Nutropy Secures $8.1M to Revolutionise Dairy with Animal-Free Proteins

Editorial Team

Last updated 27-10-2025

3 min

Saudi firm Beta Lab joins an $8,1 million funding round for French startup Nutropy.

Nutropy uses precision fermentation to create animal-free casein for dairy-like products.

Funding will help Nutropy scale production and aim for a commercial launch by 2027.

Nutropy plans to expand into Europe, the US, Asia, and the Middle East.

The venture indicates growing interest from Saudi investors in innovative agri-biotech.

Saudi investment firm Beta Lab has stepped into the global biotech food space, joining an $8.1 million funding round for Nutropy, a French startup working on animal-free dairy proteins. The round was co-led by Big Pi Ventures and Zero Carbon Capital, with backing from a bunch of international investors including Wyngate, Paul Dischamp, Desai Ventures, PVS Investments, and Novax, which is part of the Axel Johnson Group.

Now, Nutropy isn’t your run-of-the-mill food tech company. It’s pioneering the use of precision fermentation to make *casein*—a key milk protein—without relying on cows. The idea is to produce cheeses that look, taste and melt like the real deal, but with no animal involvement. Clever stuff. As someone who’s seen countless food startups pitch at MENA events, I reckon this kind of biotech approach could be a real game-changer for sustainable nutrition in the region.

With this fresh funding, Nutropy plans to scale up production and provide larger samples to food manufacturers, gearing up for a commercial launch by 2027. The company also has its sights set on expanding into Europe, the US, Asia, and the Middle East — and that last one, naturally, caught my eye. It’s great to see international ventures like this looking seriously at MENA markets, especially as consumer appetite for sustainable alternatives keeps rising.

Founded by Dr. Maya Bendfalah and Nathalie Rolland, Nutropy wants to tackle what could soon be a global dairy shortage. The duo’s vision is to offer sustainable, high-quality proteins that meet growing demand while reducing environmental strain.

I remember chatting once with a MENA-based investor who said working with European foodtech startups could be “a bit of a faff” at first due to regulation hurdles—but when the match fits, it’s *spot on*. That said, Beta Lab’s participation signals a growing confidence from Saudi investors in cutting-edge agri-biotech, a field that’s evolving fast.

If anything, it’s refreshing to see firms from this region step beyond typical fintech or logistics plays into something as tangible—and frankly as bold—as reinventing cheese itself. And believe it or not, that kind of ambition fits perfectly with what we at **Arageek** love to spotlight: startups redefining industries, not just riding trends. It’s encouraging… even if the journey will be long and, well, definately cheesy.

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