Pitch: a US startup founded by former Perfect Day executives (including a co-founder), developing high-value functional biomolecules, including melanin and sweet protein brazzein, through precision fermentation for food and cosmetics applications.
Source: Melazyme
ID card
- HQ: USA
- Founded: 2025
- Funding: $2M
- Last Funding: $2M Seed (05/2026)
- Partnerships: Commercial partners for brazzein (undisclosed)
- Innovations: Precision fermentation platform producing melanin and brazzein
- Competitors:
- Melanin: Ø
- Brazzein: Pentasweet (Lithuania), Oobli (US), Sweegen (US), Conagen (US)
- Regulation: Ø (nothing disclosed)
More insights
- Melanin is Melazyme's lead commercial molecule, initially targeting cosmetics before expanding into industrial and environmental applications, including UV protection, water filtration, heavy metal sequestration and rare earth element recovery.
- Early engagement with global cosmetic manufacturers is already underway.
- Melazyme says its patent-pending precision fermentation platform produces melanin with more than 99% purity, compared with 70–80% for cuttlefish-derived melanin and ~75% for chemically synthesised melanin.
- The platform is designed to tailor the functional properties of biomolecules to specific end applications.
- Brazzein, a heat-stable sweet protein, is already under development with commercial partners for food and beverage applications.
For Symrise
Why did we select the startup?
Melazyme illustrates how precision fermentation can move beyond dairy proteins into high-value functional biomolecules.
Founded by former Perfect Day executives, Melazyme is building on prior brazzein expertise following Perfect Day's FDA “no questions” letter. Its work on brazzein could support Symrise's activities in sweet taste modulation, while its melanin development opens opportunities in cosmetic ingredients.
Why now?
The startup is transitioning from platform development to early commercialisation following its seed funding and the establishment of initial partnerships for brazzein development.
Source: Melazyme