South Africa’s Immobazyme raises US$1.3M to boost plant based protein operations

SOUTH AFRICA – Immobazyme, a precision fermentation startup originating from Stellenbosch University, has successfully secured US$1.3 million in its latest funding round. 

This investment was spearheaded by the University Technology Fund (UTF) with additional backing from Innovus, Stellenbosch University’s technology transfer office. 

The fresh injection of capital will enable Immobazyme to double the size of its current production facility and further scale its innovative platform.

The recent funding round elevates Immobazyme’s total capital raised to ZAR 24 million (US$23M). 

Expressing gratitude on social media, the company acknowledged the significant contributions of its investors and partners. 

“We’re incredibly grateful to all our investors and partners for recognizing the value and impact of our work. Daniel S., Wayne Stocks, and the rest of the team at The University Technology Fund (UTF), having you in our corner has been paramount to our success. A big thank you to the team at Innovus Technology Transfer Office at Stellenbosch University (USE); we appreciate all the long hours and hard work it took to bring this deal to closure,” they shared.

Founded in 2019 by Dominic Nicholas (CEO), Ethan Hunter (COO), and Nick Enslin (CTO), Immobazyme aims to revolutionize global innovation through precision fermentation. 

The company leverages the yeast Pichia pastoris as biofactories to produce recombinant proteins used in growth factors and enzymes, catering to industries such as cultivated meat, cellular agriculture, stem cell research, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.

A key innovation from Immobazyme is its modular protein expression system, designed to produce a range of growth factors in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

This technology is poised to benefit various sectors by providing affordable and high-quality biological components.

Another significant development is PepTrap, an enzyme immobilization platform that enhances enzyme efficiency and stability, simplifying their industrial application. 

Immobazyme’s flagship product, dextranase, targets the sugar industry by breaking down dextran gums—a common contaminant produced by microorganisms in sugarcane and sugar beet. 

This enzyme converts dextran polysaccharides into simple sugars, improving production efficiency, reducing waste, lowering costs, and ensuring superior sugar quality.

Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. HERE