Future Fields
Future Fields is an Edmonton-based biotech CDMO using transgenic fruit flies (EntoEngine™ platform) to produce difficult-to-express recombinant proteins for biopharma, crop sciences, food innovation, and AI protein design clients, operating from a 6,000 sq ft commercial biofactory.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersEdmonton, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Future Fields does
Future Fields is an Edmonton, Canada-based biotechnology company founded in 2018 that has developed the EntoEngine™, a proprietary biomanufacturing platform using transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) as whole-insect bioreactors for recombinant protein production. The platform is purpose-built for difficult-to-express proteins (DTEPs) — proteins that conventional E. coli, yeast, and CHO cell systems fail to produce — and offers multicellular expression across 200+ distinct cell types, inducible expression for toxic proteins, stable expression strains maintained via balancer chromosomes, glycosylation without immunogenic α1,3-fucosylation, and demonstrated CHO-equivalent yields of up to 305 g/L with 86% lower carbon emissions and 74% lower water usage than conventional methods.
The company operates as a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), providing custom protein production services through a four-stage milestone-based process (Strain Generation, Expression Optimization, Process Development, Production & Characterization) under bespoke, quote-based, multi-year contracts. A secondary revenue stream consists of catalog recombinant protein reagents — growth factors (including FGF2, the first growth factor to receive the ACT Environmental Impact Factor Label), hormones, and cytokines — sold direct to life sciences customers. Customers span four verticals: life sciences/biopharma (cancer and immune-disorder therapeutics, cell/gene therapy ancillary materials, AI-designed proteins), crop sciences/agriculture (insecticidal proteins and Plant-Incorporated Protectants), food innovation/cellular agriculture (growth factors for cultivated meat), and AI protein design companies (manufacturing partner for computationally designed sequences).
Commercial operations run through direct, consultative enterprise sales led by a dedicated business development team, with inbound driven by a "Request a protein consult" CTA on the company website. The company has raised over $15M USD across multiple rounds — most recently an oversubscribed $8M Series A in June 2025 co-led by Amplify Capital, BDC Climate Tech Fund, and R7 Partners — and operates from a 6,000-square-foot Instar 1.0 biofactory in downtown Edmonton that opened in November 2024 and is staffed by 20+ technicians, chemists, and biomolecular specialists. Distribution is entirely direct, with no channel partners.
Future Fields firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Future Fields
- Legal name
- Future Fields
- Website
- https://futurefields.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Future Fields is an Edmonton-based biotech CDMO using transgenic fruit flies (EntoEngine™ platform) to produce difficult-to-express recombinant proteins for biopharma, crop sciences, food innovation, and AI protein design clients, operating from a 6,000 sq ft commercial biofactory.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Future Fields industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biopharmaceutical CDMO Services
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO (HLAGABAC)
Keywords
Where Future Fields is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edmonton
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Future Fields business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Custom Protein Production Services (CDMO): Future Fields acts as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), providing custom recombinant protein production services using the EntoEngine platform. Clients commission Future Fields to manufacture bespoke proteins designed for cutting edge research and therapeutic development. Services follow a milestone-based process: Strain Generation, Expression Optimization, Process Development, and Production & Characterization. Pricing is quote-based given the bespoke nature of each engagement.
- Recombinant Protein Reagent Products: Future Fields sells catalog recombinant protein products including growth factors (FGF2, EGF), hormones (prolactin, etc.), and cytokines for biomedical research and biopharma. FGF2 products were the first growth factors in the world to receive the ACT Environmental Impact Factor Label. Products are sold directly to life sciences customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Protein Production Services — bespoke, quote-based engagements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Future Fields product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Future Fields operates as a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that uses transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) as whole-insect bioreactors to produce recombinant proteins. Through its proprietary EntoEngine™ platform, the company provides custom protein production services for life sciences, agriculture, and food innovation clients, specializing in difficult-to-express proteins (DTEPs) that conventional systems (E. coli, yeast, CHO cells) cannot make.
Product overview
Future Fields operates as a biotech CDMO offering the EntoEngine™ Platform as its core technology, which uses transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) as whole-insect bioreactors for recombinant protein production. The company provides Custom Protein Production Services including Life Sciences and Crop Sciences offerings, with the Instar 1.0 Biofactory as the manufacturing facility enabling commercial-scale production. Product portfolio includes recombinant protein reagents for research and biopharma applications, alongside novel exotic tissue-specific protein expression services for next-generation disease research. The company positions itself as a sustainable alternative to conventional bioreactors, serving agriculture, food innovation, and biopharma markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EntoEngine™: Proprietary transgenic Drosophila melanogaster-based protein expression platform for producing recombinant proteins at scale
- Instar 1.0
Products and services
- Custom Protein Production Services Custom protein production services leveraging genetically engineered fruit flies to express high-quality recombinant proteins at scale, following a milestone-based process: Strain Generation, Expression Optimization, Process Development, and Production & Characterization. Targets life sciences, crop sciences, and food innovation clients.
- Crop Sciences Services
- Recombinant Protein Reagents Catalog of recombinant protein products including growth factors (FGF2, EGF), hormones (prolactin), and cytokines for biomedical research and biopharma applications, produced via the EntoEngine platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- 86% less carbon emissions and 74% less water usage compared to conventional bioreactor-based protein production
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Future Fields
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Future Fields technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Future Fields partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Protein EvolutioncoreStrategic partnership announced with Protein Evolution to produce AI-engineered proteins. As part of this partnership, Future Fields will manufacture computationally designed proteins created by Protein Evolution's AI platform, combining AI protein design with biomanufacturing capabilities to bring novel therapeutics and research tools to market.
- John Cumbers / SynBioBetaminorJohn Cumbers, founder and CEO of SynBioBeta (the premier innovation network for biological engineers, entrepreneurs, and investors), joined Future Fields' advisory board. SynBioBeta hosts the annual SynBioBeta Conference where Future Fields gains visibility.
- United Nations Global CompactminorFuture Fields is the first Canadian recombinant protein manufacturer to join the UN Global Compact initiative, committing to ten universally accepted principles in human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.
- Dr. Michael Houghton (Nobel Laureate)minorDr. Michael Houghton, co-discoverer of the hepatitis C virus and 2020 Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, joined Future Fields' advisory board. He brings over 40 years of expertise in recombinant protein production for clinical applications.
- 1% for the PlanetminorFuture Fields is a proud business member of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate 1% of annual sales to nonprofit environmental organizations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Future Fields competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- AbCellera Biologics: Canadian biotech platform leveraging AI and high-throughput biology for antibody discovery and development. Comparable as a Canadian-headquartered biotech services company targeting biopharma innovation; overlaps with Future Fields in serving AI-driven protein discovery workflows.
- Ginkgo Bioworks: Synthetic biology platform company offering cell programming and biomanufacturing services. Comparable as a synbio services provider targeting diverse end markets including agriculture and food, similar to Future Fields' vertical diversification strategy.
- Culture Biosciences: Biomanufacturing company offering custom fermentation and protein production services with a technology-forward platform. Comparable as a smaller, technology-enabled CDMO targeting biopharma and synthetic biology clients with innovative service delivery.
Broad incumbents
- Samsung Biologics: Large-scale biologics CDMO offering custom protein and antibody manufacturing services. Competes for the same biopharma outsourcing dollars as Future Fields, but at vastly larger scale and with established mammalian platforms.
- Lonza Group: Global leader in biologics CDMO services with mammalian cell-based protein production. Comparable as a major recombinant protein manufacturing services provider for pharma, though Future Fields competes by offering a fundamentally different expression host (insect vs. mammalian) at lower cost and carbon footprint.
- Catalent: Major CDMO providing biologics development, manufacturing, and analytical services. Comparable as a custom protein production services provider, though Future Fields positions against Catalent's incumbent mammalian and microbial platforms with a novel insect-based alternative.
- WuXi Biologics: Global biologics CDMO providing end-to-end custom protein and antibody manufacturing. Comparable business model as a CDMO for biopharma, but operates at industrial scale with CHO-based platforms; notable for being a primary competitor mentioned in company materials about geopolitical supply chain risk.
- Eurofins Scientific: Global life sciences services group with CDMO and bioanalytical capabilities, including protein production. Comparable as a large commercial services provider in life sciences, though at vastly greater scale and breadth than Future Fields' specialized platform.
Direct peers
- AGC Biologics: Specialized CDMO providing custom recombinant protein and biologics manufacturing services for biopharma clients, including difficult-to-express proteins. Closely comparable business model as a custom services provider to small-to-medium biopharma companies.
- PeproTech: Recombinant protein catalog and custom manufacturing company producing growth factors, cytokines, and research-use proteins for life sciences. Comparable as a recombinant protein product company serving biomedical research and biopharma; relevant because Future Fields has hired PeproTech veterans.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Future Fields social profiles
Digital presenceFuture Fields compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Future Fields financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Future Fields leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Future Fields funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors20 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Future Fields M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Future Fields
What does Future Fields do?
Future Fields operates as a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that uses transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) as whole-insect bioreactors to produce recombinant proteins. Through its proprietary EntoEngine™ platform, the company provides custom protein production services for life sciences, agriculture, and food innovation clients, specializing in difficult-to-express proteins (DTEPs) that conventional systems (E. coli, yeast, CHO cells) cannot make.
Is Future Fields a public or private company?
Future Fields is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Future Fields founded?
Future Fields was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Future Fields based?
Future Fields is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Future Fields make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Protein Production Services (CDMO) is the primary driver. The others are recombinant Protein Reagent Products.
Who are Future Fields's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are AbCellera Biologics, Ginkgo Bioworks and Culture Biosciences. Broad incumbents are Samsung Biologics, Lonza Group, Catalent, WuXi Biologics and Eurofins Scientific. Direct peers are AGC Biologics and PeproTech.
Does Future Fields have an API?
No public API is recorded for Future Fields.
What industry is Future Fields in?
Future Fields's product category is Biopharmaceutical CDMO Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGABAC, Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO. Its SIC code is 8731.