A privately-owned Icelandic company established in 2001. ORF Genetics Ltd. is a pioneer in genetic science committed to developing innovative, economically viable and enabling solutions to produce recombinant proteins more efficiently and safely than other protein expression systems. ORF Genetics developed for this purpose the unique expression system Orfeus™ that uses barley grain as a vehicle for recombinant protein production which has proven to be particularly effective in the expression of growth factors and cytokines. ORF has developed a portfolio of growth factors for the stem cell research market, the skin care market and for cell cultured meat, or so-called Clean Meat or Smart Meat production. ORF Genetics founded ISOKINE™, Endotoxin-free Growth Factors & Cytokines, and can offer lower list prices than market leaders. Standard bioactivity is on par with market leaders. ORF Genetics also founded BIOEFFECT™ when discovering a way to bioengineer a plant-based replica of EGF, a naturally occurring human protein, in barley. BIOEFFECT is an award-winning plant-based anti-ageing skincare range. Used by over 30% of Icelandic women since its launch in 2010. BIOEFFECT is sold in premium stores such as Harrods, Bergdorf Goodman, Harvey Nichols and online, www.bioeffect.com. ORF Genetics researchers are continuously discovering proteins that can be applied in different markets. ORF Genetics' latest project, MESOKINE™, allows ORF Genetics to produce growth factors for cell-cultured meat which can revolutionize FoodTech. ORF Genetics ventures into a new market with MESOKINE™, facing one of the world’s most challenging global problems, the environmental, social and ethical impact of the global meat industry. ORF Genetics produces all barley in an ecofriendly greenhouse situated in an Icelandic lava field.
Location: Iceland
Employees: 51-200
Total raised: $5.85M
Founded date: 2001
Funding Rounds 1
| Date | Series | Amount | Investors |
| 10.09.2025 | - | $5.85M | - |
Mentions in press and media 17
| Date | Title | Description |
| 10.09.2025 | €5 Million in Funding to Help ORF Genetics Scale Up Cultivated Meat Protein Production | ORF Genetics has raised €5 million in a recent financing round to scale up its production of specialized proteins for the cultivated meat industry. The investment, which includes contributions from both current and new shareholders, will su... |
| 12.02.2025 | The Cultivated Meat Conundrum: Innovation Meets Resistance | In the world of food, change is the only constant. The culinary landscape is shifting beneath our feet, and cultivated meat is at the forefront of this revolution. Yet, not everyone is on board. Recent events in South Dakota highlight the t... |
| 12.02.2025 | Future Food Quick Bites: Beyond x NBA, Corn Milk & Carbon Crackers | 5 Mins Read Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Beyond Meat’s new products and cookbook, the US’s first corn milk brand, and a cultivated seafood tasting. New pr... |
| 11.02.2025 | ORF Genetics and Cellmeat Host “First Cultivated Shellfish Tasting Outside Asia” in Iceland | Last week, Icelandic plant biotechnology company ORF Genetics partnered with South Korean cultivated seafood startup Cellmeat to host what was claimed to be the first cultivated shellfish tasting held outside Asia. The tasting took place at... |
| 14.01.2025 | Plantopia turns to sprouted oats for cost-effective production of animal-free dairy | Molecular farming startup Plantopia (formerly Pigmentum) aims to establish pilot-scale production of casein proteins in sprouted oats in the second half of this year, an approach it claims can enable cost competitive indoor production of an... |
| 16.10.2024 | Molecular Farming Startup Earns USDA Approval for Peas That Produce Beef Protein | 4 Mins Read Moolec Science has received what it claims is the first USDA approval for genetically engineered peas, which can produce iron-rich beef protein via molecular farming. Luxembourg-based molecular farming startup Moolec Science has... |
| 05.07.2024 | 10 Molecular Farming Startups Transforming Everyday Plants into Protein Powerhouses | Today, we bring you a roundup of molecular farming startups transforming plants into biofactories to produce alternatives to animal proteins, pigments, next-gen sweeteners, and growth factors. Plant molecular farming, an additional producti... |
| 20.05.2024 | Icelandic Ministers Taste Ivy Farm’s Cultivated Beef During Iceland Innovation Week | The UK-based cultivated meat company Ivy Farm Technologies and the Icelandic biotechnology company ORF Genetics held a cultivated meat tasting and panel discussions at an event last week during Iceland Innovation Week. The tasting featured ... |
| 20.05.2024 | Ivy Farm Targets 2025 Cultivated Meat Launch After Deal to Produce at World’s ‘Largest’ Alt-Protein Facility | 5 Mins Read UK food tech startup Ivy Farm has inked a manufacturing partnership to scale up at a new alternative protein facility in Finland. After hosting a tasting of its cultivated beef yesterday, it’s aiming to launch its first sales ne... |
| 14.02.2024 | Icelandic Prime Minister Tries Vow’s Cultivated Quail at Europe’s First Official Cultivated Meat Tasting | Australian cultivated meat firm Vow and the Icelandic biotech company ORF Genetics recently held what they claim was Europe’s first official cultivated meat tasting featuring gourmet dishes crafted with Vow’s cultivated quail. The pioneerin... |
Show more