Project
Techno-Economic Modelling for Sustainable Cultivated Meat and Seafood
Currently, cultivated meat bioprocesses carry high costs, primarily due to expensive growth media, bioreactor design and scale up limitations, and supply chain inefficiencies. A Techno-Economic Model for cultivated meat and seafood could support scaling cellular agriculture from concept to sustainable large-scale production, helping address the challenges of feeding a growing global population. By designing and modeling key operational units, assessing economic performance, and optimizing bottlenecks, the model will provide valuable insights for industry decision-making and innovation.
Background
Cultivated meat (CM) and cultivated seafood (CSF) are promising solutions to address global food challenges while offering a more ethical and sustainable alternative for animals and the environment.
However, scaling cellular agriculture from laboratory research to commercial viability requires a comprehensive understanding of both technological and economic factors. Bioprocess design, modeling, and production costs must be analyzed to evaluate feasibility and ensure the industry’s long-term success.
A techno-economic model provides a structured framework to evaluate these factors. By integrating data on bioprocessing, raw materials, energy consumption, and financial investments, such a model can identify cost drivers, optimize production strategies, and assess the long-term viability and sustainability of cultivated meat bioprocesses.
Aim
This project aims to develop a dynamic techno-economic model to identify the hotspots and bottlenecks for bioprocess improvement and evaluate various strategies for establishing an economically sustainable production process for CM and CSF. Finally, this project will serve as a guideline for developing a pilot facility.
Approach
To develop the techno-economic model, we follow a structured iterative approach that allows a continuous improvement of the process:
