REDUCED raises €4 million Series A extension to support industrial rollout

Copenhagen-based REDUCED has secured €4 million (approximately US$4.3 million) in a Series A extension, bringing its total Series A funding to €12 million (approximately US$13 million) as it advances the industrial rollout of its fermentation-derived savory ingredients platform.

• REDUCED has raised €4 million (US$4.3 million) in a Series A extension, bringing total Series A funding to €12 million (US$13 million).

• The round was co-led by Delphinus Venture Capital, with participation from Novo Holdings, ECBF, and EIFO.

• The company converts food industry side streams into clean-label savory ingredients using solid-state fermentation and controlled reaction processes.

The funding round was co-led by Delphinus Venture Capital, with participation from existing investors Novo Holdings, ECBF, and EIFO. REDUCED stated that the capital will be used to scale production, strengthen quality and supply chain systems, expand its ingredient portfolio, and support commercial partnerships as it transitions from technology development to full industrial supply.

Founded in Copenhagen, REDUCED develops fermentation processes that convert underutilized food processing side streams into natural savory ingredients for large-scale food manufacturers. Its proprietary platform combines solid-state fermentation with controlled reaction steps to produce flavor compounds such as umami, kokumi, and Maillard reaction notes, positioned as alternatives to conventional hydrolyzed vegetable proteins and yeast extracts.

The company has targeted a global savory ingredients market worth several billion euros, where manufacturers face increasing pressure to reformulate products with clean-label ingredients while maintaining taste, functionality, and cost efficiency. Existing natural flavor solutions often rely on hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, meat extracts, or yeast extracts that can lack the complexity and depth required in certain applications.

REDUCED stated that its fermentation-based platform consistently generates complex flavor profiles tailored to multinational food producers and foodservice operators. By valorizing food industry side streams, the company has aligned its technology with circular economy and resource efficiency objectives, while aiming to deliver high-performance flavor systems at industrial scale.

The Series A extension marked what the company described as a decisive step in its shift from technology development to industrial supply. Over the past year, REDUCED reported that it has doubled its industrial partnerships and expanded its product portfolio across multiple application categories, signaling growing commercial traction for its fermentation-derived ingredients.

Emil Munck de Voss, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer of REDUCED, said 2026 would focus on advancing industrialization of the platform. “2026 will be focused on continuing the industrialization of our core technology, and this investment enables us to accelerate that journey. We are seeing strong momentum with industry and food service partners across Europe, and our ambition is to deepen these collaborations. Being well capitalized, with strong backing from both new and existing investors, is an important step in achieving this.”

Investors framed the financing as support for scaling an industrial biotechnology platform rather than a research-stage technology.

Mathias Brink Lorenz, Managing Partner at Delphinus Venture Capital, said, “We are very pleased to join the strong investor group backing REDUCED and look forward to being part of the scaling journey in industrial food ingredients. REDUCED has the rare combination of a strong commercial founding team coupled with a solid technical platform to scale from. A perfect match for the investment focus of our fund.”

Thomas Grotkjær, Partner at Planetary Health Investments, Novo Holdings, said, “Reduced has built a compelling enzyme- and fermentation-based platform for producing high-value, natural savory ingredients. This financing will help strengthen quality systems, scale production, and accelerate progress with key industrial partners. We are pleased to continue supporting Reduced as the company advances into its next phase of growth.”

Jowita Sewerska, Investment Director at ECBF, added, “Industrial food ingredient production must become both more sustainable and more resilient. REDUCED’s scalable fermentation platform demonstrates how circular bio-based technologies can deliver competitive, high-performance solutions to global food manufacturers.”

Sara Færch Hansen, Senior Associate at EIFO, said, “We see a robust technological foundation, strong market need, and a highly capable team at REDUCED. Their approach shows how innovative Danish foodtech can deliver both sustainability and high-value industrial ingredients. We are pleased to contribute to the company’s continued development as it scales its platform and strengthens its collaborations with major industry partners.”

With fresh capital secured, REDUCED has intensified its focus on industrial customers and large-scale production as it positions itself as a long-term ingredient partner to global food and ingredient manufacturers seeking clean-label savory solutions.