The Cultivated B

Name

The Cultivated B

Legal name

The Cultivated B GmbH

Website

https://thecultivatedb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Cultivated B is a Heidelberg-based biotechnology company developing fit-for-purpose bioreactors, cell lines, AI biosensors, and precision fermentation solutions for cellular agriculture, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, with manufacturing in Canada via its n!Biomachines subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cellular Agriculture Biotechnology / Bioprocessing Equipment

NAICS

Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Upstream Bioprocessing Systems & Equipment (cell culture/fermentation, bioreactors, feeds/media) (HLAAAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Process Development & Tech Transfer Services (upstream/downstream) (HLAAAKAF), Automation, Controls & Manufacturing Execution for Bioprocessing (SCADA/DCS/PLC/MES) (HLAAAJAE), Cell Line Development & Banking (Food/AG Cell Lines) (AFANAKAE), Bio-based Food & Flavor Ingredients (Non-fuel Co-products: sweeteners, organic acids, flavors) (EUAAAIAJ)

Keywords

• Cellular agriculture biotechnology
• Precision fermentation systems
• Fit-for-purpose bioreactors
• Cultivated meat technology
• Alternative protein production

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Bioreactor and Hardware Sales: Sale of AUXO V bioreactors from benchtop to industrial scale (500ml to 25,000 liters), photobioreactors, and high-precision devices. Includes multi-use stainless steel systems and bioreactor control software.
2. Cell Lines and Raw Materials: Sale of ready-to-order cell lines and custom cell line development services. Includes cell bank of immortalized cell lines and characterization services for research and industrial applications.
3. Factory as a Service: End-to-end solutions including conceptual process design, pilot plants, industrial factory design, and turnkey infrastructure for cultivated meat production.
4. Licensing and Know-How: Solutions provided as physical goods or licensable know-how to multiple industries including food, pharma, cosmetics and personal care.
5. Biosensor Technology: AI-driven multi-channel biosensors for bioprocess monitoring, available for various industries including pharma, biotech, and alternative protein production.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cultivated B develops and manufactures fit-for-purpose bioreactor systems (AUXO V), cell lines (TCB Cells), raw materials (TCB Raw), and end-to-end process solutions (TCB Solutions) for cellular agriculture and precision fermentation. The company serves food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and personal care industries with scalable biotechnology enabling alternative protein production from benchtop to industrial scale (500ml to 25,000 liters).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AUXO V: Fit-for-purpose bioreactor systems designed for specific biological processes, available from benchtop to industrial scale.
• TCB Cells
• TCB Raw
• TCB Machines
• TCB Solutions

Products and services

• AUXO V Bioreactor Systems (TCB Machines) Fit-for-purpose bioreactor systems designed for specific biological processes (animal cells, bacteria, yeast) available from 500ml to 25,000 liters. Features multi-use stainless steel design with Siemens PLC control system. Delivery in 2-4 weeks compared to industry standard of up to 2 years. Targets food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and personal care industries.
• TCB Cells High-performing immortalized mammalian and avian cell lines (cattle, pig, sheep, chicken, quail, duck, turkey) with phenotypic consistency over multiple passages. Options for GMO immortalized or spontaneous immortalization (GMO-free). Adaptable to adherent and/or suspension conditions. Includes custom cell line development services.
• TCB Raw (Raw Materials and Smart Ingredients) Raw materials and smart ingredients created through precision fermentation for various industries including food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and personal care. Includes growth factors for cultivated meat, FGFR1 agonists as bFGF replacement, and proteins/enzymes for pharmaceutical applications.
• TCB Solutions (Factory as a Service) End-to-end solutions including conceptual process design, pilot plants, industrial factory design, and turnkey infrastructure for cultivated meat production. Enables traditional meat companies to establish cellular agriculture capabilities without building in-house expertise.
• AI-Driven Multi-Channel Biosensors Multi-channel biosensors for bioprocess monitoring combining simultaneous tracking with AI-enabled real-time analytics for growth and metabolism monitoring of cell culture and fermentation. Inline measurement eliminates physical probes or manual sampling with detection below picomolar levels for molecules including glucose, amino acids, and lactic acid.
• AUXO V Remote Monitoring and Control Software Real-time, application-based personalized user interface with remote accessibility for AUXO V bioreactors. Three user levels: Operate (pre-programmed recipes for non-experts), Explore (adjust parameters at detailed levels), and Develop (access collected data for process refinement).

Quantifiable outcome

• Bioreactor delivery times reduced from 2 years to 2-4 weeks
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, strategic and minor.

• Weizmann Institute of SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2025MOU for n!Biomachines (subsidiary) to validate and advance next-generation bioreactor systems. Weizmann Institute will rigorously test bioreactor technology under various experimental conditions. Partnership designed to generate insights, support joint publication of white papers and scientific articles, and create reference points for academic and industrial use.
• Lambton CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2025MOU for collaborative effort to advance cellular agriculture in Canada. Partnership focuses on lab and pilot-scale R&D for scalable, sustainable alternative protein production. Combines Lambton's applied research infrastructure with n!Biomachines' bioprocessing technologies.
• NVIDIA Connect ProgramstrategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Subsidiary n!Biomachines joined NVIDIA Connect Program as part of mission to enable smarter biomanufacturing. Program advances AI-driven capabilities in bioprocessing technology.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)strategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 October 2024TCB presented at FAO/AAFC stakeholder roundtable on cell-based food production and precision fermentation. TCB and subsidiaries welcomed participants at Burlington facilities for hands-on technology demonstrations.
• Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)strategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 October 2024Co-organized stakeholder roundtable meeting on cell-based food production and precision fermentation with FAO. Hosted over 60 participants including government representatives.
• DTU Biosustain (Technical University of Denmark)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2024MOU to validate TCB's AUXO V bioreactor technology and establish new industry standards. DTU Biosustain researchers serve as independent reviewers evaluating bioreactor performance across different bioprocesses. Focus on improving user-friendliness and operational efficiency through user feedback.
• Forum Moderne Landwirtschaft (FML)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 October 2023TCB joined as member to expand expertise in innovative biotechnology and develop role as catalyst between consumers, farmers, and agricultural industry. FML promotes dialogue between agriculture and society.
• Natural Products CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2023Unique program to accelerate growth of Canadian startups using precision fermentation. TCB provides access to facilities, expertise, and innovation hub. Natural Products Canada connects with pipeline of innovative startups developing fermentation-based products.
• McMaster University Faculty of EngineeringmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2023MOU for ongoing collaboration on cellular agriculture projects and talent development. TCB provides McMaster companies access to laboratory space, bioreactor capacity, and mentorship through innovation hub. TCB contributing $500,000 CAD in-kind research to Genome Canada project.
• denovoMATRIXcoreTechnology or Integration · 5 September 2023Joint feasibility study to enable scalable cultivated meat production using denovoMATRIX microcarrier technology with TCB's bioreactors. denovoMATRIX provides microcarrier technology for suspended cell proliferation and coating technology for structured cultivated meat products.
• Ontario GenomicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2022Strategic partnership with government-funded non-profit leading the application of genomics-based solutions in Ontario. Partnership to develop innovation hub providing 20,000 sqft of space for cellular agriculture companies to test and scale products. Ontario Genomics was responsible for report showing cellular agriculture represents $12.5 billion opportunity for Canada.
• InFamily Foods HoldingcoreOthersTCB is associated with InFamily Foods Holding, a company focused on transforming the food industry from within. Dr. Wolfgang Kühnl is co-owner of InFamily Foods.
• n!Biomachines Ltd.coreOthersWholly-owned subsidiary based in Burlington, Ontario. Formerly called The Cultivated B Canada. Develops and manufactures fit-for-purpose bioreactor systems (AUXO V) for cellular agriculture. Pronounced 'n factorial biomachines'.
• PreFer IndustriescoreOthersSubsidiary of TCB developing technology to produce smart ingredients and high-quality formulations through precision fermentation. Produces plant-based proteins and sustainable solutions for food, pharma, cosmetic industries.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sartorius AG: Sartorius is a leading global manufacturer of bioprocess equipment including bioreactors and process control software. It directly competes with TCB's AUXO V line, though Sartorius focuses primarily on pharmaceutical-grade bioprocessing rather than fit-for-purpose food/cosmetic applications.
• Eppendorf SE: Eppendorf manufactures benchtop and pilot-scale bioreactors, shakers, and cell culture consumables used by both research and industrial customers. It is a direct competitor in the bioreactor hardware category where TCB's AUXO V competes.
• Applikon Biotechnology (Getinge): Applikon, part of Getinge, is a dedicated bioreactor manufacturer offering lab, pilot, and production-scale systems for cell culture and fermentation. It is a direct competitor in the same bioreactor hardware category as TCB's AUXO V line.
• Culture Biosciences: Culture Biosciences offers fermentation and bioreactor-as-a-service for biopharma and industrial biotech customers. It directly competes with TCB's Factory-as-a-Service and bioprocess monitoring offerings, particularly for early-stage customers seeking outsourced infrastructure.
• PBS Biotech: PBS Biotech manufactures single-use bioreactors designed for cell therapy and cell culture applications at clinical and commercial scale. It directly competes with TCB in cell culture bioreactors, particularly for cultivated meat and cell therapy customers.

Broad incumbents

• Cytiva: Cytiva (formerly GE Healthcare Life Sciences) provides a broad bioprocessing portfolio including bioreactors, single-use systems, and process development services across pharma and emerging food applications. It competes with TCB across overlapping bioprocess equipment categories with a much larger installed base.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher's bioproduction group offers bioreactors, single-use systems, and bioprocessing services across pharma and food applications. As a broad incumbent with deep resources, it overlaps significantly with TCB's offerings across multiple verticals.
• Ginkgo Bioworks: Ginkgo Bioworks provides cell engineering, fermentation, and biosecurity services to customers across food, pharma, and industrial biotech. It overlaps with TCB's cell line technology and precision fermentation capabilities through a services-driven model rather than equipment.

Emerging players

• Believer Meats: Believer Meats is a cultivated meat company that could be both a customer (for TCB's bioreactors, cell lines, and Factory-as-a-Service) and a downstream peer in the cellular agriculture ecosystem targeting the same end markets.
• Perfect Day: Perfect Day uses precision fermentation to produce dairy proteins without animals and operates one of the largest commercial-scale fermentation facilities. It represents both a potential customer for TCB's precision fermentation solutions and a comparable company in the alternative protein infrastructure space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thecultivatedb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Cultivated B