Ede-based Cano-ela, a FoodTech startup based in the heart of the Food Valley, today announces the successful closing of a €1.6 million funding round to pioneer the development of three innovative ingredients derived from rapeseed (canola seeds).
Participating in the round was existing investor OostNL and new investors Value Factory and Ecoseed.
Juliana Romero, Co-founder and CEO at Cano-ela said: “We are entering an exciting phase as we prepare to bring our innovative ingredients to the market. This investment enables us to upgrade our pilot facility, increase production capacity, and accelerate collaborations with food producers who seek high-quality, plant-based and sustainable ingredient solutions.”
Founded in 2020 by Juliana Romero Guzmán and Alberto Niccolai, Cano-ela is a FoodTech company that aims to remove refined ingredients from the food supply chain by processing oil-rich seeds in an innovative way.
Oil-rich seeds naturally contain essential building blocks for food production, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Yet, conventional processing methods extract only the vegetable oil, leaving behind valuable nutrients that are either discarded or used as low-value animal feed.
This results in a 40% loss of potential food ingredients that could otherwise contribute to human nutrition.
Cano-ela is transforming this inefficiency by producing three key ingredients: cano-cream, cano-soluble and cano-fiber, which reportedly enhance the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of foods and alternative proteins. According to Cano-ela, these natural ingredients could replace synthetic emulsifiers, stabilisers, and texturisers, offering a clean-label and sustainable alternative for food producers.
“We are thrilled to have secured this new funding round despite a challenging investment climate for startups,” says Romero. “The continued support of Oost NL has been crucial in our journey, and we are excited to welcome new investors Ecoseed and Value Factory Ventures. Their commitment to sustainability and innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to create impact through food solutions.”
With the new funding, Cano-ela will scale up its production process and move closer to commercial launch, building on previous investments that allowed Cano-ela to develop a proof-of-concept and advance its R&D.
Jacco Zuijdweg, Investment manager Value Factory Ventures said: “Climate change and food security demand smarter solutions. Cano-ela transforms underutilised resources into sustainable ingredients, and we’re proud to support their mission.”
Henk Savelkoul, director Ecoseed, added: “Cano-ela is a game-changer in food innovation, turning overlooked nutrients into high-value ingredients. We’re excited to be part of their journey.”