BacAlt Biosciences raises $2 Mn in pre-seed round led by Avaana Capital

Bio-tech startup BacAlt Biosciences has raised $2 million (about Rs 18 crore) in a pre-seed funding round led by Avaana Capital along with participation from Lubrizol InnoVentures. The company is currently valued at $8 million.

The proceeds will be used to scale its R&D processes, build pilot production facilities, strengthen hiring and develop go-to-market strategies for geographic expansion, BacAlt Biosciences said in a press release.

Co-founded in 2023 by Shruti Kutmutia and Pranav Nair, BacAlt develops bio-based polymers and specialty ingredients using lean, energy-efficient, and high-throughput fermentation that improves product performance in diverse applications while preventing microplastic pollution. The Bengaluru-based startup leverages waste valorisation, circular feedstocks, and non-sterile fermentation.

“BacAlt’s vision is to power India’s emergence as a global hub for circular, bio-based speciality ingredients,” said Shruti Kutmutia, Co-Founder of BacAlt. “The demand for high-performance, cost-competitive ingredients is real, and we are building for scale, taking India from an import-dependent market to an export-ready bio-manufacturing hub.”

By combining developments in microbiology, industrial biomanufacturing and scalable fermentation, BacAlt Biosciences aims to create reliable, high-performance alternatives to petrochemical-based ingredients shaping the future of formulations worldwide.