Senara secures LIOF investment to scale cultivated milk in Maastricht

German biotechnology startup Senara has secured investment from Dutch regional development agency LIOF to scale up its cell-cultivated milk technology, adding a second location in Maastricht as it develops applications ranging from cheese and ice cream to skincare ingredients.

• Senara secured an undisclosed investment from LIOF to support the scale-up of its cell-cultivated milk technology and establish a second location in Maastricht.
• The German company launched a further financing round to support a proposed pilot facility, alongside development work with international food producers.
• Senara explored cheese, ice cream and panna cotta applications, while identifying cosmetics and skincare ingredients as potential opportunities for an earlier market introduction.

The investment, announced on October 23, brings the Freiburg-based company into Limburg’s cellular agriculture network. The amount was not disclosed. Senara has also opened a new financing round to support the potential development of its own pilot facility in the city.

Founded in 2022, Senara grows milk-producing animal cells in bioreactors, where they produce milk much as they would in a cow’s udder. Its aim is to preserve the taste, nutritional value and functionality of dairy while changing the production process.

“We don’t want to change milk; we want to improve the way it is produced,” said Dr Svenja Dannewitz, CEO of Senara.

The company starts with cells extracted from fresh milk, selecting milk-producing cells from healthy cows for cultivation. These cells provide the basis for its production system, allowing Senara to produce dairy directly from animal cells.

Senara says the method could require less space and energy than conventional dairy production. It also sees opportunities to shorten supply chains and bring production and processing together at a single location.

“We are developing an innovative production method that is more efficient and sustainable. In the future, farmers could use this technology with bioreactors on their own farms. This would allow them to remain an integral part of the food system while creating new ways of producing food,” Dannewitz said.

On-farm production remains a longer-term possibility. The announcement did not include a timetable for introducing such systems or details of any planned farm installations.

Senara is led by Dannewitz and CTO Dr Philipp Prosseda, both of whom previously conducted research at Stanford University. Dannewitz’s scientific work has examined how the environment surrounding cells influences their function, while Prosseda’s background includes biochemical engineering and molecular medicine.

The company is investigating ice cream, cheese and panna cotta as potential food applications and is working with international food producers to extend its technology into other products. Those partners were not named in the investment announcement.

Alongside that work, Senara is exploring ingredients for cosmetics and skincare. It sees these non-food applications as offering opportunities for a faster commercial introduction while development continues in the more tightly regulated food market.

The company expects its first food products could reach supermarket shelves within a few years. The announcement did not identify a specific launch date or first market, or provide a production capacity or commissioning schedule for the potential Maastricht pilot facility.

“Senara is among the European frontrunners in cell-cultivated dairy and has the ambition to grow internationally,” said Annemoon Borst, Investment Manager at LIOF.

“Limburg brings together specialised knowledge, entrepreneurship, investment capital and scale-up infrastructure. This provides Senara with a strong environment in which to take the next step towards the market, while at the same time strengthening the ecosystem that continues to develop here.”

For LIOF, the investment supports its ambition to connect international businesses with the province’s research and industrial capabilities. Maastricht gives Senara access to specialist knowledge, talent, infrastructure and potential partners as it develops its production technology.

The regional cellular agriculture network includes Maastricht University, Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, cultivated-meat producer Mosa Meat and Cultivate at Scale.

Cultivate at Scale operates independently as an open-access facility, offering companies equipment and support for developing cell-culture processes. Its model allows businesses to conduct scale-up work without first having to finance and operate a dedicated production plant.

The facility offers single-use bioreactor platforms ranging from 40 to 1,000 liters, together with laboratory space and process development services. It can produce batches for regulatory submissions, tastings and initial market testing, with support covering cultivation, process optimization and production.

Originally established as a pilot and production facility for Mosa Meat, Cultivate at Scale became an independent business at the beginning of 2025. It now supports companies working on cultivated dairy, meat and other products derived from cell culture.

Dannewitz will also speak at The Future of Protein Production Amsterdam on November 4-5 at RAI Amsterdam, where the event will bring together companies developing cultivated foods, fermentation technologies and plant-based ingredients.

(Main photo shows Senara founders Dr Svenja Dannewitz, CEO, and Dr Philipp Prosseda, CTO, who are developing cell-cultivated milk and expanding the company into Maastricht with investment from LIOF)

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