Umaro spun its carbon-removal XPrize seaweed research into imitation bacon

Umaro Foods makes a bacon replacement from ocean-farmed seaweed, spun out of a seaweed carbon-removal research venture.

$3M seed led by AgFunder, on top of a $5M Carbon Removal XPrize prize and a $250K Good Food Institute grant.

Beth Zotter began seaweed research in 2010 and formed Trophic to compete for the $100M Carbon Removal XPrize; the team landed a $5M prize for carbon sequestration but saw no near-term commercial path for biofuel.

A $250K Good Food Institute grant funded work on extracting protein from red seaweeds and let Zotter bring in co-founder and CTO Amanda Stiles, who spent four years at pea-protein dairy alternative company Ripple. Umaro Foods was formed as the food arm — technically a subsidiary of Trophic, which keeps the longer-term farming and carbon work — and a $3M seed led by AgFunder funded go-to-market.

Umaro's seaweed-based bacon was set to begin piloting at select restaurants in Q2 2022; Zotter said Trophic's seaweed farming arm could eventually spin out on its own.

Carbon removal had prestige and prize money but no buyer; food had both a market and a climate story.

Seaweed's agronomic edge — protein density without freshwater or synthetic fertilizer — is a cost argument, not just an environmental one.

Bacon is a demanding format, so a working product there is the strongest possible proof for a broader seaweed-protein platform.

Climate tech with prize money but no market can still pay off — the research asset pivots to food, and the farming arm stays as an option.

As of 2022-04-26 Umaro was preparing restaurant pilots of its seaweed bacon for Q2 2022, funded by the $3M AgFunder-led seed; Trophic's seaweed farming arm continues as a subsidiary with possible spinout potential.