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§ Private Profile · Chicago, IL, USA
Nature's Fynd is a company.
Nature's Fynd develops fungi-based alternative proteins, producing meatless and dairy-free food products. Their core technology cultivates Fy Protein, a nutritional fungi protein derived from a microbe found in Yellowstone National Park. This proprietary fermentation process creates versatile, complete vegan proteins, forming the basis for their breakfast patties and dairy-free yogurts.
The company, originally Sustainable Bioproducts, was co-founded in 2012 by microbiologist Mark Kozubal, Matthew Strongin, and Thomas Jonas. The foundational insight emerged from Dr. Kozubal's research into extremophile microbes discovered in Yellowstone's geothermal springs, revealing an efficient, sustainable protein source driving their innovative food production.
Nature's Fynd serves consumers seeking sustainable, nutritious plant-based food options. Their vision is to contribute to a resilient food system by providing delicious, fungi-powered protein solutions. The company focuses on scaling its fermentation technology to offer a significant global protein alternative, aiming to nourish a growing population with minimal environmental impact.
Nature's Fynd has raised $512.8M across 5 funding rounds.
Key people at Nature's Fynd.
Nature's Fynd was founded in 2012 by Rich Macur (Co-Founder) and Yuval Avniel (Co-Founder) and Thomas Jonas (Co-Founder) and Daniel Livny (Co-Founder) and Mark Kozubal (Co-Founder) and Matthew Strongin (Co-Founder).
Nature's Fynd has raised $512.8M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Nature's Fynd has raised $512.8M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.8M Grant in April 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2022 | $4.8M Grant | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | — | Announced |
| Jul 19, 2021 | $350M Series C | Angela DU | AL Gore, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, 1955 Capital, ADM, Balyasny Asset Management, Blackstone, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Danone Manifesto Ventures, EDBI, Hillhouse Capital Group, Hongkou, SK | Announced |
| Dec 8, 2020 | $45M Debt Financing | Oxford Finance, Trinity Capital | — | Announced |
| Mar 1, 2020 | $80M Series B | Breakthrough Energy Ventures | 1955 Capital, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Chris Schaepe, ADM Ventures, Danone Manifesto Ventures, Mousse Partners | Announced |
| Feb 1, 2019 | $33M Series A | 1955 Capital | Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Chris Schaepe, ADM, Danone Manifesto Ventures, Lauder Partners, Liebelson Family Office | Announced |
Nature's Fynd was founded in 2012 by Rich Macur (Co-Founder) and Yuval Avniel (Co-Founder) and Thomas Jonas (Co-Founder) and Daniel Livny (Co-Founder) and Mark Kozubal (Co-Founder) and Matthew Strongin (Co-Founder).
Nature's Fynd has raised $512.8M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Nature's Fynd's investors include Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Angela Du, Al Gore, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, 1955 Capital, ADM, Balyasny Asset Management, Blackstone, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Danone Manifesto Ventures, EDBI.
Key people at Nature's Fynd.
Nature's Fynd is a Chicago-based food tech company that produces sustainable, fungi-powered proteins and foods using a novel fermentation technology derived from extremophile microorganisms discovered in Yellowstone National Park.[1][2][3][4][5] It creates products like meatless breakfast patties, protein + veg bites, dairy-free yogurt, and cream cheese made from Fy™, a complete vegan protein rich in all 20 amino acids, fiber, and nutrients, serving consumers seeking delicious, planet-friendly alternatives to traditional animal-based foods.[3][4][5] The company solves the global challenge of feeding a growing population by using a fraction of the land, water, energy, and emissions required by conventional agriculture, enabling production in urban facilities like its Chicago plant to minimize transportation impacts.[1][2][3][4] With 153 employees across Chicago and Bozeman offices, Nature's Fynd demonstrates strong growth momentum, including product expansions and plans for a new offering in 2025, while prioritizing taste, nutrition, and sustainability.[1][3][5]
Nature's Fynd traces its roots to a NASA-funded research project in Yellowstone National Park, where geomicrobiologist Mark Kozubal discovered a resilient microorganism—later named Fy—thriving in the park's extreme geothermal hot springs.[1][2][3][4] This breakthrough, initially aimed at understanding life in harsh conditions for potential extraterrestrial applications, inspired Kozubal to partner with entrepreneurs Thomas Jonas (current CEO) and Matthew Strongin to commercialize the technology; the company was formally founded in 2018, though some records note earlier activity around 2012.[1][3][4] Early traction came from developing Fy™ through precision fermentation, leading to initial products like meatless patties and dairy-free yogurt, with production scaling in Chicago to leverage its central location for efficiency.[3][4][5] Pivotal moments include enlisting world-renowned Chef Eric Ripert as culinary advisor to elevate taste and positive consumer feedback on flavor and texture.[5]
Nature's Fynd stands out in the alternative protein space through these key advantages:
Nature's Fynd rides the sustainable protein wave in food tech, addressing climate-driven pressures on agriculture amid a global population projected to reach 10 billion, where traditional farming strains resources and emits heavily.[1][2][3] Timing is ideal as consumer demand surges for tasty, nutritious plant- or fungi-based alternatives, fueled by market forces like regulatory pushes for low-emission foods, urban farming trends, and investment in precision fermentation (e.g., similar to precision-fermented dairy leaders).[3][4] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering fungi as a scalable protein source—beyond plants or cells—potentially normalizing options like Fy™ in fast-casual chains (e.g., Chipotle bowls) and governmental programs, while reducing ag's environmental footprint through localized production.[3]
Nature's Fynd is poised for expansion with a teased 2025 product launch, broader retail penetration, and pushes into B2B applications like ingredients for global menus, capitalizing on fungi's untapped potential amid rising climate regulations and protein diversification.[3][5] Trends like urban bio-manufacturing, alternative protein subsidies, and mainstream vegan adoption will accelerate its trajectory, potentially evolving it from niche innovator to category leader. As food systems face mounting sustainability demands, Nature's Fynd exemplifies how extremophile science can deliver everyday solutions that truly nourish people and the planet—turning Yellowstone's secrets into a scalable future for protein.
