Grow-NY Year Four Grand Prize Winner ProAgni Announces Partnership with Austrianova

2022 Grow-NY $1 million winner ProAgni has partnered with Singaporean Biotech company Austrianova to further develop its line of shelf-stable probiotics for cattle feed.

The Lavington, Australia startup got its start six years ago after taking a closer look at kangaroo gut bacteria, as kangaroos are more feed-efficient than cattle and don’t produce methane. ProAgni’s first commercial product, ProTect, was inspired by this process, helping to remove antibiotics from the food chain, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, and lower methane intensity. Through their success at Grow-NY, ProAgni has been able to aggressively expand ProTect’s footprint into the U.S. market.

For its next product, ProAgni has identified bacteria in cattle that would improve feed efficiency and reduce methane output, which is anaerobic, making it difficult to remain shelf stable. This is where the startup’s partnership with Austrianova comes in; the biotech has a patented Bac-in-a-Box encapsulation technology that would help culture and shelf-stabilize the product. The Bac-in-a-Box tool can be used in probiotics for humans and livestock and protects bacteria from stomach acid. ProAgni is excited to continue developing its next product through its exclusive license to Austrianova’s technology for livestock-related applications.

With ProTect gaining traction and its partnership with Austrianova laying the groundwork for its next product, ProAgni has plans for a Series A in 2024 to continue scaling the shelf-stable probiotic platform.

Learn more about ProAgni’s work here.