Shiru, an AI-driven ingredient discovery startup, has recently secured a $16 million Series B investment to propel its protein discovery platform, ProteinDiscovery.ai, to new heights. By harnessing artificial intelligence, Shiru aims to streamline ingredient innovation and transform industries including food, cosmetics, and personal care. With this latest funding round led by S2G Ventures, and participation from CPT Capital, Lux Capital, Nourish Ventures, and Meach Cove Capital, Shiru’s total funding now stands at $36 million. The investment supports the company’s mission to broaden its ingredient portfolio and further establish its AI platform through strategic partnerships and expanded offerings.
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ProteinDiscovery.ai: Revolutionizing Ingredient Innovation
Launched in May, Shiru’s ProteinDiscovery.ai hosts an extensive collection of over 33 million natural protein molecules derived from plants and microbes. This platform enables Shiru’s partners to discover and evaluate natural ingredients more efficiently, which is particularly valuable for R&D teams in industries ranging from food and agriculture to personal care. Leveraging advanced AI algorithms and biochemistry workflows, ProteinDiscovery.ai offers a marketplace where businesses can explore and purchase ingredients tailored to meet specific functional requirements.
“ProteinDiscovery.ai represents a significant shift in ingredient discovery, making the process faster, more cost-effective, and sustainable,” said Shiru’s founder and CEO, Jasmine Hume. “While we’re starting with proteins, our vision extends far beyond. We’re building a comprehensive platform that will revolutionize ingredient discovery across multiple molecular classes.”
Cutting Costs and Accelerating Product Development
The ProteinDiscovery.ai platform is designed to reduce the time and cost of bringing new ingredients to market. Traditional R&D processes can be lengthy and costly, but Shiru’s platform drastically shortens development cycles by combining an expansive protein database with cutting-edge AI tools. According to Hume, “Our technology empowers R&D teams to transform their product offerings, gaining a competitive edge by introducing sustainable, high-performance ingredients faster and more efficiently.”
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Shiru’s Growing Product Portfolio
Shiru’s innovative Flourish technology has already enabled the development of several groundbreaking products. The company’s OleoPro, for example, is a structured fat alternative that combines unsaturated oils and plant proteins to mimic animal fats, offering plant-based food and beauty products a healthier, more sustainable option. In addition, Shiru’s uPro formula, which is designed to cut saturated fat content by up to 80%, recently received a U.S. patent, signaling the platform’s potential for advancing healthier ingredient alternatives.
Beyond food, Shiru aims to explore new categories. The company has initiated collaborations with key industry players, such as Griffith Foods and Ajinomoto Health and Nutrition, to develop eco-friendly, natural ingredients at scale. Hume shared that Shiru’s AI technology is just the beginning of a shift towards sustainable ingredient discovery, adding, “AI-powered discovery isn’t only the future of ingredient innovation – it’s here today.”
AI as a Solution for Sustainable Ingredients
The platform’s growth aligns with a rising trend of AI-driven innovations in sustainable ingredient sourcing. Alongside Shiru, several other startups are leveraging AI to address environmental and health challenges in ingredient discovery. Nuritas, an Irish biotech firm, is using AI to pinpoint plant-based peptides with unique benefits, while companies like Chile’s NotCo use AI to match plant-based ingredients for foods that replicate animal-based flavors and textures. Shiru’s ProteinDiscovery.ai recently received recognition as one of 2024’s Best Inventions by Time Magazine, underscoring its role in advancing sustainable alternatives across industries.
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The Future of ProteinDiscovery.ai and AI Ingredient Innovation
With fresh funding, Shiru is poised to continue expanding ProteinDiscovery.ai’s offerings, potentially venturing beyond proteins to include a wider range of molecular classes that can benefit industries from food to beauty. As more companies seek to make their product lines more sustainable, platforms like Shiru’s AI-driven marketplace are set to play a crucial role in enabling greener, more efficient innovation.
The $16 million Series B funding is an important milestone for Shiru, which is leveraging AI to accelerate the future of food, beauty, and personal care ingredients. As Hume emphasized, “Our platform is building a bridge between technology and sustainability, providing companies with a pathway to cleaner, more functional ingredient alternatives.” With AI paving the way for innovation in multiple sectors, Shiru’s ProteinDiscovery.ai could become a leading platform for sustainable ingredient discovery and a vital player in the AI-driven transformation of industry.
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Shiru’s AI-powered ingredient discovery highlights how artificial intelligence can address critical industry needs, from cost efficiency to environmental sustainability, signaling a future where advanced tech and responsible practices are closely integrated. Read source – Green Queen
