Meatly Raises £10.4M for Cultivated Meat Facility

London-based cultivated meat innovator, Meatly, has successfully closed a £10.4 million Series A funding round, propelling its mission to commercialize cell-based protein production. This significant capital injection will finance the construction of Europe's most substantial cultivated meat bioreactor facility, a 20,000-litre operation set to commence fit-out immediately in London. The company anticipates product launches from this advanced facility by 2027, marking a critical step towards making cultivated meat a mainstream protein source.

The funding round was led by prominent investors including Oyster Bay Venture Capital, Clean Growth Fund, and JamJar Investments. This latest investment builds upon Meatly's prior success, including £7 million in seed funding from early backers Agronomics and Pets at Home, bringing the total capital raised to date to an impressive £17.4 million. This financial backing underscores strong market confidence in Meatly's technological advancements and its strategic vision for scaling cultivated protein.

Meatly has distinguished itself by addressing key cost barriers that have historically hindered the widespread adoption of cultivated meat. The company reports significant breakthroughs, including reducing the cost of its protein-free cell culture medium to an industry-leading £0.22 per litre and achieving a tenfold reduction in bioreactor costs. These achievements, coupled with regulatory authorization secured in 2024, have positioned Meatly as a frontrunner in the race for cost-effective, scalable cultivated meat production. The company notably launched the world's first cultivated pet food in 2025, demonstrating early commercial viability.

Owen Ensor, CEO of Meatly, emphasized the strategic importance of this funding, stating, “Meatly has one focus: to make commercially viable cultivated meat a reality. Over the last four years, Meatly’s pioneering team has systematically focused on reducing key costs and building the strongest possible technical foundation for growth. Now we have our own industry-leading technology, and we are ready to scale.” His sentiment highlights the company's dedication to overcoming technical hurdles and its readiness for large-scale manufacturing.

The cultivated meat sector is attracting substantial investment as global demand for sustainable protein sources intensifies. Projections indicate the market could reach tens of billions of dollars within the next decade, driven by environmental concerns and evolving consumer preferences. Meatly's expansion into a large-scale European facility positions it to capture a significant share of this growing market. As Connor Duffy, Investment Manager at Clean Growth Fund, noted, “Rethinking how we produce protein is an essential part of tackling the climate crisis. We’ve invested in Meatly because they are showing it’s possible to produce real meat cost-competitively and with a fraction of the environmental impact.”

Elise Schumacher, Investor at Oyster Bay Venture Capital, added further insight into the company's potential: “Meatly is not just building a new product – it’s laying the foundations for an entirely new protein category.” This perspective underscores the transformative nature of Meatly's work, aiming to redefine protein production for a more sustainable future. The establishment of this state-of-the-art facility in London signifies a major advancement for the UK's burgeoning foodtech and biotech industries.