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Number 8 bio is a technology company.
Number 8 Bio develops BetterFeed™, a range of feed additives for livestock. These solutions significantly improve feed efficiency and reduce enteric methane emissions. Their technical approach optimizes rumen energy and nutrient absorption, providing farmers scalable, affordable tools to boost animal productivity and address agriculture's environmental impact.
A Sydney-based, scientist-led startup, Number 8 Bio was founded on the insight that sustainable food production requires innovative nutritional strategies. Founders identified the critical need to increase livestock output while mitigating methane emissions. This dual challenge propelled their mission to create science-backed feed solutions for farming operations.
Number 8 Bio primarily targets beef, sheep, and dairy producers with accessible products for on-farm use. The company's vision centers on transforming livestock nutrition to foster positive change across the agricultural sector. They empower producers with tools that enhance profitability and contribute to a more environmentally responsible food future.
Number 8 bio has raised $13.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Number 8 bio has raised $13.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Number 8 bio has raised $13.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Number 8 bio's investors include Mason Bleakley, Main Sequence Ventures, Possible Ventures, The March Group, Teruyoshi Murakami, Seedcamp, Vertex Ventures, Tim Sadler, Bioplatforms Australia, UNSW Founders.
Number 8 Bio is a Sydney-based ag-biotech startup founded in 2022 that develops BetterFeed™, a range of scalable feed additives to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminant livestock like cattle, sheep, and goats while boosting feed efficiency by up to 12%.[1][2][6] The company serves beef, sheep, and dairy producers, addressing methane from rumen fermentation—a key agricultural greenhouse gas source—by integrating organic small molecules into existing farming practices for seamless adoption and a 3:1 ROI.[3][4][5][6] With $5.88M initially raised and a recent $7.3M (AUD $11M) oversubscribed Series A led by Icehouse Ventures (plus Main Sequence and ONE Innovators), it's advancing to large-scale trials, regulatory approvals in New Zealand, Europe, and the US, and 2026 commercialization of daily additives and six-month slow-release capsules.[1][3][4]
Number 8 Bio was co-founded in 2022 by Dr. Tom Williams (CEO, synthetic biology expert who engineered microbial metabolism for sustainable chemicals) and Dr. Alex Carpenter (CSO, PhD from Macquarie University in Darwinian evolution for microbial control).[2][3][4] Emerging from the UNSW SynBio 10X Accelerator—where it won the Positive Impact Award—the idea stemmed from Williams' "number 8 wire" rural New Zealand roots, embodying farmer ingenuity to tackle rumen inefficiencies that waste feed energy as methane.[3][4] Early in-vitro rumen screening and animal trials validated their novel organic molecule, securing initial grants and propelling the startup from lab to Series A momentum.[1][2][5]
Competitors like ArkeaBio (vaccine-based) and Bovotica (microbiome tech) exist, but Number 8 Bio stands out for economic viability and productivity uplift.[1]
Number 8 Bio rides the agricultural decarbonization wave, targeting enteric fermentation (70% of livestock methane, hard for current solutions), amid global net-zero mandates and rising Scope 3 scrutiny for protein supply chains.[3][4][5] Timing aligns with 2030 climate goals, investor appetite for "profit meets planet" agtech (e.g., oversubscribed Series A), and demand for scalable alternatives to limited-supply options like seaweed.[1][5] It influences the ecosystem by enabling farmers' verified reductions, supporting brands in markets like Australia-Japan beef trade, and proving synthetic biology can deliver commercially viable climate tech—potentially accelerating adoption in a $trillion livestock sector.[3][5][6]
Number 8 Bio is primed for 2026 launch with trials, approvals, and manufacturing scale-up, expanding BetterFeed™ globally while rolling out carbon insetting for supply chain partnerships.[3][5] Trends like AI-driven bioreactors, regulatory tailwinds, and protein demand will amplify its edge, evolving it from startup to category leader in rumen tech—blending "number 8 wire" ingenuity with synthetic biology to make methane mitigation as routine as better feed.[2][4][6]
Number 8 bio has raised $13.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $7.0M Series A in November 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2025 | $7.0M Series A | Mason Bleakley | Main Sequence Ventures, Possible Ventures, The March Group, Teruyoshi Murakami |
| Sep 1, 2024 | $5.0M Seed | Main Sequence Ventures, Possible Ventures, The March Group | |
| Jun 1, 2023 | $1.0M Seed | Main Sequence Ventures, Possible Ventures, Seedcamp, The March Group, Vertex Ventures, Tim Sadler, Bioplatforms Australia, UNSW Founders |