ICL's AgriFood innovation and investment platform, ICL Planet Startup Hub has invested in Arkeon's innovative and sustainable one-step fermentation bioprocess, which creates completely customizable protein ingredients by capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂) and converting it into the 20 proteinogenic amino acids required for human nutrition. The resulting carbon-negative and clean-label functional compounds are alternative proteins.

Arkeon's patented technology pioneered the utilization of carbon dioxide to produce protein without the use of genetic engineering, using archaea, a very durable single-celled microbe. Archaea, which is part of all species' microbiota, naturally feeds on CO₂ and converts it into nutritional protein, indicating that the process is not only sustainable but also regenerative.

“I dedicated much of the past decade to exploring new and sustainable biotechnological methods of alternative protein production,” said Gregor Tegl, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Arkeon. “Our team has harnessed proficiencies in microbiology and gas fermentation to create an entirely new regenerative food-production system. ICL’s support and partnership will be instrumental in helping us scale our archaea-derived protein production capabilities.”

“Arkeon has achieved a major breakthrough, by finding a way to nourish people and revitalize our ecosystems at the same time,” said Hadar Sutovsky, vice president of External Innovation at ICL, and general manager of ICL Planet. “Arkeon’s dedication to developing a renewable and easy to use protein is completely in-line with our organization’s commitment to creating impactful solutions for humanity’s sustainability challenges in the global food markets.”

“Although a young company, Arkeon brings to the table innovative and sustainable technology for use in creating the next generation of alternative protein products. They also fully align with ICL Food Specialties growth strategy of pursuing new frontiers in unique and functional alternative proteins,” added Rado Sporka, vice president of the Food Specialties Commercial Business for ICL.

“As an established corporation, we are able to offer our advanced infrastructure, extensive experience and accrued insights, plus market and regulatory related support. We look forward to working with this promising start-up to unlock a whole new food category based on Arkeon’s unique protein discovery, which is not dependent on land and requires minimal use of water, providing it with a limited ecological footprint.”