Food Tech Startup Mush&N Signs Next-Generation Protein PoC Agreement with University of Helsinki

Approximately 3 Million Danish Kroner Invested

Mush&N, a future food tech startup, announced on November 28 that it has signed an agreement with the University of Helsinki in Finland to conduct a proof-of-concept (PoC) for next-generation protein technology.

This research is part of the project “Microbial Conversion and Functional Enhancement of Fungal Protein for Next-Generation Sustainable Foods,” supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Approximately 3 million Danish kroner (about 600 million Korean won) will be invested in the research over three years, until 2028.

As part of this project, Mush&N will provide research-grade mycoprotein samples, while the research team from the Department of Food and Nutrition at the University of Helsinki will analyze the functional and processing properties, as well as the nutritional excellence, of these samples. Through this process, the proprietary fungal protein developed by Mush&N will be scientifically validated for its potential as a dairy alternative and functional food ingredient. The company has been recognized for securing both technological credibility and a foundation for entering the global research network through this collaboration.

With this agreement, Mush&N has become one of the first Korean startups to be directly connected to the European R&D ecosystem. The results of this research are expected to lead to future joint development, OEM partnerships, and technology transfer with European food companies.

This PoC is being carried out with support from the Korea Innovation Foundation and the Innopolis Foundation’s global technology commercialization support program. While these two organizations are not official parties to the project, they helped lay the groundwork for collaboration during the initial PoC phase.

Jung Ji-hyun, CEO of Mush&N, stated, “This collaboration with the University of Helsinki is significant as it marks the first step in scientifically validating Mush&N’s fungal protein technology at an international level, going beyond simple research. We aim to build trust in sustainable proteins in the global market and expand research and business collaborations connecting Europe and Asia in the future.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.