$10 million startup developing bioprinted leather

Modern Meadow has $10 million in funding and is developing bioprinted meat and leather.

Modern Meadow’s scientific team pioneered some of the technologies behind medical tissue engineering and invented a tissue engineering technique based on bioprinting, the 3D assembly of tissues driven by computer controlled processes.

The are now applying the latest advances in tissue engineering to culture leather and meat without requiring the raising, slaughtering and transporting animals. From a technical perspective, our approaches integrate innovations in cell culture, biofabrication and bioreactors.

They are working with leading artists, designers and professional chefs to make early samples of cultured leather and meat of the highest quality.

Modern Meadow 3d printing tissue engineering approach has several compelling benefits:

99% less land required
96% less water consumed
96% fewer greenhouse gases emitted
45% less energy needed
No risk of livestock diseases
No animals harmed
At scale, cultured meat and leather can provide a safe, sustainable, economical and ethical alternative to the traditional livestock industry.

GFIA 2014 Closing Ceremony Same Day Edit from Ross Hockrow on Vimeo.

Although they are developing both products [meat and leather], we expect leather to be commercialized sooner than meat. Our near-term focus is to perfect prototypes of our leather material which can be demonstrated in small scale fashion applications. Following successful demonstrations, we will seek to scale production to make our material available in larger formats.

While we have demonstrated a tasting at the TEDMED conference in 2011, cultured meat will take more time as it must overcome greater technical, regulatory and market hurdles. We are working diligently towards preparing a tasting for our delicious, healthy and ethical meat products.

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