- Spora takes role in international consortium aiming to turn CO₂ into protein enough to feed more than 1 billion people every year

COPENHAGEN, DK / ACCESS Newswire / September 23, 2025 / Will air-to-table be the next big thing? Alchemist chef Rasmus Munk's food innovation center Spora plays a key role in a global project to create delicious foods from protein derived from CO₂.

"We are extremely proud that two of the world's largest foundations have chosen us as a partner in this ambitious project with the potential to feed more than a billion people every year," says Rasmus Munk, voted Best Chef in the World 2024 by The Best Chef Awards.

Spora joins phase 2 of the global "Acetate to Food" project, funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Gates Foundation. The consortium of research institutions and private companies is pioneering a new way to turn one of our greatest climate liabilities - CO₂ - into nutritious food.

The process replaces resource-demanding sugar in fermentation with CO₂-derived acetate, which feeds microorganisms that then produce high-quality protein. "When the consortium began two years ago, food from CO₂ seemed like science fiction. Within the next two years, we expect to see prototypes ready for consumer testing. This shows what is possible when biosolutions bring researchers and companies together," says Claus Felby, Vice President, Agri-Food, Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Spora, founded by Rasmus Munk in 2023, has been tasked with making the results taste more like dinner than science. "We face a global food and climate crisis, and we need radical solutions. The technology developed in phase one can reshape how we produce food - and I look forward to turning it into nutritious and above all delicious ingredients for the future," says Rasmus Munk.

From Molecules to Meals
Spora's role will be to combine culinary creativity with science to design sustainable foods for dinner tables worldwide - while addressing hunger and malnutrition in low-income countries.
"The goal is to develop delicious, protein-rich everyday foods with a low impact on the planet - and broad appeal, especially for families in the communities that need it the most," says Mette Johnsen, CEO of Spora.

Working with local chefs and communities, the project will ensure the new foods not only meet nutritional needs but also honor local flavors and cultures.

The new phase of the project has been granted €21.7 million and will run for the next two years.
"This project isn't just about science. It's about changing the way we feed the world - and making sure that future food is sustainable, accessible, and irresistibly good," says Rasmus Munk.

FACTS

Phase 2 partners: Topsoe, Novonesis, Orkla Foods, Spora ApS, CORC at Aarhus University, University of Copenhagen (Food Science + Food & Resource Economy), Northwestern University, and Copenhagen Process.

Funding: €21.7 million (DKK 162.2 million), split evenly between the Gates Foundation and Novo Nordisk Foundation.

More information: Novo Nordisk Foundation

High res images:
https://alchemist.filecamp.com/s/c/0YheoaU5mrPE4hR6

Contact Information

Lena Ilkjaer
Head of Communication
li@alchemist.dk
+4531318651

SOURCE: Spora ApS