As Meat Shortages Spread Globally, These 6 Startups Offer Alternative Cuts
For years, the foodtech sector attracted much buzz, yet, seemed to have little to do with what we actually put on our plates every day. But, with advances in 3D-printing technologies, the rise in climate change awareness, and the current fears of a global meat shortage due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis, it seems alternative meat options are becoming more desirable and viable by the minute.
Luckily, many companies out there are hoping to ride the growing trend of environmentally sustainable and ecological food consumption. From cellulose-printed hamburgers to lab-grown steaks, below are 3 Israel-based startups developing cruelty-free and environmentally friendly alternatives to everyday products.
Redefine Meat, Funding raised to date: $6 million
Redefine Meat Ltd. develops 3D-printing technology for alternative meat products. Redefine Meat uses digital models and food formulations to produce an animal-free product that has the appearance, texture, and flavor of whole muscle meat, according to the company’s statements.
Future Meat, funding raised to date: $16.2 million
Future Meat Technologies Ltd. develops technology that produces meat from animal cells, without the need to raise or slaughter animals.
SuperMeat, funding raised to date: $3 million
The company produces edible lab-grown meat by culturing cells that have been extracted from live chicken. The process eliminates the need to propagate and raise animals for slaughter.
Zoom buys security firm Keybase to help build end-to-end encryption
Zoom has bought Keybase, a secure messaging and file-sharing service, to help accelerate the video conferencing company’s plan to build end-to-end encryption that can reach current Zoom scalability.
“There are end-to-end encrypted communications platforms. There are communications platforms with easily deployable security. There are enterprise-scale communications platforms. We believe that no current platform offers all of these. This is what Zoom plans to build, giving our users security, ease of use, and scale, all at once,” said Eric S. Yuan, CEO of Zoom.
Tech Start-Up Develops Social Distancing APP
The Safe Distancing Assistant by Pathfindr is lightweight and uses ultra-wideband, low power technology (3.5ghz radio TX frequency) to scan for nearby colleagues, providing a full 360-degree field of detection.
It has undergone testing and is being launched more widely as a training and enforcement device for safe personal distancing in the workplace, including factories, warehouses, logistics hubs and construction sites.
Ben Sturgess, co-founder and chief technology officer at Pathfindr, said: "We’ve worked around the clock to build and test a solution in a matter of days, as the impact of manufacturing downtime begins to be felt across the globe."
"The aim of the Safe Distancing Assistant is to enable work to safely continue – providing control to organisations and individuals working within them to prevent the spread of infection."
Uber said to be in talks to acquire Grubhub
Uber is in talks to acquire Grubhub, said three people with knowledge of the discussions, aiming to create one giant player in food delivery as more people turn toward those services in the coronavirus pandemic.
Uber recently approached Grubhub with a potential all-stock takeover bid, said two of the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details were confidential. In response, Grubhub asked for two Uber shares for each of its shares, two of the people said. That would value Grubhub’s stock at more than $60 a share, pegging a deal at around $6.1 billion, or roughly a 25% premium to Grubhub’s closing price on Monday.
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