SINGAPORE –  Glocalink Singapore (Director: Dr. Ravikrishna Ramanujam)  , an investment company of the Leave a Nest group,has announced an investment in Umami Meats, a cultivated seafood company based in Singapore. The investment will support Umami Meats in accelerating the development of its platform technology for the creation of sustainable seafood products, which are designed to address the environmental challenges of traditional seafood production and to meet the rapidly growing demand for seafood around the world.

Seafood demand is projected to grow by 50% by 2050. However, according to UN FAO, only 7% of global fisheries are sustainable. Aquaculture cannot keep up with this demand and there are more than two dozen species which cannot be farmed. In addition, our seafood supply is increasingly contaminated with heavy metals, microplastics, parasites, and antibiotics, which poses risks for human health. Existing fishing practices are also not environmentally friendly – global fishing contributes more GHG emissions than the entire aviation sector.

Umami Meats is developing an innovative CultivateOS platform, which uses automation and standardization to produce cultivated, ‘not caught' seafood. Its cutting-edge approach incorporates stem cell biology, machine learning, and automation to create a dependable, local, resilient supply of seafood that is free from contaminants. By providing traditional seafood suppliers with this powerful tool, Umami Meats is enabling them to offer a stable and sustainable local supply of high-quality seafood products that are safe and healthy for consumption. Umami Meats’ initial focus is on a production system for Japanese eel, which is an endangered species listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Umami Meats had previously participated in Enterprise Singapore's Global Innovation Alliance programme in Tokyo, run by Leave a Nest Singapore, which provides entrepreneurs and innovators with access to resources, networks, and expertise in Japan. ” Given our focus on eel, we view Japan as our most important early market.  Enterprise Singapore's Global Innovation Alliance programme in Tokyo was instrumental in helping us establish our initial network in Japan,” said Mihir Pershad, CEO of Umami Meats. “We are excited to continue working with Glocalink Singapore and Leave a Nest Group to explore opportunities in Japan.”
Glocalink Singapore's investment in Umami Meats will help the company expand its research and development efforts, scale up production, and accelerate its go-to-market strategy. The investment will also help Umami Meats strengthen its partnerships in Japanese companies along the seafood value chain to drive product innovation and commercialization.
“We are excited to partner with Umami Meats to accelerate the development of sustainable, healthy and delicious seafood products,” said Dr. Ravikrishna Ramanujam, Director of Glocalink Singapore. “Cultivated seafood has the potential to revolutionize the seafood industry, and we believe that Umami Meats is well-positioned to lead the way in this transformation.”

About Umami Meats
Umami Meats is weaving together the deep wisdom of our oceans with modern innovation to develop delicious, affordable, and healthy cultivated seafood that provides a sustainable alternative to the harmful impact of traditional fishing practices.
Umami Meats knows that nature is our biggest teacher and is dedicated to preserving its delicate balance by thinking differently, honoring tradition, and protecting the taste of the sea.

About Glocalink Singapore
Glocalink Singapore, is an Agri food-tech focussed investment company with a vision to solve the most pressing problems in food security & advance the future of food and agriculture. Glocalink aims to do this by supporting & investing in early stage startups with innovative technologies to not only solve local issues but can be further developed and implemented to solve global challenges.

For enquiries:
Glocalink Singapore Pte. Ltd.                                                                                                           
Attn: Ravikrishna Ramanujam 

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