MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Calysta, Inc. (www.calysta.com) today announced completion of a Series B financing round totaling $10 million. The financing was led by Walden Riverwood Ventures (www.waldenintl.com) and (www.riverwoodcapital.com), a venture firm focused on investing in core technology companies globally, and Aqua-Spark (www.aqua-spark.nl), a Netherlands-based firm focused on sustainable aquaculture investments. Nicholas Brathwaite, Walden Riverwood Ventures and Mike Velings, Aqua-Spark, will join the Calysta Board of Directors.
The financing included an additional investment by Pangaea Ventures Ltd. (www.pangaeaventures.com), which invested in Calysta’s Series A round, and current Calysta officers and directors. Calysta intends to use the Series B investment to advance development of high value nutritional products for fish and livestock as well as traditional chemical products.
“We are very pleased to add Walden Riverwood and Aqua-Spark to our exceptional group of investors,” said Alan Shaw, Ph.D., President and CEO. “Calysta is committed to advancing the sustainability of the aquaculture industry, a critical contributor to global food security. This financing allows us to accelerate market introduction of our Microbial Protein™ Feed into this important market.”
“Calysta is among a limited number of companies that have the potential to transform the aquaculture industry using technology that is sustainable and environmentally friendly,” said Nicholas Brathwaite, co-founder of Walden Riverwood Ventures. “We are excited to partner with Alan Shaw and the management team in developing systems capable of converting low value chemicals into high value proteins for fish and livestock feed and other applications.”
“We’ve spent the last many months examining global technologies and companies that have the potential to shift the aquaculture landscape,” said Mike Velings and Amy Novogratz, co-founders of Aqua-Spark. “Calysta has stood out as game-changer for its transformative method of providing high protein feed to farm-raised fish, one of the biggest challenges for the industry. We’re enthusiastic that Calysta can be a transformative tool for making aquaculture far more sustainable and efficient.”
About Calysta
Calysta, Inc. (www.calysta.com), Menlo Park, CA, is an innovator in sustainable industrial products for food and energy security. Calysta has two business units. Calysta Nutrition develops and commercializes fish and livestock nutritional products. Calysta Energy is developing high value materials for use in industrial and consumer products with cost and performance advantages over current processes.
About Walden Riverwood Ventures
Walden Riverwood Ventures (www.waldenintl.com) and (www.riverwoodcapital.com) is a venture capital firm focused on investing in core technology companies globally. It was formed as a collaboration between Walden International, a leading international venture capital firm, and Riverwood Capital, a global, technology-focused private equity firm. The firm's founding partners provide its portfolio companies with unique access to deep industry knowledge, relationships and management experience. The two firms have an established history of investing together in several successful companies such as GoPro, Ambarella, Inc., and Aptina Imaging, Inc. Walden Riverwood Ventures leads early stage investments in companies developing fundamental technologies that have the potential to benefit multiple industry verticals.
About Aqua-Spark
Aqua-Spark (www.aqua-spark.nl) is a global investment fund based in Utrecht, the Netherlands that makes investments in sustainable aquaculture businesses that generate investment returns, while creating positive social and environmental impact. The fund invests in small to medium enterprises that are working towards the production of safe, accessible aquatic life, such as fish, shellfish and plants, in a way that does not harm the health of the planet.
