NewPro Bioworks

NewPro Bioworks is a synthetic biology company focused on bio-manufacturing scarce functional proteins found in nature, founded by CEO Zeng Zhe, a researcher at Wageningen University's Future Food Institute and former senior scientist at Danone's global research center . The company has developed two proprietary technology platforms: FlexBaseTM, an industrial chassis modification system enabling standardized plug-and-play bio-components, and NeuroBrewTM, an intelligent precision fermentation process guided by AI-trained models built on thousands of small-scale fermentation batches .

Its flagship product is lactoferrin, a high-value protein with immune-modulating properties traditionally extracted from mammalian milk at high cost. NewPro uses engineered *Pichia* yeast and filamentous fungi to produce it via precision fermentation, achieving FDA Self-GRAS certification in August 2025 as a key step toward international commercialization . The company is also developing sweet proteins such as thaumatin and truffle sweet protein as near-zero-calorie natural sweeteners, and has pipeline targets including osteopontin and ovalbumin .

NewPro raised several million dollars in a seed round led by Linear Capital in late 2024 , followed by a Pre-A round of tens of millions of RMB co-led by SSCI Leading Fund and Aochuang Leading Fund (a CVC fund established by Dalton Venture and listed biotech firm OPM Biosciences) in August 2025 . The Pre-A proceeds are earmarked for advancing lactoferrin's regulatory approval as a novel food ingredient in China, scaling overseas commercialization, and building production capacity for functional food proteins .