NEOM Investment Fund Ventures into Biomanufacturing

NEOM Investment Fund (NIF), NEOM’s investment arm, has announced a strategic investment in Liberation Labs, a global pioneer in precision-fermentation biomanufacturing. The partnership will allow Liberation Labs to support Topian, NEOM’s food company, in designing and developing an advanced precision-fermentation facility in the Kingdom. Liberation Labs develops and operates purpose-built biomanufacturing facilities that utilize precision fermentation to produce basic food ingredients. The process offers a scalable and sustainable solution to traditional food production methods and can produce high-value proteins without the need for animals.

NIF CEO Majid Mufti commented: “This strategic partnership marks an important step in NEOM’s journey to become a global hub for industrial-scale sustainable food production. Liberation Labs’ expertise in precision fermentation and biomanufacturing will advance the establishment of NEOM as a leader in the biomanufacturing space, catalyzing the adoption of advanced food technologies and reshaping the food systems of tomorrow.”

Founder and CEO of Liberation Labs Mark Warner said: “The development of our first site in the Middle East, in partnership with NIF and Topian, is an incredible opportunity to blend our purpose-built biomanufacturing with their purpose-driven organizations. We look forward to collaborating to redefine the future of food production.”

CEO of Topian Dr. Juan Carlos Motamayor said: “At Topian, we are transforming food systems to meet the needs of a growing population and a changing climate. The establishment of this advanced biomanufacturing facility will enable us to produce key food ingredients and high-quality alternative proteins efficiently and sustainably. This investment will not only help reduce food imports and improve food security but will also create new economic opportunities and high-skilled jobs, giving the Kingdom a competitive advantage in the dynamic, high-value novel-food sector.”

The investment in Liberation Labs embodies NIF’s role as a strategic investor and ecosystem developer. It lays the groundwork for scalable solutions that will not only benefit Topian’s business but also advance Saudi Arabia’s position as a leader in advanced food biomanufacturing.