Plant-based meat company Planetarians is ceasing operations and hunting for a buyer interested in acquiring 'risk-reduced, validated-in-market technology'
Planetarians, a pioneering food technology company, is set to auction its intellectual property (IP) and assets on August 7, 2025, marking a significant opportunity for strategic buyers within the alternative protein, food tech, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors.
The auction includes patents, equipment, a lease for a pilot facility in Hayward, California, and the SpyGlass AI platform. This de-risked, market-validated technology addresses key challenges in the plant-based meat market, such as high costs and demand for clean labels.
The SpyGlass AI platform is a game-changer, capable of creating better-for-you versions of any CPG product. For instance, it can reduce sugar in chocolate bars by 25%, increase fiber by 120%, and lower costs by 18%. It can also boost protein content in ramen by 32% while reducing sodium by 55%.
Planetarians' products were previously available through foodservice channels nationwide and select retail locations. The auctioned assets include a twin-screw extruder, centrifuge, freezing tunnel, conveyors, vacuum packer, and other equipment.
The startup, founded in 2013, originally focused on using upcycled ingredients for snacks and pasta. It raised a $6 million seed round in 2023, led by Mindrock, with support from Traction Fund, Techstars, SOSV, and ZX Ventures, the corporate venture arm of brewing giant AB InBev.
Despite achieving significant market validation and raising a total of $8 million, Planetarians struggled to secure additional funds to expand its production capacity. Aleh Manchuliantsau, the founder, attributes this to the current investment climate for food tech, which he describes as challenging but nuanced.
Manchuliantsau offers a 6-to-9-month advisory period as part of the auction, aiming to help the buyer retain expertise and "secret sauce" knowledge. Potential acquirers could be food tech companies focusing on alternative proteins or upcycled ingredients, established plant-based meat or CPG companies, investors or firms with an interest in scalable sustainable food innovations, especially those familiar with or invested in brewery byproducts or fermentation technologies.
The auction represents a rare opportunity for substantial growth potential and significant societal impact. It is framed as a strategic transition rather than a pure liquidation, making it ideal for buyers aiming to integrate and scale the technology further.
- The auction of Planetarians' assets offers a unique opportunity for investors in finance, particularly those interested in the food and drink sector, as it includes the SpyGlass AI platform, a revolutionary technology proven to enhance product quality and reduce costs in various CPG products.
- Businesses focusing on sustainable food innovations, such as those utilizing alternative proteins, upcycled ingredients, or fermentation technologies, may find the SpyGlass AI platform an attractive investment, given its ability to improve product nutrition while ensuring clean labels and cost efficiency.
- As the demand for better-for-you food options and sustainable practices continues to grow, this auction represents a strategic investment not only for businesses in the food technology sector but also for firms keen on leveraging technology to make impactful changes in consumer lifestyles and overall business models, extending its potential appeal to broader markets such as technology investors.
