Ghent-based FoodTech startup Those Vegan Cowboys has secured €6.25 million in its first funding round to accelerate the development of its cow-free casein, a vital dairy protein made using precision fermentation – with plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign in the coming months.
The funding round was led by Pieter Geelen, co-founder of navigation giant TomTom, and included contributions from Westland Kaas, the Dutch cheese producer behind Old Amsterdam, and Wouter Veenboer, co-founder of the ad automation platform ProductHero. The capital will secure the startup’s operations for the next two years, as it edges closer to regulatory clearance in the United States and ramps up for commercialisation.
CEO Hille van der Kaa emphasises the significance of the funding: “This is where sustainability, technology and industry come together. Our partners recognise that animal-free casein is no longer a distant vision, but ready for commercial application. This investment allows us to move from development to market entry.”
This year has shown continued funding activity across precision fermentation and adjacent FoodTech segments, providing context for the €6.25 million first round raised by Those Vegan Cowboys.
Recent examples include PFx Biotech, a Porto-based startup that secured €2.5 million to develop allergy-free human milk proteins using precision fermentation, and SUMM Ingredients from Copenhagen, which raised €1.7 million to accelerate the commercial rollout of its fermented protein ingredient for food manufacturers. At a later stage, Revyve, based in the Netherlands, closed a €24 million Series B to scale yeast-based proteins designed to replace eggs and additives in mainstream food products.
EU-Startups has also reported on Fungu’it, which raised €4 million to develop fungi-based natural flavourings, and EvodiaBio, a Copenhagen-based company that secured €6 million to scale fermentation-driven flavour technologies for industrial applications.
Together, these 2025 rounds represent approximately €38 million invested into fermentation-led and closely related FoodTech innovation, before including Those Vegan Cowboys’ own financing.
The data points to sustained capital allocation across neighbouring European markets, particularly in alternative proteins, functional ingredients, and fermentation-enabled food technologies.
Frank Fischer, CFO of Westland Kaas adds: “As Westland Kaas, we have always combined tradition with technology. We continue to invest in innovation to reinvent cheese for future generations. Our investment in Those Vegan Cowboys reflects our commitment to open innovation and next-generation food technologies.”
Those Vegan Cowboys was founded in 2020 by former The Vegetarian Butcher founders Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman. The company’s innovation lies in producing casein – the key protein in traditional dairy – using microbes instead of cows. This enables the production of cheese that is bioidentical to its dairy counterpart but entirely animal-free.
The startup is already working with ten industrial partners across Europe on various applications for its cow-free casein, from melting mozzarella alternatives to semi-hard cheeses. It previously teamed up with investor Westland Kaas to launch the plant-based cheese brand WildWestLand, a nod to the company’s quirky cowboy-themed branding and a first step toward mainstream recognition.
The company is now preparing to open up its mission to the public via a crowdfunding campaign – likely the first of its kind in the precision fermentation dairy space. This initiative aims not only to raise additional funds but also to foster brand awareness and consumer buy-in.
Tastings of their cheese prototypes are planned for 2026 in the Netherlands, giving early backers a chance to experience the results first-hand.
Investor Wouter Veenboer also highlighted the growing urgency for sustainable alternatives: “This has the potential to be a major breakthrough. As livestock farming continues to industrialise, the need to relieve the dependency on animals becomes more urgent. Cheese is one of the products consumers miss most when they reduce dairy. I’m excited to help make this vision a reality.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/12/cow-free-dairy-startup-those-vegan-cowboys-closes-e6-25-million-funding-round-as-it-eyes-crowdfunding-campaign/
