MOA Foodtech secures €14.8 million EIC investment to scale AI-powered fermentation

MOA Foodtech, a Spanish startup combining artificial intelligence and biotechnology to create sustainable ingredients, has secured a €14.8 million investment commitment from the European Innovation Council (EIC). This funding will accelerate the company’s Non-GMO Directed Fermentation project, which transforms agri-food by-products into high-value functional ingredients.

MOA Foodtech was one of only 71 companies selected from over 1,200 applicants in the most competitive EIC Accelerator call to date. The investment includes a €2.3 million direct grant and a €12.5 million equity investment to be executed in a second phase. With this backing, MOA aims to scale its AI-driven fermentation platform, Albatros, to an industrial level, positioning itself as Europe’s first large-scale producer of ingredients using directed fermentation.

“Our selection by the EIC is a vote of confidence in MOA’s technology, which seeks to revolutionize ingredient production,” enthused Bosco Emparanza, CEO of MOA Foodtech. “This funding will allow us to advance our AI platform, develop new functional ingredients, and further expand our impact.”

MOA Foodtech’s Albatros platform optimizes biomass fermentation, allowing the company to create customized, high-quality ingredients without genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Unlike traditional precision fermentation, which often faces strict regulatory barriers, MOA’s approach utilizes microorganisms already recognized as safe by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), streamlining the approval process.

Emparanza explained that one of the biggest obstacles to bringing fermentation-derived ingredients to market is navigating the regulatory approval process. By working with naturally occurring, non-GMO microbes, MOA Foodtech can bring new ingredients to market faster and more cost-effectively. The company plans to expand its catalog of proprietary ingredients to showcase the versatility of its AI-driven fermentation process. It is also focused on scaling operations to an industrial level, strengthening its position as a key supplier in the alternative protein and sustainable food sectors.

MOA Foodtech is already collaborating with industry leaders, including Italian food giant Barilla, to repurpose by-products into high-value ingredients. The startup’s mission aligns with the rapidly growing global fermentation market, projected to surpass €90 billion over the next decade. Its circular economy approach supports food waste reduction and environmental sustainability, making it an attractive solution for food manufacturers seeking functional, sustainable, and cost-effective ingredients.

The EIC Accelerator program provides financial support through grants and equity investments, alongside business acceleration services that connect selected companies with corporate partners, investors, and industry expertise. An EIC spokesperson highlighted that this round of funding was the most competitive since the launch of the EIC Accelerator under the Horizon Europe framework, with MOA Foodtech standing out for its potential to reshape ingredient production through AI-powered biotechnology.