protein companies to engineering/design/construction firms with relevant experience and interest in the alternative protein sector. |
Cultivated
Fermentation
Plant-Based
|
Commercial Ecosystem | Production | Bioprocess design | |
|
Post-harvest processes and end product characterization for cultivated meat
A number of cellular processes occurring after slaughter are known to affect the quality and sensory properties of conventional meat. Cultivated meat will offer unprecedented control over these parameters and… |
Cultivated
|
Commercial Research | End Products R&D | Bioprocess design Cell culture media End product formulation & manufacturing | |
|
Plant-based ingredient analytical and characterization service
Plant protein ingredient characterization tools or as a service. |
Plant-Based
|
Commercial Research | R&D Raw Materials, Ingredients, & Inputs | Bioprocess design Ingredient optimization |
Get involved
If you’d like to fund a research project, work on any of these solutions, share information about related efforts that are already underway, or elevate new ideas for advancing the alternative protein industry, we’d love to hear from you!
Explore key innovation priorities
Review commercial whitespaces, research gaps, technological needs, and investment priorities at each stage of the alternative protein value chain.
How we built this
Full report
Delve into the full report on the motivation, methodology, rationale, and key findings and recommendations of the Solutions initiative.
Futures wheels analysis
Explore our framework for uncovering second-order or third-order consequences and implications of hypothetical future scenarios to support better decision-making in the present.
Future-proofing
Discover key findings from GFI’s premortem analysis of potential threats to the widespread adoption of alternative proteins, including strategies to avoid or mitigate the most pressing risks.
