Combined, pork and chicken make up more than 60% of global meat production and emit more than 1 Gt of CO2e annually. Multiple plant- and cell-based alternatives exist, but they struggle to expand beyond meat mush into whole cuts. Until alternative meats can replicate the structure and feel of grandma’s pulled pork, they’ll never expand beyond the packaged and processed meat aisle.
Tender is developing a fiber spinning technology that spins scaffolds finer than human hair out of common plant-based ingredients like soy and cellulose. These structures enable cells to “differentiate” into tissues, fiber, and muscle and ultimately replicate the structure of a whole cut. They’re starting out with a plant-based pulled pork and chicken and will expand into other meats from there.
Other texturing technologies like 3D printing are either low-throughput or struggle with fibrous textures. Tender can spin kilograms of fiber per hour at the lab scale, and they make a product that would pull its weight at a state fair. They can also work with a variety of ingredients, enabling them to eventually touch a range of muscle cuts across both meat and seafood.
Tender is developing a fiber spinning technology that spins scaffolds finer than human hair out of common plant-based ingredients like soy and cellulose. These structures enable cells to “differentiate” into tissues, fiber, and muscle and ultimately replicate the structure of a whole cut. They’re starting out with a plant-based pulled pork and chicken and will expand into other meats from there.
Other texturing technologies like 3D printing are either low-throughput or struggle with fibrous textures. Tender can spin kilograms of fiber per hour at the lab scale, and they make a product that would pull its weight at a state fair. They can also work with a variety of ingredients, enabling them to eventually touch a range of muscle cuts across both meat and seafood.
Location: United States, Massachusetts, Boston
Total raised: $23M
Investors 4
| Date | Name | Website |
| 30.04.2022 | Lowercarbo... | lowercarbo... |
| - | Rhapsody V... | rhapsodyvp... |
| - | Bread and ... | breadandbu... |
| - | Claridge V... | claridgevp... |
Funding Rounds 2
| Date | Series | Amount | Investors |
| 25.06.2024 | Series A | $11M | - |
| 15.03.2022 | Seed | $12M | - |
Mentions in press and media 34
| Date | Title | Description |
| 04.11.2025 | The World's Largest Environmental Award, the Food Planet Prize, Announces 2026 Longlist | The World's Largest Environmental Award, the Food Planet Prize, Announces 2026 Longlist Tue, Nov 04, 2025 10:15 CET Report this content As the world faces mounting pressure to align food production with planetary boundaries, the Curt Bergfo... |
| 16.10.2025 | Lasso Raises USD6.5M in Funding | Lasso, a Boston, MA-based foodtech startup, raised USD6.5m in funding. The round was led by Rhapsody Venture Partners with participation from Safar Partners, and Claridge Venture Partners. The company intends to use the funds to bring its t... |
| 15.10.2025 | Lasso: $6.5 Million Closed To Develop Protein-Packed Foods Using Fiber Spinning Technology | Lasso, a new food technology company, has emerged from stealth with $6.5 million in funding to transform the consumer packaged goods industry through its proprietary fiber spinning system, Lasso SpinTech. The Boston-based company aims to re... |
| 14.10.2025 | Lasso Officially Launches with $6.5M, Using Tender Food’s Plant-Based Foundation as a Springboard for New Tech | Lasso, a food technology company, has officially launched today, introducing its proprietary Lasso SpinTech technology, designed to transform food production by creating clean-label, protein-rich products from simple ingredients. The compan... |
| 14.08.2025 | Government Actions in the Alternative Protein Industry: Key Developments in H1 2025 | The alternative protein industry continues to draw attention from governments worldwide, with a mix of investment support and regulatory measures shaping its growth. The data in this article, compiled by Nicholas Dahl, founder and CEO of Al... |
| 07.03.2025 | The Future of Food: Plant-Based Innovations Take Center Stage | The landscape of food is changing. The rise of plant-based alternatives is not just a trend; it’s a revolution. Companies like Impossible Foods and Tender Food are leading the charge, reshaping how we think about protein. The stakes are hig... |
| 06.03.2025 | US Bioindustrial Manufacturing Gains Momentum as BioMADE Surpasses 300 Members | BioMADE, a public-private partnership focused on advancing bioindustrial manufacturing in the United States, has announced that its network has grown to more than 300 members. The network, which spans 38 states, includes large corporations,... |
| 05.03.2025 | Why the US Department of Energy Is Investing in Food Innovation: The Financial Case for Next-Generation Protein Production | The future of food is being shaped by unexpected players, and among them is the US Department of Energy (DOE). Traditionally focused on infrastructure, fuel sources, and energy grids, the DOE’s investment in alternative protein technology h... |
| 05.03.2025 | Impossible Foods Steaks Its Claim with ‘Meatiest’ Plant-Based Product Yet | 4 Mins Read US plant-based leader Impossible Foods has unveiled its first new product of 2025, Steak Bites, which it describes as its “meatiest” innovation. Joining the ranks of its fellow meat-free innovators, Impossible Foods has introduc... |
| 23.01.2025 | Project Eaden: Revolutionizing Plant-Based Meat with Fiber Spinning Technology | In the heart of Berlin, a culinary revolution is brewing. Project Eaden, a startup founded in 2022, is poised to change the way we think about plant-based meat. With a recent €15 million ($15.6 million) Series A funding round, the company i... |
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