Cano-ela secures US$1.75 M to promote seed-based ingredients development
The new funding will scale up the production process and advance R&D.
NETHERLANDS – Cano-ela, a food tech company focused on plant-based ingredients from oil-rich, has announced a successful closing of Euro 1.6 million (US$1.75 million) funding round to pioneer the development of three innovative ingredients.
With the funding, the company aims to enhance its production process and progress toward a commercial launch.
This builds on earlier investments that enabled the company to create a proof-of-concept and further its research and development efforts.
Juliana Romero, Co-founder and CEO at Cano-ela, said, “We are entering an exciting phase as we prepare to bring our innovative ingredients to the market.
“This investment enables us to upgrade our pilot facility, increase production capacity, and accelerate collaborations with food producers seeking high-quality, plant-based, sustainable ingredient solutions.”
The company will produce three key ingredients: cano-cream, cano-soluble, and cano-fiber. These ingredients reportedly enhance the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of foods and alternative proteins.
These natural ingredients could replace synthetic emulsifiers, stabilisers, and texturisers, offering food producers a clean-label and sustainable alternative.
As the company stated, oil-rich seeds naturally contain essential building blocks for food production, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Conventional processing methods extract vegetable oil, leaving valuable nutrients that are discarded or used as low-value animal feed resulting in a 40% loss of potential food ingredients that could otherwise contribute to human nutrition.
Existing investors OostNL and new investors Value Factory and Ecoseed participated in the round.
Romero expressed excitement about securing the new funding round, highlighting its significance despite the challenging investment climate for startups.
She acknowledged the pivotal role of OostNL’s ongoing support in their progress and welcomed new investors, Ecoseed and Value Factory Ventures.
Romero noted that these investors are firmly committed to sustainability and innovation, aligning seamlessly with the company’s mission to drive impactful food solutions.
Jacco Zuijdweg, Investment Manager Value Factory Ventures, said, “Climate change and food security demand smarter solutions. Cano-ela transforms underutilised resources into sustainable ingredients, and we’re proud to support their mission.”
Henk Savelkoul, Director of Ecoseed, added: “Cano-ela is a game-changer in food innovation, turning overlooked nutrients into high-value ingredients. We’re excited to be part of their journey.”
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