Standing Ovation
- €750,000
- Yvan Chardonnes
- Capital Raised: €30,000,000
Standing Ovation was founded in 2020 in Paris by Romain Chayot (PhD in molecular biology) & Frédéric Paques (biotech serial entrepreneur) and focuses exclusively on the fermentation-based production of casein proteins. The company has built a proprietary microbial expression platform capable of producing all four major bovine casein types which self-assemble into micelles similar to those in milk. This micellar formation is what enables authentic cheese-like texture and melt, a property that has been difficult for competitors to replicate.
Caseins represent around 80% of milk proteins, forming the structural backbone of cheese and other dairy products. Their ability to coagulate under acid or rennet makes them essential to curd formation and cheese yield, a role that cannot be replicated by plant proteins. Standing Ovation’s process combines rapid bacterial fermentation, efficient DSP, and circular feedstock integration, offering a simpler, faster, and more scalable route to animal-free casein compared to yeast- or fungi-based peers.
Problem they solve
- EU’s Farm-to-Fork strategy targets a 50% reduction in agricultural emissions by 2030, creating strong incentives for low-carbon ingredients.
- Life cycle analyses indicate that precision-fermented casein can achieve 90% lower GHG emissions, 95% lower land use, and 98% lower water use than conventional dairy proteins.
- Unlike plant-based proteins that mimic dairy through flavoring and stabilizers, Standing Ovation’s caseins are molecularly identical to bovine caseins, ensuring true replication of melt, stretch, and elasticity in cheese.
Why we believe
- Standing Ovation’s platform is protected by 3 patent families covering strain engineering, micellar assembly, and downstream processing along with a great scientific team combining deep expertise in molecular biology, protein chemistry, and process design.
- The strategic partnership with Bel Group provides immediate industrial validation, customer pull, and a first route to commercialization.
- Standing Ovation’s continuous fermentation yield improvement and its capex-light CDMO scaling strategy demonstrate credible economic progression.
Investors
Want to join us on our mission to fight climate change through Agri-Food revolution and discuss our value proposition?
Entrepreneurs
We know taking the next big step is never easy, but if the goals are mutual, things do fall into place. Let’s discuss your idea!