French food-tech company Nutropy has raised €7 million in an oversubscribed seed funding round to advance the industrialisation of its animal-free dairy proteins, produced through precision fermentation.

The round was co-led by Big Pi Ventures and Zero Carbon Capital, with participation from existing backer Big Idea Ventures and several new investors, including Beta Lab, Wyngate, Desai Ventures, PVS Investments and Novax, the growth investment arm of Sweden’s Axel Johnson group. Public financial support was also provided through European and French programmes, notably Bpifrance.

Based in Genopole, France’s leading biocluster, Nutropy develops caseins identical to those found in cow’s milk, enabling manufacturers to produce cheese and dairy products without animal inputs. Its 'plug-and-play' powdered dairy ingredients, including a cheeseable milk formulation, aim to help food producers reduce environmental impact while maintaining taste, texture and nutrition.

The precision-fermented dairy protein market is expected to play an increasing role in addressing supply-chain constraints and rising global demand. The conventional dairy industry, valued at over €900 billion, faces growing sustainability pressures and a projected $75 billion milk production shortfall by 2030.

The company plans to use the new capital to scale up casein production, expand its product portfolio, and target markets across Europe, North America and Asia.

Nathalie Rolland, Nutropy’s CEO, said: “Our ambition is clear: to offer plug and play solutions to support the food industry's transition to a more sustainable system, while meeting consumers' taste and nutritional requirements”.

Sarah Jones, principal at Zero Carbon Capital, commented: "Cheese has a carbon footprint second only to beef and lamb. And for too long animal-free cheese has meant compromising on taste. Nutropy ends that. The company produces caseins by fermentation and functionalises them to produce animal-free cheeses as good as the originals. We are excited to back the team that will bring you your favourite cheese without the carbon emissions."

Guy Krief, partner at Big Pi Ventures, added: "Nutropy is unlocking the next generation of sustainable dairy by combining cutting-edge precision fermentation with deep food science expertise. Its technology addresses both climate imperatives and consumer demand for authentic, animal-free cheese. We’re proud to support Nathalie, Maya, and the Nutropy team as they scale a transformative solution for the global dairy industry."