A pesar de sus edades, todos cuentan con experiencia, formación y conocimientos suficientes para emprender con enorme talento.

Amid investor pressure, sales declines and negative media coverage, the alternative protein sector is navigating a “correction phase”, but there is cause for optimism, according to ProVeg International.

In contemporary discourse, fungi are synonymous with innovation. The fungal kingdom has found increasing relevance within research institutions, university spin-offs, and burgeoning startups, establishing itself as a versatile and impactful resource across diverse market sectors. In particular, the mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, is a key player in this fungal revolution. This element is identified as a common structure in fungi, similar in appearance to a root and consisting of a mass of hyphae and a thread-like texture. In other words, it is the part from which the fungus grows. 

Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, is famed not only for its art and architecture but also for its bustling biotechnology startup scene. Catalonian biotech startups have been turning heads globally thanks to their innovative ideas and solutions that aim to revolutionize healthcare, wellness, beauty, and more.

Libre Foods wins funding to pioneer mycelium for meat alternatives

As the world continues to embrace healthier lifestyles, wellness has grown into a blossoming sector of the economy. Many startups are catalyzing their innovative ideas to transform the wellness industry, making health more accessible, personalized, and enjoyable. Spain is particularly stand-out for fostering a dynamic hub of wellness startups that are game-changing across various industries. Here are 15 exciting wellness startups from Spain that are reshaping the way we think about health and wellbeing.

Spanish plant-based startups Väcka and Libre Foods have joined forces to launch The Veggie Burger Warriors, a campaign offering 100% vegan burgers in restaurants across Spain from the 6th to the 12th of November.

In the future, "meat" as we know it will be fundamentally different regarding availability and format.

Spain’s agri-food startup ecosystem is gaining momentum, witnessing a surge in new participants and innovators within the food technology sector.

The innovative vegan food company, driven by mushrooms, leads the way towards a sustainable, environmentally friendly diet, offering delicious cruelty-free options.

Barcelona’s Libre Foods recently celebrated its second anniversary, with many achievements under its vegan belt to speak of in a short time. Not least, last year’s €2.2M raise, and this February’s launch of what Libre says is the first alt bacon made from mushrooms in Europe.

The fungi kingdom, one of the least understood worlds on our planet, was recently explored in the American post-apocalyptic drama TV series, The Last of Us. The epic journey of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to save humanity after a global pandemic triggered by a mind-controlling fungus (cordyceps), met its grand finale this week, but don’t worry, we’ll give no spoilers here. 

Libre Foods, the Barcelona startup creating mycelium-based alt meats, has closed a €2.2 million investment round. The biotech plans to use the new funds to bring its Libre Bacon product to market in Spain during 2022, with a wider European launch to follow soon after, pending regulatory approval.

Swedish biotech startup Mycorena, which makes a mycelium protein ingredient for meat alternatives, has raised a €24 million ($26.8 million) in what it says is the largest-ever Series A funding round for an alternative protein company from the Nordic countries. In fact, it’s the largest Series A round on record for an alternative protein company across the whole of Europe, according to data from AgFunder [disclosure: AgFunder is AFN‘s parent company.]