Maia Farms Unveils $2M in Private and Grant Funding Toward Food Innovation

Maia Farms has secured a pre-seed round of funding following its victory in the Deep Space Food Challenge.

Food-tech innovator Maia, whose CanPro technology earned accolades from NASA, announced over $2 million between private capital and matching grant funding.

The capital marks a “significant milestone in the company’s mission to provide globally accessible, superior protein sources that nourish life and respect our planet,” according to a statement from the B.C.-born startup.

Private financing was led by Joyful Ventures in California, PIC Group from Saskatchewan, and Koan Capital out of Alberta, alongside investments from angels within the Creative Destruction Lab ecosystem.

Maia Farms has also received grant funding from five institutions: the Canadian Food Innovation Network, the National Research Council of Canada, The SFU BC Centre for Agritech Innovation, MITACS, and the Canadian Space Agency.

“We are immensely grateful for the support of our investors and partners, who share our belief that innovative solutions are needed to address the global protein challenge,” stated Maia cofounder Gavin Schneider, who serves his startup as CEO.

Freshly funded, Maia Farms is slated to accelerate research and development activities, scale up operations, and further reach for CanPro, a sustainable protein ingredient made with mushroom and vegetables, according to the entrepreneur.

“This funding not only validates our fermentation approach but also strengthens our capacity to make a meaningful impact,” said Schneider. “We’re excited to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the food sector and to lead the way towards a more sustainable and nourishing future.”

Jennifer Stojkovic, cofounder of Joyful Ventures, believes Maia Farms “has a bright future.”

“We are proud to announce our investment in Maia Farms, as their mission perfectly fits our investment thesis,” stated Stojkovic. “Not only were we impressed by Maia’s mycelium protein, but we especially resonated with the scalability and viability of their technological innovations.”

Maia Farms was founded in Vancouver in 2021 by Schneider alongside Ashton Ostrander and Dr. Sean Lacoursire.