Bridging Science and Business to Support Startups Using Biomanufacturing
My conversation with biotech consultant and ex-CSO of Vow, James Ryall
What you can learn from this article
About James’ time as the CSO of Vow
How James is helping biotech startups
Positive developments in Australia's cultivated meat industry
Why James is bullish on B2B cultivated meat companies
A promising yet untapped area in cultivated meat
The biggest challenge cultivated meat startups face
About James Ryall
Based in Melbourne, Australia, James has almost 25 years of experience in the biotech sector. He is the former chief scientific officer (CSO) at the Australian cultivated meat company Vow. James is now an advisor and consultant for early-stage startups and small—to medium-sized businesses.
As an honorary research fellow at the University of Melbourne, James contributes to biotechnology advancements through multiple peer-reviewed publications and patents.
James’ mission: “To partner with visionary founders and executive teams, leveraging a team-first approach to transform groundbreaking ideas into tangible products that redefine markets.”
Time at Vow
In 2019, James transitioned from a two-decade academic career to join Vow1, which marked his first foray into the biomanufacturing industry. As the CSO, James was pivotal in scaling Vow from a foundational team of just three (the two co-founders and a junior scientist) to a leading innovator in the cultivated meat industry with over eighty employees.
"Those initial days were a whirlwind of establishing lab protocols, mentoring junior researchers, and navigating the dual challenges of a startup environment and new fatherhood during a global pandemic," James recalled. “The first 12 to 18 months were intense yet exhilarating, marked by daily problem-solving, strategic hires, and laying the groundwork for what Vow would become”, he added.
Under his scientific leadership, Vow expanded significantly, thanks to the collective efforts of the co-founders, Tim Noakesmith and George Peppou, and the rest of the team. The startup established a dedicated R&D lab and two manufacturing facilities. James helped manage transformative projects such as the infamous mammoth meatball and facilitated collaborations across industry, academia, and government sectors.
Additionally, James helped secure Vow's Seed and Series A funding, and has successfully secured over USD $3M in non-dilutive grant funding across his career.
Another standout accomplishment during James' tenure was the foundational work conducted by the “awesome” tech team, which laid the groundwork for Vow’s premium consumer brand, Forged. Upon earning Singapore regulatory approval in April this year, Forged launched the cultivated quail product in Singapore, a milestone that positioned Vow among the top cultivated meat companies.
How James is helping biotech startups
Since he departed from Sydney-based Vow at the end of 2023 to spend more time with his young family in Melbourne, James has focused his efforts on the broader biomanufacturing sector.
Using his extensive background in stem-cell biology and regenerative medicine, enriched by his startup experience, James now provides advisory and consulting services. He works with innovators who use cells and organisms to tackle global challenges and create novel products.
He described his approach as “personalized and exploratory, starting with informal discussions to ensure mutual fit and value.” As a consultant, he guides a select portfolio of biomanufacturing companies, offering strategic advice on three core domains: technology, market and partnerships.
Positive developments in Australia's cultivated meat industry
Vow's regulatory application to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is one of the most significant recent developments in Australia's cultivated meat industry. This application is currently undergoing its first of two public consultations and is expected to receive approval by the end of the year. "I anticipate that additional applications will enter the review phase later this year," James noted.
If successful, Australia, along with New Zealand, would become the fourth jurisdiction globally to deem cultured meat safe and approve its sale to consumers. Regulatory progress like this is vital to the mainstream acceptance and commercialization of cultivated meat in the region.
Another positive development in Australia, according to James, is the robust support from non-profit organizations like Food Frontier and Cellular Agriculture Australia. These two organizations provide resources, advocacy, and support, creating a conducive environment for innovation and growth in the cultivated meat industry.
Food Frontier increases understanding of alternative proteins, strengthens engagement across the supply chain, and makes a compelling business case for investment by providing key insights and market analysis.
Meanwhile, Cellular Agriculture Australia focuses on regulation, communication, sector building, policy advocacy, and talent development. Their initiatives include streamlining regulatory frameworks, promoting industry awareness, and ensuring a skilled talent pipeline.
Despite these positive developments, James shared a notable gap representing a significant opportunity—the absence of an academic center dedicated to cultured meat or cellular agriculture research in Australia. He highlighted the success of institutions like Tufts University under the guidance of Prof. David Kaplan as a model for what could be achieved.
Establishing such a center would help promote research and development in cultivated meat and position Australia as a leader in the global cellular agriculture landscape.
Why James is bullish on B2B cultivated meat companies
James first shared his bullish stance on a LinkedIn post in February. Since then, he has engaged with dozens of B2B companies and is “doubling down on this view.” His conviction in these companies’ critical role within the cultivated meat and biomanufacturing ecosystem has only deepened.
"B2C companies starting today benefit immensely from the specialized solutions that B2B companies offer," James explains. These specialized solutions address many of the challenges that early-stage cultivated meat startups face, such as scaling production, optimizing bioprocesses, and ensuring cost efficiency. “These B2B companies are not just participants; they are democratizing biomanufacturing, fostering an environment ripe with innovation and collaboration.”
Here’s an excerpt from his LinkedIn post on this topic: ”Consider the new cultured meat startups today and the immense advantage they hold. Even just five years ago, the infrastructure to support this industry was practically non-existent. Companies had to build everything from scratch - cell lines, media, bioprocesses, you name it. And whatever infrastructure or B2B components that did exist were designed for biopharma, meaning they were prohibitively expensive. But let’s look at the situation for a B2C cultured meat company starting in 2024. They can purchase or license almost all of the building blocks needed to start producing prototypes from day one.”
What's particularly exciting for James is the evolution of these B2B companies. Initially, many focused solely on serving the cultivated meat sector. However, these companies are now expanding their horizons to include a variety of biomanufactured products such as textiles and specialty chemicals.
This diversification helps build a more resilient biomanufacturing ecosystem capable of addressing a wide range of industrial needs and driving innovation across multiple domains.
A promising yet untapped area in cultivated meat
James believes that the sensory profile of individual cell types is a promising yet largely untapped area. "We currently have advanced -omics technologies to analyze genomes, epigenomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, metabolomes, lipidomes, and more," he explains.
"However, the potential for 'flavor-omics' and 'aroma-omics' dedicated to each cell type is immense and largely untapped."
Imagine if we could systematically characterize and harness the unique flavours and aromas of different cell types. This could change how we think about cell types as ingredients. It would enable the creation of food products with precise, tailored sensory profiles. James envisions a future where the sensory attributes of cultivated meat are optimized at the cellular level, offering precise control over flavour and aroma.
"This area (while niche!) holds tremendous promise for innovation and exploration," James added. He hopes that more entrepreneurs will look into this underexplored area. The development of 'flavor-omics' and 'aroma-omics' could unlock new dimensions of taste and aroma in cultivated meat, setting startups’ products apart in an increasingly competitive market.
The biggest challenge cultivated meat startups face
James identifies scaling up from pilot to manufacturing capacity as the primary hurdle for cultivated meat startups. This challenge is not unique to the cultivated meat sector but is a key issue in biomanufacturing broadly. Many companies struggle to operate efficiently on large scales, but James sees plenty of opportunities to overcome these challenges.
"Bioreactors, the backbone of biomanufacturing, have evolved gradually over the last 30 years," James explained. "Yet, to achieve the density and scale necessary to significantly reduce costs in sectors like food, textiles, cosmetics, and specialty chemicals, a revolution in bioreactor design and upstream bioprocessing is essential."
James pointed to the recent GFI Trends in Bioprocessing report, which sheds light on the diversity of bioprocessing approaches within the industry. There is no single method that predominates, indicating an ongoing search for optimal solutions.
The report showed that companies vary in their use of batch, fed-batch, continuous, and perfusion processes and in their choice between single-cell suspensions and aggregates/microcarriers. Echoing James’ comments, the report also highlighted the importance of advancements in low-cost media production and the development of scalable bioreactors, which are crucial for overcoming the current scaling challenges.
Want to learn more about James?
Having interacted with James several times, I can personally attest to his eagerness to connect with others in the field, share insights, and foster collaborations. If you're interested, don't hesitate to reach out to him! You can also check out James’ brand new website to learn more.
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Disclaimer: Better Bite Ventures, where I work, is an investor of Vow.