The Navarrese specialist in microencapsulation of bioactive ingredients reported the first additions to a financial operation that began in the middle of this year. An initiative with which it aims, specifically, to raise 2 million euros to achieve the industrial scaling of its business idea and consolidate its presence outside Spain. This positioning, on the other hand, responds to a reformulation in the production strategy that the company is going to follow in such a way that it will focus its scaling in outsourcing in the short and medium term through national and international agreements with production partners (CMO).
The entities that have already joined this first subscription tranche of the round are the public company dependent on the Government of Navarre, Sodena, as well as the group of the company’s current shareholders. The former has decided to participate through a convertible loan of 150,000 euros. For their part, the National Centre for Food Technology and Safety (CNTA), the University of Navarra and the UN I+D+i Tech Transfer Fund, managed by Clave Capital, already present in the shareholding of Nucaps, have decided to strengthen their presence in capital with a joint contribution of €325,000.
In this context, the Regional Minister of Industry, Ecological Transition and Digital Business and President of Sodena, Mikel Irujo, visited the Nucaps facilities in the CEIN Business Incubator. There, he learned in situ about the company’s growth expectations. “Nucaps is an innovative example, with pioneering business lines and products in the healthy food sector, while at the same time it is fully aligned with the Sustainable Strategy for Smart Specialisation (S4)”, said Irujo.
Nucaps’ technology has so far enabled it to develop functional ingredients with unique characteristics to improve metabolism and the immune system. At the same time, its innovations contribute to reducing diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders.
Making these ingredients accessible to the entire market will be one of the objectives to which the money raised in the financing round promoted by the company will be allocated. In this regard, Nucaps plans to continue a line of work that has proven successful with recent innovative proposals such as NuCla, a natural alternative for salt reduction with a great acceptance in the market; NuGar, an ingredient that enhances sweetness while limiting sugar intake; or Glucocaps, an alternative protein designed to reduce cholesterol and fat accumulation.
Alongside them, it also highlights its range of microencapsulated probiotics prepared as ingredients in dairy products, beverages, bakery products, ready-to-eat foods and vegan products, among other possibilities.
“We must take advantage of the technical and commercial successes achieved and the start of industrial-scale manufacturing of our ingredients to grow in our mission: to be part of the new society and have a positive impact on it by improving its health through nutrition,” said Nucaps CEO Mariano Oto.
Source: Alimarket