Polish Biotech Startup Proteine Resources Secures €9.5 Million Funding

The company is developing next-generation functional proteins using insects. Chosen from thousands of applicants, Proteine is one of just two Polish startups in the current EIC cohort, and only the 9th ever from Poland to win this grant.

Proteine is backed by SMOK Ventures and Bitspiration Booster VC and has participated in key programs like the EIT Food Accelerator Network, the Circular Economy Hub in Helsinki, and Labena Ventures Accelerator.

“The EIC Accelerator is where DeepTech gets its wings,” said Bartłomiej Roszkowski, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Proteine – and a YC alumnus. “We’re thrilled to be among the few selected. It’s a powerful validation of what we’ve built – and what’s coming next.”

“We’re not just producing protein – we’re delivering a performance ingredient,” said Konrad Wlodarczyk, Founder of Proteine Resources and technology developer. “It works because it’s built with biology in mind – from the input stream to the metabolic profile.”

Proteine claims its product has shown excellent palatability—even for picky animals like cats, which are often hard to please with new proteins. With €9.5 million in funding, the company plans to build a 10x scaled pilot facility and launch the world’s first fully autonomous insect protein factory.

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The factory will feature a modular, low-energy design that can adapt to different locations using sidestream feedstock. Proteine also aims to commercialize a 1:1 functional beef alternative for premium pet food.

By integrating AI-driven controls and automation, the company hopes to cut operational costs and enable decentralized, scalable production of sustainable proteins. In Europe, many mushroom farms reportedly spend up to €80,000 a year disposing of waste like stems and mycelium.

Proteine’s system turns this waste into valuable feedstock, eliminating disposal costs, lowering emissions, and giving local farmers a role in advancing circular food innovation.

“We help turn a problem into a profit center,” said Roszkowski. “And we do it in a way that’s scalable, measurable, and emissions-neutral.”

Its ingredients are bioactive, digestible, climate-positive and cost-effective.

“What Proteine has built isn’t just a product – it’s a platform,” said Borys Musielak, managing partner at SMOK Ventures. “They are transforming one of the biggest environmental challenges in agriculture into a scalable business with real BioTech credentials. That’s rare.”

“BioTech that’s both sustainable and commercially aggressive is hard to come by,” added Andrzej Targosz, partner at Bitspiration Booster VC. “Proteine’s model hits all the right notes – circular, autonomous, and globally relevant. We’re excited to be part of the journey.”

About Proteine Resources

Founded in 2017, Proteine is on a mission to develop high-quality, functional proteins specially designed for animals. The focus is on health, easy digestion, and sustainability. Using its own insect bioconversion platform, the startup upcycles mushroom stems and mycelium into nutrient-rich proteins packed with taurine and L-arginine.