Scaling-up sustainable food technology

CPI accelerated a Newcastle University spin-out’s transition from academic research to commercial manufacturing, helping it to secure private investment, create new jobs and unlock follow-on funding so that its products can be manufactured and sold at scale.

MarraBio is pioneering engineered multimeric proteins that replicate the function of natural bioactive molecules at a fraction of the cost. Its Caf1-based platform enables scalable, animal-free production of proteins with applications in cell culture, therapeutics and cultivated meat, a sector predicted to exceed $20bn by 2030.

By reducing the cost and complexity of manufacturing cells, the company is helping to build a low-emission, high-value bioeconomy and positioning the UK as a global leader in advanced biologics and sustainable food technologies.

CPI provided end-to-end technical and regulatory support via its National Biologics Manufacturing Centre and Novel Food Innovation Centre, and led MarraBio’s £500,000 seed round alongside partners, through its investment arm CPI Enterprises. The partnership demonstrated the digestibility and safety of MarraBio’s Caf1 proteins, supporting future novel-food approval.