Life Sciences Solutions for the Food Industry: A Startup–Corporate Partnership That Began with Production By-products

What is often regarded as production waste in the food industry can become a valuable raw material for biotechnology companies developing next-generation products. This opportunity is currently being explored by Biohifas, a startup developing mycelium fermentation technology, and Mantinga, one of Lithuania’s largest food manufacturing companies. Together, they are investigating ways to transform secondary raw materials into higher-value food ingredients.

Although specialists from both companies had been in contact for some time, their collaboration gained momentum following the Life Sciences Baltics forum, organized by the Innovation Agency Lithuania.

Last year, Life Sciences Baltics brought together more than 1,000 participants from 33 countries in Vilnius, including researchers, startups, international companies, investors, and policymakers. According to Jekaterina Kalinienė, Head of Biotech Lab at Innovation Agency Lithuania, the true value of such events is measured not by the number of attendees or speakers, but by what happens afterwards: continued conversations, pilot projects, new partnerships, and practical applications of emerging technologies.

“Today, success in the life sciences sector depends not only on developing advanced technologies but also on finding ways to integrate them into real-world value chains. Startups bring technological agility, speed, and a willingness to experiment, while established industrial companies contribute raw materials, manufacturing expertise, a deep understanding of quality requirements, and market insight. When these strengths come together around a specific challenge – as in the case of Biohifas and Mantinga – the chances of turning innovation into a commercially viable solution increase significantly,” says Kalinienė.

A Partnership Rooted in Science

The connection between Biohifas and Mantinga dates back several years. Simas Borkertas, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Biohifas, and Mantvydas Riškus, Innovation Technologist at Mantinga, first met while studying at Kaunas University of Technology. Their collaboration began when Biohifas, seeking new feedstocks and industrial partners, identified bread and bakery by-products generated in Mantinga’s production process as a promising resource.

“The food industry generates substantial volumes of side streams that are often used for low-value applications or simply become waste. At the same time, demand for sustainable protein sources continues to grow. Our technology addresses both challenges simultaneously,” explains Tomas Byčkovas, CEO of Biohifas.

At the core of Biohifas’ technology is mycelium fermentation, a process in which fungal mycelium grows on plant-based substrates and transforms them during fermentation. This enables raw materials that would otherwise be directed toward lower-value uses to be converted into protein-rich ingredients, fibre-enriched products, or functional food components.

“Bread crumbs and bakery residues are particularly attractive feedstocks because they contain abundant carbohydrates and other nutrients required for mycelium growth. This makes them an excellent substrate for fermentation. We are especially interested in the opportunity to return these materials to the food value chain, creating a genuine example of the circular economy,” says Byčkovas.

A Manufacturing Challenge Meets a Technology Looking for Real-world Validation

Mantinga already reincorporates part of its secondary raw materials into production. However, the company generates larger quantities than can be effectively reused through existing methods, prompting it to seek new, higher-value applications.

“The idea of collaborating with Biohifas emerged as we explored alternative ways to utilize food by-products generated during production—specifically bread crumbs. Biohifas’ expertise in mycelium fermentation enabled us to see these secondary raw materials not as waste, but as a potential substrate for producing a new, higher-value food ingredient,” says Mantvydas Riškus, Innovation Technologist at Mantinga.

According to Riškus, partnerships with startups become truly valuable when they help solve concrete manufacturing, product development, or technological challenges. For Mantinga, the greatest interest lies in solutions that can be implemented within the food industry—from innovative ingredients and product quality improvements to enhanced manufacturing efficiency and more sustainable use of secondary raw materials.

“Laboratory testing can demonstrate that a technology works, but only a real manufacturing environment can show whether it is commercially viable. Industrial raw materials vary in composition, quality, and seasonality, making it essential to validate processes under real operating conditions. Working with companies such as Mantinga allows us to identify technological challenges early, better understand market needs, and develop solutions that are not only scientifically sound but also economically attractive for industry,” adds Byčkovas.

From Proof of Concept to Commercial Potential

The collaboration between Biohifas and Mantinga is currently focused on technology validation and evaluating potential product applications. Together, the partners are assessing which ingredients can be produced most efficiently from secondary raw materials, the value these ingredients could add to end products, how the process could be integrated into existing production systems, and the commercial opportunities such solutions may offer in the future.

“We see considerable potential in the ingredient itself. We believe that fermentation-derived raw materials can become innovative ingredients for developing new, more sustainable, higher-value food products. By advancing this collaboration, we are also contributing to the startup’s growth – helping increase the project’s visibility, communicate its potential, and create favourable conditions for attracting investment into further technology and equipment development,” says Riškus.