# Onego Bio

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/onego-bio
Finnish-US company, spun out of Finland's VTT research centre, that makes Bioalbumen, an egg-white protein identical to the one hens make, using a fungus in fermentation tanks.

## In brief

- FDA 'no questions' letter on Bioalbumen's safety (GRAS) in Sept 2025.
- Bought a Jefferson County, Wisconsin site for a plant due online in 2028.
- Raised a $40M Series A in 2024 (led by NordicNinja); $56M total then.

## Facts

- Founded: 2022
- Headquarters: FI, US
- Status: private
- Raised: $55M
- Website: https://www.onego.bio
- Frontiers: [Agriculture](https://technooptimist.io/agriculture.md) (Fermented proteins)

## Programs

- [Bioalbumen](https://technooptimist.io/agriculture/bioalbumen.md) (Agriculture): Pilot; next: Wisconsin manufacturing plant online (2028). FDA cleared it as safe in Sept 2025; food-maker trials under way, big Wisconsin plant due 2028.

## Technical approach

- **Host: Trichoderma reesei fungus**: A fungus used for decades to make industrial enzymes is given the gene for ovalbumin, the main egg-white protein.
- **Fermentation: Tanks instead of hens**: The fungus grows in steel tanks on sugar and produces the protein, which is purified and dried to a powder.
- **Product: Same protein, no chicken**: The amino-acid sequence matches hen ovalbumin, so it foams, gels and binds like egg white in baking and drinks.

## Open problems

- **Industrial-scale capacity** (open): Its first own large plant, 2 million litres per unit, is not due until 2028.
- **Patent fight with The Every Company** (open): Onego sued to void Every's foundational ovalbumin patent; one case was dismissed, a Delaware case is pending.

## Latest updates

- **5 May 2026**: Wisconsin federal judge dismisses Onego Bio's patent lawsuit against The Every Company. The US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin dismissed, for lack of personal jurisdiction, Onego Bio's suit seeking to invalidate a foundational Every Company ovalbumin patent and alleging fraud. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/wisconsin-federal-judge-dismisses-onego-bio-s-patent-lawsuit-against-8e160a88.md) · [original source](https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/the-every-company-onego-bio-lawsuit-precision-fermentation-egg-protein/))
- **5 Mar 2026**: Onego Bio and Sigma Foods agree to test Bioalbumen egg protein in commercial products. Sigma Foods, a multinational food company with more than 100 brands in 17 countries, signed a collaboration to assess Bioalbumen's function and commercial potential. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/onego-bio-and-sigma-foods-agree-to-test-bioalbumen-egg-protein-in-6922597d.md) · [original source](https://www.onego.bio/press/our-news/4yhgdeb8xhk9iajl43h4plezjv28gi))
- **24 Sep 2025**: FDA issues a 'no questions' letter on the safety of Onego Bio's fermented egg-white protein. The FDA raised no questions about Onego Bio's conclusion that Bioalbumen, ovalbumin made by the fungus Trichoderma reesei, is generally recognised as safe. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/fda-issues-a-no-questions-letter-on-the-safety-of-onego-bio-s-fermented-c28f064f.md) · [original source](https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2025/09/24/fda-greenlights-onego-bios-bio-identical-egg-white-protein-gras-dossier/))
- **3 Apr 2024**: Onego Bio closes a $40M Series A led by NordicNinja for animal-free egg protein. Onego Bio raised $40 million, including $10 million of non-dilutive funding from Business Finland, bringing its total to $56 million. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/onego-bio-closes-a-40m-series-a-led-by-nordicninja-for-animal-free-egg-15329d54.md) · [original source](https://globalaginvesting.com/onego-bio-closes-40m-series-a-for-animal-free-egg-protein/))

## Funding

| Date | Round | Amount | Post-money | Leads |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jul 2024 | EIC Accelerator | $15M |   | European Innovation Council |
| Apr 2024 | Series A | $40M |   | NordicNinja |

## Partners, customers and investors

- Sigma Foods (partner): Collaboration (Mar 2026) to test Bioalbumen in commercial foods.
- NordicNinja (investor): Led the $40M Series A (Apr 2024).
- Agronomics (investor)
- Business Finland (investor): $10M non-dilutive funding within the Series A.

## People

- Maija Itkonen, Co-founder & CEO
- Christopher Landowski, Co-founder & CTO

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