Loading organizations...

§ Private Profile · 1305 O'Brien Dr, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
Pacifico Biolabs is a technology company.
Pacifico Biolabs develops alternative protein products, starting with white fish and aiming for other white meats, through proprietary fermentation. Their biotechnology cultivates microorganisms, including mycelium, to construct authentic whole muscle structures, delivering nutrition, flavor, and texture. This method integrates food production side streams, enhancing sustainability and minimizing waste.
Co-founded in November 2022 by CEO Zac Austin and Washington Logroño, Pacifico Biolabs arose from insight into fermentation's transformative potential. Austin, a former McKinsey strategy consultant, partnered with Logroño, who brought biotechnology expertise. Their vision applied this method to create scalable, structured alternative proteins for the seafood market.
The company targets business-to-business customers, offering alternative protein products for culinary applications. Pacifico Biolabs aims to harness fermentation to revolutionize the animal protein industry. Its long-term vision is to develop economically viable alternatives achieving cost parity with traditional animal products, expanding beyond seafood to white meats and other proteins.
Pacifico Biolabs has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.
Pacifico Biolabs has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Pacifico Biolabs is a Berlin-based biotechnology company founded in 2022 that develops sustainable meat alternatives, primarily seafood and other meats like chicken, pork, and fish, using mycelium fermentation technology.[1][2][5] It produces Viando, a line of mycelium-based "mycomeat" products designed for B2B customers in the food industry, offering realistic taste, texture, and nutrition while requiring up to 99% less land, 90% less water, and 90% fewer CO2 emissions than traditional animal meat.[5] The company serves food manufacturers by integrating directly into existing supply chains and recipes, solving the problem of unsustainable seafood and meat production amid rising global demand and environmental pressures.[1][2][5] With $3.3M raised in a convertible note round and public funding, Pacifico is in early scaling stages, focusing on European market launch post-regulatory approval.[1][2][3]
Pacifico Biolabs was co-founded in 2022 by Zac Austin (CEO, former McKinsey strategy consultant in London and British government COVID taskforce member) and Washington Logroño (biotechnology graduate who migrated from Ecuador to Europe).[2] The idea emerged from their collaboration on fermentation innovations for fragmented seafood products like white fish fillets, where traditional methods fall short.[2] Emerging from stealth in early 2024 with seed funding, the company quickly gained traction through public grants for mycelium-based vegan meat alternatives and venture backing, positioning it as a leader in biomass-fermented seafood.[2][3]
Pacifico Biolabs rides the alternative protein wave, targeting seafood—a sector with $808M in VC funding across 56 deals in 2023 amid overfishing, climate impacts, and 20%+ annual demand growth.[2] Its timing aligns with EU regulatory progress for novel foods and mycelium's centuries-old safety profile, enabling faster market entry than cell-cultured meats.[2][5] Market forces like resource scarcity and consumer shifts toward sustainable, nutritious options favor its low-cost, high-yield model, influencing the ecosystem by proving fermentation can disrupt legacy meat supply chains without overhauls.[1][5] As a deep tech player, it accelerates biotech's role in food security, competing with plant-based and cultivated proteins while bridging to mainstream adoption.[1][2][4]
Pacifico is poised to launch Viando Chicken in Europe soon, with pork and fish following, leveraging its pre-seed momentum to scale bioreactors and secure approvals.[2][5] Trends like precision ag-tech advancements, rising alt-seafood investments, and corporate sustainability mandates will propel growth, potentially expanding to global B2B partnerships.[2][5] Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to supply chain staple, redefining meat companies by swapping animals for fungi—delivering the sustainable, drop-in alternatives the food industry craves.[5]
Pacifico Biolabs has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Pacifico Biolabs's investors include Patrick Noller, Friedrich Droste, Bitburger Ventures, Exceptional Ventures, Sprout & About Ventures.
Pacifico Biolabs has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in February 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2024 | $3M Seed | Patrick Noller, Friedrich Droste | Bitburger Ventures, Exceptional Ventures, Sprout & About Ventures | Announced |