How Much Did UPSIDE Foods Raise? Headquarters, Funding & Key Investors

UPSIDE Foods, founded in 2015 and based in Berkeley, California, has raised a total of $581.05 million across five funding rounds, reaching a $1 billion valuation as of April 2022. The company’s most recent and largest round a $400 million Series C in April 2022 was led by Temasek Holdings and Abu Dhabi Growth Fund. Earlier rounds included major backers such as SoftBank Vision Fund, Norwest Venture Partners, and DFJ Element. UPSIDE Foods continues to advance large-scale production of cell-based cultivated meat, aiming to commercialize sustainable alternatives to traditional animal meat globally.

How Much Did UPSIDE Foods Raise? Funding & Key Investors

UPSIDE Foods, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a pioneering food-tech company specializing in cell-based cultivated meat. Founded in 2015 by Nicholas Genovese, Uma Valeti, and William Clem, the company has raised $581.05 from investors including Temasek, Abu Dhabi Growth Fund, and SoftBank Vision Fund. With a valuation of over $1 billion, UPSIDE Foods develops sustainable meat products—beef, chicken, seafood, and duck — directly from animal cells, reducing environmental impact compared to conventional meat production.

What Is UPSIDE Foods and What Does It Do?

UPSIDE Foods, founded in August 2015 by Nicholas Genovese, Uma Valeti, and William Clem, is headquartered in Berkeley, California. The company focuses on producing sustainable cultured meat by growing meat directly from animal cells, eliminating the need to raise and slaughter animals.

By significantly reducing water, land, and energy usage, UPSIDE Foods aims to revolutionize the global food system. Its product offerings include beef meatballs, chicken, seafood, duck, and more.

With a team of 101–250 employees, UPSIDE Foods is committed to delivering delicious, humane, and safe meat alternatives while scaling its production capabilities and educating consumers about cultivated meat.

How Much Funding Has UPSIDE Foods Raised?

1. Pre-Seed Round

Amount Raised: $250K
Date: September 2015
Lead Investors: SOSV
Motivation: To kickstart operations and initial research into cultured meat.

2. Seed Round

Amount Raised: $2.8M
Date: March 2016
Motivation: To further develop technology and expand the team.

3. Series A

Amount Raised: $17M
Date: August 2017
Lead Investors: DFJ Element
Motivation: To scale production capabilities and advance product development.

4. Series B

Amount Raised: $161M
Date: January 2020
Lead Investors: Norwest Venture Partners, SoftBank Vision Fund, Temasek Holdings
Motivation: To expand production facilities and prepare for regulatory approval.

5. Series C

Amount Raised: $400M
Date: April 2022
Lead Investors: Temasek Holdings, Abu Dhabi Growth Fund
Motivation: To build commercial-scale production facilities and commercialize products.

Total Funding Raised: $581.05 Million

Current Valuation: $1 billion (as of April 2022)

Latest Funding Date: June 2023

Key Investors

1. Temasek

Details: Global investment company focusing on sustainable solutions and long-term value creation.
Investment Focus Areas: Financial services, telecom, media & tech, life sciences & agribusiness, energy & resources
Notable Investments: Alibaba, Airbnb, Moderna

2. Baillie Gifford

Details: Scottish fund manager investing in innovative, high-growth companies globally.
Investment Focus Areas: Technology, healthcare, sustainable industries
Notable Investments: Tesla, Amazon, SpaceX

3. Norwest Venture Partners

Details: Global VC and growth equity firm supporting companies across development stages.
Investment Focus Areas: Technology, healthcare, consumer products
Notable Investments: Uber, Spotify, BlueJeans

4. SoftBank Vision Fund

Details: Technology-focused venture capital fund investing in transformative companies.
Investment Focus Areas: Technology, AI, robotics
Notable Investments: WeWork, DoorDash, Uber

Where Is UPSIDE Foods’ Headquarters?

UPSIDE Foods is headquartered in Berkeley, California, offering proximity to innovation hubs, food tech talent, and sustainable agriculture networks.

What’s Next for UPSIDE Foods?

UPSIDE Foods is entering a transformative phase with its $400M Series C funding, aiming to construct commercial-scale production facilities capable of producing tens of millions of pounds of cultivated meat annually. The company plans to expand beyond chicken into other meats while advancing consumer education and acceptance of sustainable, cell-based meat products.

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