As the worlds' population grows, so does the need for protein-rich foods. However, traditional methods of meat production contribute to rising greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation and water pollution. This has made it challenging to find sustainable and scalable protein sources to meet growing global demand. Nature's Fynd, a company rooted in NASA-backed research, is working to revolutionize the way we produce and consume high-protein foods. 

In 2012, scientist Mark Kozubal was studying life forms that can survive extreme conditions, known as extremophiles. Hoping to gain insights about food that could be produced in adverse environments like space, NASA and the National Science Foundation helped fund research in the acidic volcanic springs of Yellowstone National Park, where Kozubal discovered microbes that had adapted to survive in some of the harshest conditions on earth.  

When Kozubal took his samples back to the lab, he stumbled upon a fungi-tastic discovery: One type of alga he’d collected kept growing a white fungus that he later named Fusarium strain flavolapis. Kozubal began studying the fungus as a promising candidate for biofuel but then pivoted toward food production. Under the right conditions (and with a bit of nitrogen), these fungi can grow into a complete protein with vitamins, minerals and 20 essential amino acids, plus a texture similar to chicken. 

Kozubal and environmental scientist Rich Macur co-founded Nature's Fynd, a Chicago-based company that's “shrooming” with success by using the power of fungi to create a sustainable protein source. With the help of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding, a partnership with Montana State University and contracts from the NASA Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, Nature's Fynd developed an exclusive fermentation process that turns the Fusarium microbe into a revolutionary protein source that requires 99% less land and 87% less water than growing cows for beef production, with 99% fewer greenhouse gases and minimal waste. Unlike traditional crops, the fungi continue fermenting day and night, regardless of weather or traditional growing seasons. And because the protein grows in an environment too extreme for bacteria and other organisms, there’s no need for antibiotics and pesticides.  

On Earth, Fy is available in some American grocery stores in the form of vegan breakfast patties and dairy-free cream cheese. Additionally, by pioneering a production method for sustainable protein, Nature's Fynd is making a significant impact on global food security. Thanks to a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the company is working on a project to introduce sustainable fungal proteins to low- and moderate-income communities worldwide to ensure that everyone has access to sufficient, healthy and sustainable food. 

Beyond our planet, Nature's Fynd is also advancing sustainable food technology for those engaged in space exploration. Through the STTR program, Nature’s Fynd and Montana State University are developing Fy for long-duration space missions. The company achieved a significant milestone by successfully transporting a bioreactor and starter microbe to the International Space Station, marking a breakthrough in developing technology for sustainable food production beyond Earth.

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