What Biohifas does

Biohifas (legal entity UAB BIOHIFAS) is a Lithuanian biotechnology company headquartered in Kaunas that develops mycelium-based food ingredients using solid state fermentation. The company's core technology valorizes industrial side streams into food-grade substrates, cultivates mycelium on those substrates, and produces a freeze-dried (lyophilized) plant-based raw material with elevated protein content. A distinctive technical element is the extraction of ferulic acid from malt, which is used both to initiate solid state fermentation and later reintroduced to enrich the resulting protein biomass — a process for which the company has filed a European patent application and describes the output as having no global analogues.

The company operates in the B2B food ingredient space, targeting two use-case segments: alternative protein ingredients for food manufacturers and bioactive/ferulic-acid-enriched materials for the nutraceutical market. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales, currently demonstrated through a pilot partnership with Volfas, an industrial partner providing container facilities for real-condition testing, and through user/customer evaluation during the EU-funded MTEP project phases (SUAVE and the 2022-2030 Atžalinių įmonių MTEP project). Revenue mechanics are not yet established: pricing is not publicly disclosed, the product is at MTEP stage 6 of 9 (prototype), and the company is scaling from 100g to 1kg batches toward commercial readiness. The team consists of three co-founders (CEO Tomas Byčkovas, CTO Simas Borkertas, CSO PhD Paulina Martusevičė) supported by an advisory board, with funding to date comprising small equity/accelerator tranches (Plug and Play, BSV Ventures) plus non-dilutive EU and Lithuanian structural fund grants.

Name

Biohifas

Legal name

UAB BIOHIFAS

Website

https://biohifas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Biohifas is a Lithuanian biotech startup that uses solid state fermentation to cultivate mycelium on industrial side streams, producing protein-enriched, ferulic-acid-fortified food ingredients for B2B alternative protein and nutraceutical customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Protein Ingredients

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Mycoprotein & Fungal Proteins (Fusarium/Mycelium-Based) (AFAJAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mycoprotein-Based Foods Manufacturing (AFAKAGAG), Dried & Dehydrated Fruit & Vegetables (Freeze-Dried, Air-Dried, Powders) (AFAKAFAE), Bio-based Food & Flavor Ingredients (Non-fuel Co-products: sweeteners, organic acids, flavors) (EUAAAIAJ)

Keywords

• Mycelium cultivation
• Alternative protein ingredients
• Solid state fermentation
• Industrial side stream valorization
• Ferulic acid enrichment

Headquarters

HQ city

Kaunas

HQ country

Lithuania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food ingredient sales: Sale of innovative freeze-dried plant-based ingredients with higher protein content and ferulic acid enrichment to the food industry, specifically targeting alternative proteins and nutraceuticals markets
2. Technology licensing: The company has filed a European patent application for their innovative product, suggesting potential technology licensing as a future revenue stream

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Biohifas develops and produces mycelium-based food ingredients through solid state fermentation, upcycling low-value industrial side streams into food-grade substrates. Its flagship product is a lyophilized (freeze-dried) plant-based raw material with elevated protein mass enriched with ferulic acid extract derived from malt — an ingredient positioned for the alternative protein and nutraceutical markets with a filed European patent application.

Product overview

Biohifas operates as a biotechnology company developing mycelium-based alternative proteins using solid state fermentation technology. The core product offering consists of lyophilized plant-based raw materials with enhanced protein content, enriched with ferulic acid extract derived from malt grain. The product portfolio includes the PILOT program for production-scale cultivation, the SUAVE EU-funded research project, and the proprietary mycelium-based alternative protein ingredient. The company is developing patent-protected technology for converting industrial side streams into food-grade protein ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mycelium-Based Alternative Protein Ingredient

Quantifiable outcome

• Protein content increased through solid state fermentation process
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VolfascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot partner providing container facilities for testing mycelium cultivation technology in real industrial conditions. Critical for scaling production from laboratory to industrial scale.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Quorn: Pioneer in mycoprotein (Fusarium venenatum) food products for the alternative protein market. Most direct comparable to Biohifas given shared mycelium/fungal protein technology and B2B/B2C food ingredient positioning, though at vastly larger scale and commercialization stage.
• Meati Foods: US-based company producing whole-cut alternative protein from mycelium using solid state fermentation. Most direct competitor on SSF technology and end-market overlap (alternative protein ingredients).
• Nature's Fynd: Chicago-based producer of fungal protein (Fy) using a proprietary fermentation process. Direct peer in fungal biomass protein production with a similar B2B ingredient strategy targeting alternative protein markets.
• Enough (formerly 3F BIO): Scotland-based mycelium protein producer (Abuncha) using biomass fermentation for B2B food industry customers. Direct competitor in fungal protein ingredient market with similar European footprint.
• Mycelia (MycoTechnology): Belgium-based mycelium fermentation company producing mycoprotein ingredients for food and nutraceutical applications. Strong geographic peer (EU-based, similar customer segments) with shared mycelium cultivation approach.
• Infinite Roots (formerly Mushlabs): German mycelium biotechnology company producing mycelium-based alt-protein ingredients via fermentation. Directly comparable on technology (mycelium cultivation), geography (Europe), and B2B ingredient GTM.

Emerging players

• The Better Meat Co. US-based alternative protein producer using Rhizopus fungal fermentation for B2B food industry customers. Adjacent technology (fungal biomass protein) with overlapping nutraceutical and alt-protein end markets.
• MyForest Foods: US company producing MyBacon and other alt-meat products from mycelium grown on agricultural side streams. Closely comparable on side-stream valorization concept, though focused on finished consumer products rather than ingredients.

Broad incumbents

• Ecovative Design: US mycelium technology platform with businesses in packaging, materials, and food (MyForest Foods spinoff). Broader incumbent using mycelium cultivation expertise applicable across multiple end markets.

Regional players

• Lihme Protein Solutions: Denmark-based alternative protein ingredients producer using fermentation technology. Regional peer with overlap on fermentation-based protein ingredients for European B2B food customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biohifas