The German government is investing € 2.6 million in Hamburg-based Infinite Roots, which will develop whey waste to grow mushroom-based protein (mycoprotein).

Hamburg-based startup, Infinite Roots, researches and develops mycoprotein, which is a mycelium-based protein. Until now, the company has used residual byproducts from breweries as a basic material for mushroom cultivation. Now, the company is receiving a grant of € 2.6 million (USD 2.8 million) on top of the € 73 million the company has already raised. The goal is to include waste whey as a raw material in the production of mycoprotein.

Infinite Roots is affiliated with the Hamburg University of Technology. The Dairy Industry Newsletter reports that the government sees potential benefits of reducing the current high costs associated with waste whey management, as well as the opportunity for Infinite Roots to compete with Bolder Foods (USA), Enifer (Finland), and Quorn (UK) in the rapidly growing market for meat analogues – expected to be worth € 5.6 billion by 2032. Recently, Infinite Roots’ mycelium protein was granted the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by the FDA, applicable to novel foods in the USA.

Read more about Infinite Roots HERE