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In the quest to replace traditional seafood with alternatives, Berlin-based Pacifico Biolabs<\/a> believes it has a unique approach to making whole muscle structures using fermentation.<\/p>\n While fermentation, the process of growing cells in bioreactors, is already used to make a number of alternative proteins, like cultivated meat, Zac Austin, co-founder and CEO, calls the process \u201ca complete game-changer.\u201d<\/p>\n Prior to Pacifico Biolabs, Austin was at McKinsey in London as a strategy consultant. Following work on the British government\u2019s COVID taskforce, he met co-founder Washington Nelson Logro\u00f1o Vintimilla, who migrated to Europe from Ecuador for graduate studies in biotechnology.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fermentation we often hear about is better at making raw products,\u201d Austin told TechCrunch. \u201cSeafood is such that it is so fragmented that you need different technology approaches to cover different types of products. We produce a highly nutritious biomass, and our formulation works well for white fish filet products.\u201d<\/p>\n The company\u2019s fermentation process involves the cultivation of multiple microorganisms, including mycelium (mushroom root), to provide nutrition, flavor and texture. Pacifico Biolabs is also using side streams<\/a> from other food productions to reduce food waste. In addition, infrastructure is a big capital expenditure for fermentation, so the company is building a new production process.<\/p>\n Pacifico Biolabs launched out of stealth today with $3.3 million in pre-seed funding. The round was co-led by Simon Capital and FoodLabs and included Exceptional Ventures and Sprout & About Ventures.<\/p>\n The startup is the latest to attract venture capital investment for alternative seafood. It\u2019s an area that saw a lot of movement in early 2023 from companies like ISH Company<\/a>, New School Foods<\/a>, Aqua Cultured Foods<\/a> and Bluu Seafood<\/a>. Investors also called that year one where notable strides<\/a> would be made in alternative seafood.<\/p>\n