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Integriculture and Sumitomo Rubber Form Strategic Partnership

Integriculture, Inc., a company dedicated to creating a new industry through cell agriculture, has joined forces with Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. This collaboration is expected to spearhead significant innovations in the field of lab-grown food, particularly focusing on poultry-derived cells. Both companies signed a memorandum of understanding to initiate this strategic partnership.

Expanding to Singapore

Under this partnership, Integriculture is set to start a production process in Singapore, leveraging poultry cell technologies. The goal is to file for approval by the end of 2026. This project will be complemented by the growth of Integriculture's CRDMO (Contract Research, Development & Manufacturing) business in Japan, working closely with Sumitomo to kick off contract manufacturing services domestically.

Innovative Technology from CulNet® Consortium

A hallmark of their collaboration is the joint development of the "Oxy-thru Cultivator™", a 2L cell culture bag designed for high-efficiency culturing. This innovative product emerged from the CulNet Consortium, which aims to create an infrastructure and standard supply chain for cell agriculture. By combining Sumitomo's advanced gas-permeable materials and precise molding technology with Integriculture's cost-effective cell culturing techniques, the Oxy-thru Cultivator can produce around 1 kg of biomass per bag each month.

Traditionally, the cell agriculture industry seeks to scale up using large bioreactors that can handle thousands to tens of thousands of liters, representing a significant investment in equipment and operational costs. In contrast, the Oxy-thru Cultivator requires no additional oxygen injection systems; it can simply be installed in an incubator, making it perfect for scalable production while offering numerous advantages such as reduced costs, diversified risk, and a more flexible production setup.

Singapore Operations

In Singapore, the local manufacturing partner, Cell AgriTech Pte. Ltd., will facilitate the validation and launch of commercial production processes using food-grade culture materials, including Integriculture's foundational medium, "I-MEM 1.0". This initiative aims to gather essential data required for regulatory approval by 2026.

Integriculture has been laying the groundwork for cell-based food production in Japan. The commencement of operations in Singapore marks a critical step forward, accelerating progress toward establishing a sustainable food production system.

Message from Integriculture's CEO, Yuki Hanyu

"Opening a new chapter in cell agriculture by entering the progressive landscape of Singapore represents a substantial milestone for us. I am confident that the combination of Sumitomo's manufacturing prowess and our cell technology can create a new production platform that is key to advancing the industry and expanding its infrastructure."

Statement from Sumitomo Rubber’s Satoshi Tatsumi

"At Sumitomo Rubber, we aspire to embrace change and challenge the status quo. By collaborating with innovative deep-tech companies like Integriculture, we have been able to create new products rooted in our core competence in polymer material technology, venturing into the bio-sector. Our ongoing initiatives, including those in Singapore, are focused on a unified approach to solving societal issues."

About Integriculture, Inc.

Integriculture envisions "cell agriculture accessible for everyone" and is dedicated to the development and dissemination of accessible cell agriculture infrastructure. They are exploring new local business ventures utilizing regional resources, such as pristine water, to create cell-based food products, cosmetics, and materials. Ultimately, their aim is to contribute to a sustainable food future and a prosperous society.

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