Portfolio expansion: three startups advancing food resilience and crop protection
We’re welcoming three new companies into the biotope portfolio. They tackle food resilience and crop protection with serious science and a get-it-done mindset.
Meet the portfolio newcomers
- Typcal (São Paulo, Brazil)
Growing mycoprotein via biomass fermentation. Their proprietary fungi strains grow fast and on a wide range of feedstocks, making sustainable protein (and fiber) production more flexible and scalable than most approaches we’ve seen. - BugBiome (Cambridge, UK)
Turning beneficial microbes into a crop’s best friend. BugBiome identifies naturally occurring microbial consortia that deter pests while sparing pollinators and other helpful insects—a nature-first alternative to broad-spectrum chemicals. - B-COS (Ghent, Belgium)
Building nature-inspired COS molecules that switch on plants’ own immune responses. The goal: replace chemical pesticides with bio-based products that are effective, safe, and built for today’s regulatory reality.
These three stood out from a competitive, three-week basecamp where ten early-stage ventures pressure-tested their science and business with our team and community. Two of the three are women-led, which makes us extra happy—because diverse teams build stronger companies.
“These startups reflects what biotope was built to do—support ambitious teams applying breakthrough science to urgent food and agriculture challenges. Each startup has the potential to reshape its field, and we’re proud to help them lay the right foundations.”
Annick Verween, head of biotope
Tailored support
Biotech for planetary health only works if it works in the field (or greenhouse, or fermenter). Typcal, BugBiome, and B-COS are building exactly the kind of targeted, scalable solutions farmers and formulators are asking for: fewer blunt instruments, more precision.
Each startup receives €250K in cash, €100K in non-cash tailored support, and access to VIB’s scientific ecosystem and biotope’s network of partners, industry experts, and mentors. The new portfolio companies now enter biotope’s 18-month incubation to reach seed-readiness with targeted scientific, regulatory, and business support.
They join a growing biotope portfolio across 8 countries that has attracted ~€30M in follow-on funding. Recent seeds closed by AmphiStar, Zymofix, B’ZEOS, and PFx Biotech show what’s possible when strong science meets the right support.
Want in?
Our next basecamp runs 2–18 December 2025 (Ghent + online). If you’re building early-stage biotech in planetary health and want €350k in support, and a community that actually rolls up its sleeves, apply now.