Breakthrough Victoria backs tech to cut livestock emissions

Breakthrough Victoria is investing $1.7 million in agricultural technology company Number 8 Bio, joining a round led by Main Sequence Ventures and including The March Group.

The investment marks a major step forward in the fight against climate change and the drive toward more efficient food production, according to a statement.

Number 8 Bio has developed a groundbreaking technology it calls ‘Performance Digestion’.

The company’s BetterFeed products are feed additives for cattle that reduce methane emissions by up to 90 per cent while improving feed efficiency.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with livestock responsible for up to 15 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The CEO and Co-Founder of Number 8 bio Dr Tom Williams (pictured) said: “This funding will play a pivotal role in accelerating our product development, scaling up our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, and helping us forge key commercial partnerships critical to our growth and success in the market.

“…At Number 8 Bio, we’re changing feed to feed positive change, helping farmers grow the food we love, without the emissions.”

In addition to reducing methane emissions, Performance Digestion also contain productivity modifiers that redirect the animal’s metabolic pathways towards growth-promoting compounds.

As part of the investment by Breakthrough Victoria, Number 8 Bio plans to run trials with Agriculture Victoria at Ellinbank SmartFarm and has made a commitment to a research collaboration with Monash University.

A proposed regional Victorian manufacturing facility post Series A funding is anticipated to create over eight skilled FTEs by 2026.

Breakthrough Victoria CEO Grant Dooley said: “Our $1.7 million investment in Number 8 Bio reflects our commitment to sustainable innovation.

“Their ‘Performance Digestion’ technology tackles the critical challenge of reducing livestock methane emissions while boosting productivity.”

Picture: Dr Tom Williams