Modern Meadow

Modern Meadow is an American company that uses biofabrication to create sustainable materials. The company was co-founded by Andras Forgacs, Gabor Forgacs, Karoly Jakab and Francoise Marga in 2011, and is based in Nutley, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York.[1] [2]

Modern Meadow
IndustryCellular agriculture
Founded2011
Headquarters
Brooklyn, New York
,
U.S.
Websitemodernmeadow.com

History

In 2006, Forgacs and his father Gabor, along with Keith Murphy and Eric David, co-founded Organovo, a company that uses 3-D printing of human tissue for medical research.[3] Driven by the lack of sustainable material alternatives, in 2011 Andras and Gabor pulled a small scientific team together to form Modern Meadow. The company’s goal was to look at the starting point for the creation of biofabricated materials, which is proteins. Since its inception, Modern Meadow has experimented with several different biofabrication processes and has evolved its approach to creating materials which support sustainability while also prioritizing performance, aesthetics and accessibility.[4][5]

The company has raised over $54 million from investors including Singapore’s Temasek, Iconiq Capital, ARTIS Ventures, Peter Thiel’s Breakout Labs and Horizon Ventures, and the private investment fund of the Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing.[6][7] In 2018, Modern Meadow signed an agreement with Evonik, a chemical company that specializes in microbial fermentation with the goal of commercially producing biofabricated materials.[8]

Modern Meadow’s co-founder and chief executive Andras Forgacs was named to Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40 list in 2016, and the company was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a 2018 Technology Pioneer.[9][10] In 2017, it was announced that Modern Meadow had plans to develop the “world’s first biofabricated leather;” the company displayed a prototype T-shirt made from the material at the Museum of Modern Art in an exhibit, “Items: Is Fashion Modern,” until 2018.[11]

In 2017, Modern Meadow relocated its headquarters to a 72,900 sq ft state-of-the-art laboratory in Nutley, New Jersey, having outgrown their previous location in Sunset Park, New York. The company also established a design and applied research studio at New Lab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.[12]

Technology

Initially, Modern Meadow used principles of tissue engineering for the development of materials.[13] The company has explored a range of biofabrication technologies and focuses on collagen fermentation and Bio-AlloyTM development.[14] A unique creation of Modern Meadow, Bio-Alloys are produced by combining select proteins with bio-based polymers at the molecular level. The proteins perform as functional components and enable Modern Meadow to deliver enhanced performance and sustainability. Modern Meadow calls themselves “a pioneer in biofabrication,” as the company designs and engineers with protein—“nature’s building blocks”—to re-assemble and construct advanced bio-based materials.[15]

ZOA

ZOA is Modern Meadow’s collection of materials which integrates a range of unique technologies to deliver enhanced material performance and sustainability.[16] ZOA materials are focused on climate action, designed to have a positive impact on climate change. The materials align with Modern Meadow’s partner brands’ strategic priorities and addresses consumers’ demands for more sustainable products—without compromising performance.[17][18]

The first premium product in the ZOA family is Zi, which is inspired by leather. It is animal-free and reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional leathers. Made with Bio-AlloyTM technology, Zi also reduces petroleum-derived inputs when compared to synthetic leathers.[19]


References
  1. Harvey, Chelsea. "This Brooklyn Startup Wowed The Science Community With Lab-Made 'Meat Chips'". Business Insider. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  2. Release, Press (August 16, 2017). "Modern Meadow Moves Headquarters into state of the art facility in New Jersey". SynBioBeta. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  3. "The father and son planning meat-free immortality". BBC News. November 12, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  4. Zhang, Sarah (September 21, 2017). "Leather, Grown in a Lab Without Cows". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  5. "Modern Meadow". www.modernmeadow.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  6. "Modern Meadow Raises $10 Million in Series A Funding". www.engineering.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  7. "Modern Meadow closes $40M Series B | PitchBook". pitchbook.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  8. Bain, Marc. "No animals were involved in producing this premium leather". Quartz. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  9. "40 Under 40: 2016". Crain's New York Business. March 27, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  10. "Andras Forgacs". World Economic Forum. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  11. Zhang, Sarah (September 21, 2017). "Leather, Grown in a Lab Without Cows". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  12. Release, Press (August 16, 2017). "Modern Meadow Moves Headquarters into state of the art facility in New Jersey". SynBioBeta. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  13. Release, Press (July 31, 2017). "Modern Meadow Reveals the Technologies behind its Biofabricated Leather Materials". SynBioBeta. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  14. "Modern Meadow". www.modernmeadow.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  15. "Modern Meadow". www.modernmeadow.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  16. Segran, Suzanne Lee as told to Elizabeth (September 10, 2018). "Brewing leather in a lab". Fast Company. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  17. "ZOA". www.zoa.is. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  18. "Modern Meadow". www.modernmeadow.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  19. "ZOA". www.zoa.is. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
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