Plantopia Raises $9 Million to Scale Molecular Farming for Animal-Free Dairy Proteins

Plantopia Secures $9 Million in Funding

Sdot Yam, Israel-based Plantopia has raised $9 million in funding to accelerate the commercialization of its molecular farming technology for animal-free dairy proteins.

The round was led by Schreiber Foods and Siddhi Capital, bringing the company's total funding to more than $16 million.

Led by Co-Founders Tal Lutzky and Amir Tiroler, Plantopia develops molecular farming platforms that enable plants to produce dairy proteins without the use of livestock.

Developing Plant-Based Dairy Proteins

Plantopia uses molecular farming technology to genetically program plants to express cow-free casein, the primary protein responsible for the melting and stretching properties of traditional cheese.

The company has successfully expressed all four key casein subtypes—αs1, αs2, β, and κ—allowing food manufacturers to produce lactose-free mozzarella and functional cheeses without relying on animal-derived ingredients.

Its technology aims to support more sustainable dairy production while maintaining the functional characteristics of conventional cheese.

Supporting Commercial Manufacturing

The newly raised capital will fund the launch of Plantopia's commercial manufacturing facility at Kibbutz Sdot Yam, which is scheduled to begin operations in Q3 2026.

The investment will also be used to accelerate production scale-up of the company's crop-derived protein portfolio as it expands commercial operations.