Wanda Fish Technologies, the Israeli foodtech startup "that produces a wide variety of delicious fish fillets using sustainable cell-cultivation practices," recently announced a new strategic partnership with Tufts University. The brand will collaborate with David Kaplan, Ph.D., a leading researcher in cellular agriculture, to research the cellular agriculture-based production of fish tissue.
Under the licensing agreement, Wanda Fish will gain exclusive rights to some of the intellectual property in fish cell cultivation developed by the Tufts researcher. The brand hopes that "the moves will significantly propel Wanda Fish's strategies for producing sustainable, tasty, cultivated fish fillets."
The move is crucial to providing fish protein to meet the global demand as fish populations continue to decrease due to climate change and pollution. "More than three billion people depend on the ocean and its surroundings for their living," stresses Dr. Daphna Heffetz, CEO of Wanda Fish. "Marine biodiversity is critical to the survival of people and our planet. Overfishing, as well as water pollution, is damaging the vast and vital ocean ecosystem. Many wild fish populations are sadly in decline.
Cell-Cultivated Fish Partnerships
Wanda Fish Technologies Joins Forces with Tufts University
Trend Themes
1. Cell-cultivated Fish Fillets - Research and development of cellular agriculture-based production of fish tissue is disrupting the traditional fishing industry and is likely to create alternative methods for producing sustainable fish protein.
2. Partnerships for Sustainable Food Production - Collaboration between foodtech startups and academic researchers is a trend that highlights the potential for scientific advancements to yield more sustainable food sources.
3. Alternative Protein Sources - The move towards cultivating fish using cellular technology illustrates a growing trend towards alternative protein sources, which is set to challenge the traditional farming and fishing industries.
Industry Implications
1. Foodtech - As the foodtech industry continues to grow, there is a significant opportunity to develop new sustainable food sources to meet consumer demand.
2. Biotech - The biotech industry offers numerous opportunities for the development of cellular agriculture-based production of various food sources, including fish protein.
3. Sustainability - The increased awareness of sustainability and environmental issues is leading to a surge in innovation and investment in sustainable food production technologies.