Future Tech Ventures has invested in ModAlgae, a spin-off of the University of Groningen and Zernike campusresident, that is developing an innovative, biobased ingredient derived from microalgae. With this investment, ModAlgae will be able to scale up its operations and move toward the market introduction of a new type of glycogen for the personal care industry, which demonstrably provides superior skin hydration compared to existing ingredients.
ModAlgae was founded in April 2024 by four co-founders with strong scientific and industrial backgrounds. The technology is the result of more than ten years of research at the University of Groningen into microalgae and glycogen. The startup develops a unique type of glycogen produced by microalgae that grow under exceptional conditions, similar to those found in volcanic and acidic water sources.
Glycogen is a natural molecule that also occurs in the human body. The glycogen developed by ModAlgae is distinguished by its specific molecular properties. Research shows that this ingredient provides up to three times better skin hydration than hyaluronic acid, a widely used ingredient in skincare products.
In addition, the glycogen is produced through precision fermentation, a biotechnological process carried out in the dark, using renewable and locally available raw materials such as sugar derived from sugar beets. This makes the ingredient not only highly effective, but also sustainable and scalable.
With the investment from Future Tech Ventures, ModAlgae will focus in the coming period on scaling up production from lab scale to pilot scale. The company will also continue working on product validation, formulation testing, customer feedback, and regulatory processes, with the aim of a successful market introduction within the personal care sector.
“The personal care market is actively seeking natural, biobased ingredients that truly deliver performance,” says Mariska van der Hoek, CEO and co-founder of ModAlgae. “Our glycogen combines sustainability with functionality. Thanks to the investment from Future Tech Ventures, we can take an important next step towards future market introduction.”
In the longer term, ModAlgae also sees opportunities in other markets, such as sports and clinical nutrition, where slowly digestible carbohydrates play an important role. In addition, the microalgae technology represents a promising platform for the development of other high-value components.
Future Tech Ventures invests in promising technologies that contribute to a more sustainable future. The investment in ModAlgae aligns well with this mission.
“ModAlgae combines deep scientific expertise in this specific glycogen with proven superior performance, addressing strong sustainability and biotechnology trends, and with clear regional roots,” says Ignacio Faustino, Investment Manager at Future Tech Ventures. “The team has a strong vision and a technology with significant potential. We look forward to supporting them in the next phase of growth.”
Photo: Casper Maas
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