A Fresh Spin on the Future of Food

Lasso secures $6.5M to advance scalable protein tech, boosting efficiency and urging industry players to adopt versatile, cost-saving production methods

1 Dec 2025

Lasso, a US start-up developing machinery for plant-based foods, has raised $6.5mn to advance a production system that aims to reduce reliance on complex formulations in the alternative protein sector.

The company, previously known as Tender Food, uses spinning technology first developed at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute. Its equipment applies mechanical force to plant-based ingredients to create fibrous strands with meat-like texture. The approach avoids long ingredient lists and specialised additives, offering food producers a potential route to lower manufacturing costs while maintaining familiar taste and structure.

Investors say the appeal lies in the platform’s broad use cases, ranging from meat substitutes to snacks and pet food. One backer said the industry “does not need another flashy product” but instead requires “machinery that can run reliably at scale”.

The funding comes as the alternative protein market attempts to stabilise after a period of weaker demand and higher operating costs. Lasso’s system can work with a wider set of crops, offering producers some protection against supply volatility that has disrupted raw-material sourcing. Analysts add that mechanical processes generally face fewer regulatory hurdles than fermentation-based or engineered ingredients, which could speed up commercial deployment.

The company still faces obstacles. Scaling hardware requires significant capital, and Lasso will need manufacturing partners to expand output. The technology also addresses texture rather than the broader challenges of flavour, pricing and consumer acceptance that have slowed the sector’s growth.

Even so, the new investment signals renewed interest in practical tools that could help the industry move towards more affordable protein options. Whether Lasso can meet those expectations will shape how quickly alternative proteins regain momentum.