AgriTech investor and informant perspectives about cellular agriculture

Abstract

Investor and venture capital activity within food, agriculture and bio renewables (AgriTech) continues to accelerate. Investors recognize promise in AgriTech due to pressing demand to provide food and bio renewable materials for our growing population. Cellular agriculture, meat produced in vitro versus in vivo is one specific space where exceptional investor activity is occurring. This work captures investor and key informant perspectives primarily from North America about cellular agriculture by utilizing thematic analysis from qualitative interview data. Findings highlight the role and perspectives of strategic capital as a necessary mechanism to fund bringing cellular meat technologies to the marketplace. The data also indicated that cellular agriculture products would likely complement existing meat products like plant-based meats and that massive infrastructure is required to produce these products at scale. In addition, respondents posited that higher income, urban and politically liberal consumers would likely be early adopters of cellular meat products and that a significant challenge will be providing availability to the wider less affluent population.