This is one in a series of interviews with CFIN member companies that have successfully applied for and received funding.
Toronto, ON-based Myo Palate received $1,971,084 in funding for a project titled Scaling Cultivated Pork Production Using Embryonic Stem Cells, with project partners Getinge Canada Ltd.
We spoke with Myo Palate co-founder Frank Yu to find out more about the company and its project.
Q: Please explain what your company does and how your products are improving the food industry?
A: Myo Palate is a biotechnology company developing sustainable meat products. We nurture cells to make meat, instead of growing the entire animal. Using natural animal cells, we produce muscle, fat and cartilage to create ground meat as a raw material. Our controlled bioprocess allows us to reduce the environmental burden associated with meat production and provide a consistent supply.
Q: What is your company’s mission?
A: We are a team of scientists, engineers, and food lovers applying cutting-edge technologies to achieve a common mission: making meat sustainable and accessible for everyone.
Q: Why did you apply for this funding and how will you use it?
A: We have developed a novel bioprocess to address the two biggest barriers in cultivated meats: scalability and price. We are now in an exciting time to scale this process. CFIN funding has provided us with the opportunity to de-risk this process and collaborate with incredible industry and academic partners.
Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry?
A: We are a big team of foodies and we are excited about the potential of creating customizable meat products. Imagine a world where you can choose the amount of fat, muscle, and cartilage that goes into your meat. We’re still far away from this vision, but the thought of it gets us excited.
Q: Why is collaboration so important for accelerating innovation in the food industry? Is it difficult to find good collaborating partners, and what would make the process easier?
A: Cultivated meats is still deep tech and there are a lot of verticals in our industry. Collaborations allow us to climb these verticals faster and develop better products. We have been fortunate to have a great network of collaborators and we would not be in our current position without them.
Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds.
A: Public funding serves as a critical catalyst in transitioning deep tech innovations from theoretical possibilities to real-world solutions. Deep tech, which encompasses groundbreaking technologies like AI, biotech, and advanced materials, often requires substantial investment in R&D, long gestation periods, and a high tolerance for risk. These factors make them less appealing to short-term investors or traditional venture capital. The history of solar energy serves as a prime example. In its infancy, solar technology was expensive and inefficient, making it an unattractive commercial investment. However, public funding and government grants enabled years of research, scaling, and iterative development, ultimately reducing costs and increasing efficiency. Today, solar energy is one of the most widely-used and cost-effective renewable energy sources globally. This transformative journey from a niche technology to a global industry was made possible, in large part, by public investment.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company?
A: We are currently preparing for our Health Canada submission and hope to bring some delicious tastings to CFIN members soon!
Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work?
A: This year will be my ninth year running HOSA Canada, a registered nonprofit organization that provides healthcare education for high school and university students. We have had over 30,000 students cycle through our program and we bring home many international competition medals every year!
Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose?