Bactolife lands over US$33 million to bring binding proteins to market

Bactolife has secured more than €30 million, equivalent to over US$33 million, in a Series B funding round to support the commercialization of its binding protein technology and the execution of an expanded human study program, as the company prepared for its first product launches in 2026.

The Copenhagen-based company, which focused on gut health solutions for human and animal applications, said the financing provided sufficient capital to move its binding proteins from development into large-scale commercialization. The round was led by Cross Border Impact Ventures and EIFO, the Danish Export and Investment Fund, with continued participation from existing investors Novo Holdings and Athos.

With backing from cornerstone investors including Athos, Cross Border Impact Ventures, EIFO, the Gates Foundation, and Novo Holdings, Bactolife said it expected to launch its first binding protein products for human health in the USA in 2026. The company also outlined plans to expand into Asian and European markets in subsequent years, alongside a stated commitment to making the technology available to women and children in low- and middle-income countries.

Bactolife described its binding proteins as a new class of food, feed, and dietary supplement ingredients designed to support intestinal resilience by binding and neutralizing unhealthy metabolites in the gut. The company positioned the technology as a preventative and proactive approach to health management, with potential applications across functional foods, beverages, supplements, and animal nutrition.

Sebastian Søderberg, CEO of Bactolife, said the successful close of the Series B round marked the beginning of a new phase for the company as it moved toward market entry. He said the funding would enable Bactolife to clinically validate, scale, and commercialize its binding proteins, while taking the company’s solutions to a broader audience.

He said the company was excited to welcome new investors and grateful for the continued support of existing backers, which he said reflected confidence in Bactolife’s mission. Søderberg said the company was ready to transform gut health with its binding protein technology.

According to Bactolife, the proceeds from the round were earmarked for several priority areas. These included the execution of human studies across the United States, Europe, Asia, and selected low- and middle-income countries, as well as scaling manufacturing and supply operations to support future global demand. The company also planned to accelerate commercialization activities across both human and animal health markets.

In human health, Bactolife said its initial focus would be on dietary supplements and functional food and beverage applications, while in animal health the technology was expected to be applied to feed additives. The company framed this dual-market approach as a way to build scale while addressing health challenges across multiple segments.

Donna Parr, Managing Partner at Cross Border Impact Ventures, said the investment reflected confidence in the potential of Bactolife’s technology to address both global health needs and large commercial markets. She said the binding proteins had the potential to strengthen gut resilience for mothers and children in low- and middle-income countries by offering a scalable, food-grade solution that could be integrated into everyday nutrition.

At the same time, she said there was a significant growth opportunity across North America, Europe, and Asia, describing the market potential as substantial. Parr said the investment reflected Cross Border Impact Ventures’ conviction that evidence-based technologies could reach high-growth markets while remaining inclusive of populations with the greatest needs. She said the firm looked forward to partnering with Bactolife to accelerate clinical validation, scale manufacturing, and expand equitable access globally.

Bactolife’s approach centered on binding proteins that worked within the gut to gently bind and neutralize compounds associated with intestinal stress, rather than acting through pharmacological mechanisms. The company said this differentiated the technology from traditional interventions and made it suitable for incorporation into food-grade products intended for daily consumption.

The company also emphasized its commitment to accessibility, stating that its long-term strategy extended beyond launches in high-income markets. Alongside planned rollouts in the USA, Europe, and Asia, Bactolife said it was committed to ensuring its binding protein technology reached women and children in low- and middle-income countries, aligning with its broader mission to make science-backed health solutions available to the many rather than the few.

Founded to address unmet needs in gut health, Bactolife positioned its technology at the intersection of nutrition, preventive health, and scalable ingredient innovation. By focusing on proteins that could be produced at scale and integrated into existing food and feed systems, the company aimed to bridge the gap between clinical research and real-world nutrition.

The Series B round followed earlier funding that supported the development of Bactolife’s core technology and initial validation work. With the new capital, the company said it was entering a phase focused on execution, including regulatory preparation, manufacturing scale-up, and clinical studies designed to support market entry and adoption.

Bactolife said the planned human study program would play a central role in this next phase, providing data to support the efficacy and safety of its binding proteins across different populations and use cases. The company said these studies were intended to underpin commercialization efforts and support discussions with partners and customers across food, supplement, and feed markets.

As the gut health sector continued to attract investment and attention, Bactolife’s funding round highlighted ongoing interest in ingredient-level solutions that could be deployed across multiple categories. By combining clinical validation with a focus on scalability and accessibility, the company said it aimed to position its binding proteins as a foundational technology within next-generation nutrition and health systems.

With the Series B financing in place, Bactolife said it was focused on the run-up to its first commercial launches in 2026, while laying the groundwork for international expansion and broader adoption in the years that followed.