As the global population grows, the demand for meat and dairy products continues to rise. Lab-grown and plant-based foods offer sustainable solutions to meet this demand, addressing environmental impacts and animal welfare concerns while ensuring the food looks, tastes, and feels like the 'real thing.'
Here are 10 IndieBio companies leading the way in creating food for the future in 2025:
Headquartered in Santiago, Chile, with a significant presence in New York, NotCo creates plant-based food products to replace animal-based foods without compromising taste, including milk alternatives, plant-based burgers, and mayonnaise. It uses artificial intelligence to combine ingredients like coconut, cabbage, peas, chickpeas, bamboo, and beets to replicate the texture, color, and aroma of animal-based products. Their proprietary AI, named Giuseppe, analyzes molecular structures of foods to create plant-based recipes that mimic animal products. In 2025, NotCo continues to expand its product lines into more markets, including partnerships with major fast-food chains and grocery stores globally. IndieBio has been pivotal in supporting NotCo's early development.
Based in San Francisco, CA, Perfect Day utilizes precision fermentation to produce dairy proteins without the use of animals. Their process involves fermenting microflora to create proteins identical to those found in cow's milk, enabling the production of animal-free dairy products that deliver the same taste and texture as traditional dairy. In 2025, Perfect Day continues to expand its partnerships with major food and beverage manufacturers, offering a sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional dairy. Their innovations have significantly contributed to reducing the environmental impact associated with dairy production. IndieBio's guidance played a critical role in helping Perfect Day scale their operations.
A new addition to the list, Better Meat Co., located in Sacramento, CA, harnesses the power of fermentation to create Rhiza, a mycoprotein ingredient that enhances the taste and nutrition of plant-based meat. The company’s innovative products are making waves in 2025 for their applications in various alternative protein products. Rhiza is rich in protein and fiber, providing a clean-label option for plant-based and hybrid meat products. Better Meat Co. has partnered with leading food manufacturers to incorporate Rhiza into their formulations, showcasing its versatility in enhancing the nutritional profile and taste of plant-based and hybrid products. IndieBio's guidance played a crucial role in their product innovation.
Located in Berkeley, CA, Upside Foods is a trailblazer in the cultivated meat industry, producing lab-grown chicken using animal cells without the need for slaughter. The company received FDA approval in 2023 for its cultivated chicken, marking a significant milestone in alternative protein production. By 2025, Upside Foods is scaling its manufacturing capabilities and collaborating with restaurants and retailers to bring its products to a wider audience. With early support from IndieBio, Upside Foods has positioned itself as a leader in cultivated meat innovation.
Based in Green Island, NY, MyForest Foods produces mycelium-based bacon as a sustainable alternative to traditional pork. Their flagship product, MyBacon, offers a realistic texture and flavor while being environmentally friendly. In 2025, MyForest Foods is expanding its production facilities to meet growing demand and exploring new mycelium-based products. Backed by IndieBio, the company continues to redefine what’s possible with fungi-based protein.
Operating from Stamford, CT, NewWave Foods provides sustainable plant-based shrimp alternatives, which have gained traction in foodservice sectors due to their environmental benefits and realistic texture. Made from seaweed, natural flavors, and soy proteins, their products deliver the taste and texture of shrimp while promoting ocean sustainability. The company’s shrimp alternatives are designed to cater to the seafood industry, where overfishing and environmental damage remain critical challenges. In 2025, NewWave Foods is scaling production to meet the rising demand from foodservice providers and launching new seafood alternatives, including plant-based lobster and crab. Their journey began with support from IndieBio's program.
Located in Albany, CA, Sundial Foods specializes in plant-based chicken wings that replicate the skin, meat, and bones of real chicken. These products are gaining popularity in 2025 as they scale automation and expand production. Their innovative approach to replicating the entire structure of chicken wings has attracted significant interest from global restaurant chains. Sundial Foods is also working on expanding its product offerings to include plant-based drumsticks and other poultry-inspired items. With backing from IndieBio, Sundial has grown into a leader in plant-based chicken alternatives.
Located in San Francisco, CA, Lypid creates vegan oils designed to make plant-based meat taste like the real thing. They are also developing a vegan animal fat replacement to elevate alternative proteins. Their innovative approach has garnered attention in the food industry, and they continue to expand their product offerings in 2025. IndieBio's support played a crucial role in advancing Lypid's technology.
Located in San Francisco, CA, New Culture uses microbial fermentation to develop casein protein—the essential protein found in cow's milk. This process allows them to create animal-free dairy products, including mozzarella cheese, with the same taste and texture as traditional dairy. In 2025, New Culture is collaborating with pizza chains to introduce its animal-free mozzarella in commercial kitchens. The company’s focus on eliminating cows from the dairy process aligns with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming. New Culture owes much of its initial success to its time at IndieBio.
Headquartered in Emeryville, CA, Finless Foods focuses on cultured seafood, including bluefin tuna. In addition to their cultured products, they introduced a plant-based tuna option in 2022 and are further expanding into sustainable seafood solutions in 2025. The company has pioneered cell-line development for several seafood species, ensuring genetic diversity and improved scalability. Finless Foods’ plant-based products are now widely available in retail stores, while their cultured seafood is undergoing final regulatory reviews in multiple countries. Their roots in IndieBio laid the foundation for their success.
Conclusion
The future of food is being shaped by the innovative efforts of IndieBio companies like NotCo, Perfect Day, and Finless Foods. These startups are addressing critical challenges such as environmental sustainability, food security, and ethical concerns while delivering high-quality, delicious alternatives to traditional animal-based products. Supported by platforms like Scispot.io, these companies continue to push the boundaries of science and technology, ensuring that the food systems of tomorrow are both sustainable and accessible. By adopting lab-grown and plant-based alternatives, we can look forward to a future where our food choices are kinder to the planet and better for us all.
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