Leave a Nest Establishes Research Capital Alliance with Thai Startup MUU ~ Strengthening R&D and Expansion Support of Milk Protein made from Precision Fermentation in Southeast Asia and Japan ~
Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Group CEO: Yukihiro Maru; hereafter “Leave a Nest”) has invested in Regene Bio Pte Ltd (Headquarters: Singapore; Founder: Mr. Chanapol Tantakosol; hereafter “MUU”), a biotech startup developing alternative milk protein manufactured using precision fermentation technology. The strategic partnership agreement signing ceremony was held on February 15th 2025, at the Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference in Thailand hosted by Leave a Nest.
From left: Mr. Chanapol Tantakosol, Founder and CEO of MUU
and Dr. Yukihiro Maru, Group CEO of Leave a Nest
Since 2023, Leave a Nest has been working on a new form of investments into deep tech startups called “Research Capital Alliance”. While common investments are generally initiated to realise business synergies, Research Capital Alliances aim to generate synergies between the startup and the R&D capabilities of Leave a Nest Group, to accelerate the social implementation of technologies from R&D to commercialization. This Research Capital Alliance with MUU is the third case, following Wela Online, an education venture in the Philippines (※1), and ADA Biotech, a circular economy venture in Malaysia (※2), and is the first case of a Research Capital Alliance with a startup in Thailand.
Currently, the demand for plant-based alternative foods is increasing due to environmental burdens associated with conventional milk production and the fact that about 90% of adults in Southeast Asia suffer from lactose intolerance. However, there remains a gap in the market where only a few kinds of plant-based milk can reproduce the original taste and functionality of cow’s milk. MUU can help fill this gap by offering bio-identical protein in cow’s milk through the sustainable process without using cows. Leveraging readily available cost-effective agricultural raw materials in Thailand, MUU’s precision fermentation technology allows its milk protein to have the similar taste, nutrition and functionality to cow’s milk protein. The milk protein is lactose-free and free from hormone, cholesterol and antibiotics. This process is also environmentally friendly as there is no-animal involved and reduces more than 90% of land and water usage and amount of greenhouse gas emission, compared to traditional cow farming.
Milk protein made from MUU‘s precision fermentation technology
MUU won the Real-Tech Award at the TECH PLANTER in Thailand 2022 and received investment from 144 Ventures (Headquarters: Singapore; Representative: Shu Sheng Chia) in June 2023. Since then, the technology has advanced throughout about a year and a half. Leave a Nest’s subsidiary, Leave a Nest Capital, has now invested (※3) and concluded a strategic partnership with MUU.
Through this Research Capital Alliance with MUU, Leave a Nest aims to utilize Leave a Nest’s technology platform and R&D capabilities to realize a world where people can enjoy dairy products that are delicious, healthy to humans and friendly to the earth anywhere, anytime. Leave a Nest Group will continue to accelerate further knowledge manufacturing by engaging in new alliances that exchange not only capital but also R&D knowledge.
■Related Links
※1【Philippine Education Venture Wela Online and Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. Implement Research Capital Alliance: Accelerating Knowledge Production in Education in Southeast Asia and Japan】
https://global.lne.st/news/2023/06/05/rcp_en/
※2【Leave a Nest and Malaysian Deep Tech Startup ADA Biotech Form Research Capital Alliance ~ Strengthening R&D and Market Expansion into Japan to realise a Circular Economy ~】
https://global.lne.st/news/2024/10/17/lvns-ada-eng/
※3【Leave a Nest Capital Invests in MUU, a Startup Develops Bio-Identical Milk Proteins without Cows】
https://www.lnest.capital/en/release/muu/
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Leave a Nest Co. Ltd (Haruka Sakurai)
TEL：03-5227-4198 MAIL：[email protected]