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Hoofprint Biome Raises $15M to Cut Methane and Boost Yield in Cattle

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RALEIGH, N.C., April 29, 2025-- Hoofprint Biome, a startup reshaping the cattle microbiome to cut methane emissions and boost yields, today announced the closing of a $15M Series A. The round was led by SOSV, with participation from Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, Breakthrough Energy Fellows, and Alexandria Venture Investments. All existing investors also participated in the round including AgriZeroNZ, Twynam, Good Growth Capital, and Ponderosa Ventures.

Hoofprint Biome represents a new paradigm in solving methane emissions from cattle.

"Startups and researchers have screened every chemical and drug that's ever been given to livestock over the last 100 years for what might reduce methane. But what if they've been looking in the wrong place this whole time?" said Po Bronson, General Partner at SOSV. "What if the answer is already present in the rumen, and it's natural?"

"Nature has spent millions of years evolving proteins as tools to regulate microbial growth. Biotechnology and artificial intelligence have finally gotten to the point where we can actually turn nature's tools into viable commercial products," says Scott Collins, the Chief Scientific Officer at Hoofprint Biome. "Our technology platform identifies and optimizes these proteins to precisely shape microbiomes."

In ruminant animals, certain microbes in the gut—called methanogens—release methane as a byproduct of digestion. Hoofprint is developing an enzyme-based feed additive that reduces this methane output.

"Our enzymes are designed to prevent the release of methane in the rumen," said Kathryn Polkoff, CEO of Hoofprint Biome. "But that's only the beginning. By using these enzymes to reshape the rumen microbiome, we can redirect energy flows for better feed efficiency—more milk in dairy cows, more weight gain in beef."

Hoofprint is now focused on getting these enzymes into farmers' hands as quickly as possible as a feed additive product. Partnerships for on-farm trials are a critical next step in accelerating the path to market.

"Beef and dairy cows constitute about 10% of annual global emissions," said Nick Ellis, Principal at Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund. "Reducing these emissions while raising healthier animals are top priorities for Amazon. We look forward to working with our farmers, ranchers, and Hoofprint Biome to commercialize their feed additive for cows over the coming years."

Produced through a low-cost, scalable fermentation process—and building on the established use of enzymes in livestock nutrition—this approach offers strong potential for adoption across the industry.

"We're pleased to continue supporting Hoofprint Biome Inc. to accelerate its development of a practical, effective solution for grazing systems," said Wayne McNee, Chief Executive of AgriZeroNZ, a fund which is owned by the New Zealand government, major agribusinesses and banks. "Enzymes and probiotics could serve to be powerful tools for farmers to meet market demands for lower emissions products, with the added benefit of productivity gains."

Cattle play an essential role in global food security by producing protein from fibrous plants inedible to humans, and are often raised on unfarmable land. However, their enteric emissions currently account for around 30% of methane emissions worldwide (FAO). Because methane has a 28x more potent warming effect than CO2 over 100 years (EPA), reducing methane emissions is one of the most effective ways to slow the effects of climate change.

Hoofprint Biome was launched in 2023 by Scott Collins (PhD, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer) and Kathryn Polkoff (PhD, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Co-Founder and CEO), uniting biotechnology innovation with animal-science expertise to deliver transformational products for cattle production. By developing natural enzyme and probiotic solutions, Hoofprint enables a new era of efficient, climate-smart cattle farming. The company is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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