VitroLabs
VitroLabs was a Milpitas, California-based biotech that developed a cell-cultivation and tissue-engineering platform to produce animal-free, sustainable leather for luxury fashion brands, and was acquired by Faircraft in May 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What VitroLabs does
VitroLabs was a California-based biotech company (founded 2016, headquartered in Milpitas) that developed a platform for producing real leather via cell-cultivation and tissue engineering rather than animal husbandry and conventional tanning. The company's core product was a tissue-engineering platform that grows leather cells in controlled laboratory environments to produce animal-free leather materials with properties comparable to conventional leather, eliminating factory farming and the hazardous chemicals associated with traditional tanning. The technology was protected by a portfolio of 35 patents covering cell-cultivation processes and tissue engineering methods for leather production.
VitroLabs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VitroLabs
- Legal name
- VitroLabs Inc.
- Website
- https://vitrolabsinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- VitroLabs was a Milpitas, California-based biotech that developed a cell-cultivation and tissue-engineering platform to produce animal-free, sustainable leather for luxury fashion brands, and was acquired by Faircraft in May 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VitroLabs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cultivated Leather Materials
- NAICS
- Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316), Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316990)
- SIC
- Leather & Leather Products (3100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Leather, Suede & Alternatives (PU/Bio-based) (CRAAAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Vegan/Alternative Material Goods Manufacturing (PU/Plant-based/Mycelium) (IMAOAHAH)
Keywords
Where VitroLabs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
VitroLabs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Cultivated leather materials: Pre-commercial stage; company was building and scaling pilot production of cultivated leather for sale to luxury fashion brands. Revenue model based on selling cultivated leather materials to fashion industry customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Cultivated leather materials for luxury fashion |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
VitroLabs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VitroLabs developed a tissue engineering platform that produces real leather materials through cell-cultivation processes, creating animal-free leather without traditional animal farming or tanning methods. The platform grows leather cells in controlled laboratory environments, producing sustainable, premium-grade cultivated leather with properties identical to conventional leather for use in luxury fashion products such as bags, footwear, and accessories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cell-Cultivated Leather Platform Tissue engineering platform that produces environmentally sustainable, animal-free leather through cell-culturing processes, for sale to luxury fashion manufacturers producing bags, footwear, and accessories.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% gross margins indicating early signs of cost normalization in cultivated leather market
Companies that use VitroLabs
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
VitroLabs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
VitroLabs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- FaircraftcoreFaircraft, a French biotech startup specializing in in-vitro leather production, acquired the assets of VitroLabs including 35 patents. The acquisition aimed to strengthen Faircraft's technological portfolio, expand market presence, and accelerate industrialization with a target production unit by 2027.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
VitroLabs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Faircraft: French biotech startup that acquired VitroLabs's assets in 2025; produces cultivated leather from animal cells using tissue engineering and plans a production unit by 2027 — the closest direct peer in technology, product, and target customer.
- Modern Meadow: US-based pioneer of biofabricated leather and materials using cell biology and protein engineering; targeted fashion and automotive with the same animal-free premium-leather proposition that VitroLabs pursued.
- Bolt Threads: Creator of Mylo (mycelium-based 'leather') with established luxury partnerships (Stella McCartney, Adidas, Hermès via mycoworks era), competing for the same sustainable-luxury leather off-take wallet.
Emerging players
- Ananas Anam: Producer of Piñatex, a pineapple-leaf-fiber leather alternative serving fashion brands with a plant-based sustainability narrative that directly competes with cultivated leather for the eco-positioning slot in luxury collections.
- Ecovative Design: Mycelium-materials company with divisions (Forager, MyForest Foods) producing mushroom-based 'leather' and packaging; competing alternative-leather material science play for fashion and consumer goods.
- Geltor: Animal-free protein producer for beauty and fashion applications (collagen/elastin via fermentation); adjacent technology platform competing for luxury fashion's sustainable ingredient budget.
Others
- Upside Foods: Cultivated-meat pioneer sharing cellular-agriculture infrastructure, bioprocess know-how, and specialized investors (e.g., Agronomics) with VitroLabs; the closest adjacency for underlying biology and production know-how, though end markets differ.
- MycoTechnology: Fermentation/fungi-based ingredients company applying similar biological-process thinking to food; represents the broader cellular-and-fungal-biotech capability set underpinning cultivated leather production.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
VitroLabs social profiles
Digital presenceVitroLabs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VitroLabs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
VitroLabs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VitroLabs 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 VitroLabs
What does VitroLabs do?
VitroLabs developed a tissue engineering platform that produces real leather materials through cell-cultivation processes, creating animal-free leather without traditional animal farming or tanning methods. The platform grows leather cells in controlled laboratory environments, producing sustainable, premium-grade cultivated leather with properties identical to conventional leather for use in luxury fashion products such as bags, footwear, and accessories.
Is VitroLabs a public or private company?
VitroLabs is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was VitroLabs founded?
VitroLabs was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is VitroLabs based?
VitroLabs is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does VitroLabs make money?
One revenue line is on record: cultivated leather materials.
Who are VitroLabs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Faircraft, Modern Meadow and Bolt Threads. Emerging players are Ananas Anam, Ecovative Design and Geltor. Others are Upside Foods and MycoTechnology.
Does VitroLabs have an API?
No public API is recorded for VitroLabs.
What industry is VitroLabs in?
VitroLabs's product category is Cultivated Leather Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAMAG, Leather, Suede & Alternatives (PU/Bio-based), with a secondary code of IMAOAHAH, Vegan/Alternative Material Goods Manufacturing (PU/Plant-based/Mycelium). Its NAICS code is 316 and its SIC code is 3100.