Onego Bio – Egg white protein without animals

Why?

Eggs are one of the world’s best-known and most widely used sources of protein. Due to their unique functional properties, they are a key ingredient in countless food products. The global egg industry is valued at EUR 300 billion, with around one trillion eggs produced each year. However, the sector is vulnerable to disruptions such as avian influenza and salmonella. Imbalances between supply and demand, as well as price volatility, are common. Environmental concerns surrounding egg production are also increasingly discussed.

The Finnish biotech company Onego Bio has developed a method to produce egg white protein without animals. The company uses a process called precision fermentation, in which a certain microorganism is harnessed to produce egg white protein at an industrial scale. The aim is to provide the food industry with protein that is functionally equivalent to egg white and immune to the risks of conventional production.

What and how?

Onego Bio uses a filamentous fungus (Trichoderma reesei) in its egg white protein production method. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has studied this fungus since the 1980s. It is a traditional workhorse of biotechnology, widely used in the food industry for enzyme and flavor production. Onego Bio now uses it – at a new industrial scale – to produce animal-identical protein.

VTT researchers first conceived the idea of producing animal proteins via fermentation about ten years ago, when the market for alternative proteins began to grow. The company’s Bioalbumen® is real egg white protein, instead of a replica or plant-based mimic, unlike many competing egg substitutes.

Onego Bio’s production method is also environmentally friendly. Research carried out in collaboration with VTT shows that this method can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use to one-tenth compared to the traditional egg industry.

Growth and internationalisation

Onego Bio is currently scaling up its production in collaboration with contract manufacturers and is preparing its own factory projects. Due to the slow novel food approval process in Europe, the company has chosen to enter the U.S. market first, where the authorization process is faster. In September 2025, Onego Bio was granted a “no questions” letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), confirming that the company’s Bioalbumen® protein meets the requirements for GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status. This important milestone strengthens Onego Bio’s ability to scale operations and pursue commercialization with partners in the U.S. food industry. With GRAS recognition, Bioalbumen® can now be seamlessly integrated into a wide array of food and beverage applications – including baked goods, beverages, plant-based meat alternatives, and confections – opening the door to broader business growth and collaboration.

The company is currently producing test batches for customers. The goal is to find partners who are ready to launch products on the market using the company’s egg white protein. Recent waves of avian influenza have further increased interest from industry players in a stable, functional alternative.

Onego Bio has an office in San Diego, close to the Mexican border, which allows for close cooperation with large American and Mexican food manufacturers. The company has raised a total of EUR 65 million in three funding rounds to support the development, scaling, and internationalization of its technology and production.

The importance of private equity

Onego Bio is not a typical growth company, as its product is large-scale, industrial manufacturing solution for which private equity is critical to enable scalability and access to new markets. Private equity investments have supported not only production development and expansion, but also the building of an international team and the advancement of regulatory approvals.

Tesi’s role as one of the investors has given Onego Bio additional credibility and opened doors to strategic networks. For Tesi, the investment continues its broader food tech strategy, which includes existing portfolio companies such as Meeat, Enifer, and Finnforel, as well as Solar Foods through Tesi’s investment in Lifeline Ventures Fund III. With these investments, Tesi aims to foster centers of excellence in Finland that attract both talent and capital. Under its new investment strategy, Tesi places increased emphasis on supporting the scalable growth of tech companies.

General information

Onego Bio is a spin-off company established in 2022 to commercialize technology developed at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. It was founded by CEO Maija Itkonen and CTO Christopher Landowski. The company currently employs several dozen people and is in a strong growth phase. Its headquarters and product development are located in Finland.

The company is planning its first large-scale production facility in the United States, where it already has a commercial HQ, a food science lab, and a test kitchen. After entering the North American market, the company plans to expand to Europe once the required novel food approvals are in place.