Cultured Wagyu beef maker raises $5 million

In California, Orbillion Bio, a startup targeting lab-grown replacements for foodie cuts of meat like bison, elk and Wagyu beef, has raised $5 million. 

The oversubscribed seed funding round included At One Ventures, k16 ventures, and FoundersX Ventures. The funds will be used to build a pilot production unit to culture Wagyu beef, a highly prized— and high-priced—cut of beef originating in Japan.  

“We love to see teams that are focused on the right things, and Orbillion is a great example,” said Ali Rohde, GP at Outset Capital. “They’re completely focused on the flavor and the science. We’re excited for the future they’re building.”

The company’s three founding partners—Patricia Bubner, Gabriel Levesque-Tremblay, and Samet Yildirim—have over 30 years of bioprocessing experience.