Lean thinking for edible innovation: New Wave Biotech and Nurasa reimagine how food tech can move faster

As the food-tech sector navigates a tougher investment climate and increasing demands for commercial validation, a new whitepaper entitled Lean Startup Meets FoodTech has emerged as a much-needed guidebook for early-stage companies. Developed by New Wave Biotech (NWB) and Nurasa, the report applies the Lean Startup methodology – long a staple of Silicon Valley – to the unique dynamics of alternative proteins, biomanufactured ingredients, and food innovation more broadly.

According to Sukhi Wei, Strategic Project Manager at Nurasa, the timing of this paper was crucial. “We developed this whitepaper in response to clear shifts in the food-tech landscape since 2023. Many early pioneers raised significant capital but struggled to commercialize.” With investor expectations shifting from bold vision to disciplined execution, founders now need a playbook grounded in speed, learning, and real-world testing.

“Investor expectations have also changed, moving from vision-driven pitches to practical validation, commercialization and cost discipline ” Wei adds.

Wei notes that infrastructure developments in regions such as Singapore – where ScaleUp Bio launched in 2024 – signal a readiness for more structured innovation support. “That kind of support makes this the right time to rethink how the innovation process is run – and where Lean Startup principles fit.”

Adapting lean for food tech’s realities

The Lean Startup framework was originally conceived to help software entrepreneurs build fast, learn continuously, and avoid over-investing in the wrong solutions. But how does that translate to food, where the barriers include not just taste and shelf life, but safety, regulation, and scalability?

Wei adds, “We drew parallels between the experiences of founders, scientists and corporate executives to adapt these five principles to the nuances in food tech.”

Her collaborator on the report, Zoe Yu Tung Law, Co-founder & CEO of NWB, emphasizes that these principles – testing, validation, iteration – are highly adaptable. “While there are specificities to food innovation,” Law says, “they can still be mapped back to the core principles. Partnering with organizations who have regulatory expertise, leveraging AI-enabled digital tools, and building strong GTM relationships can make a world of difference.”

This adaptive lens is especially critical in sectors like precision fermentation and cultivated meat, where capital requirements are steep and R&D timelines long.

Balancing safety and speed

One of the report’s key arguments is that rapid iteration and food safety do not need to be at odds. Instead, the two should be planned together from the start.

“In food, safety is absolutely essential to maintain trust,” says Wei. “That means understanding the regulatory requirements and risks early, so you can design your development and testing process around them.”

Law agrees, highlighting how early regulatory planning supports the full commercialization journey. “Understanding regulatory pathways across different markets enables startups to model scenarios for scale, pricing and bioprocess setup. It helps align R&D and commercialization timelines from the start.”

This approach also reflects the growing complexity of global food markets, where startups must often balance different approval timelines across geographies.

Rethinking MVPs for food

The concept of a minimum viable product (MVP) is central to Lean Startup thinking. In food, however, MVPs look very different from tech prototypes.

“It’s easier to start with clear applications in mind, then test the ingredient in those categories,” Wei explains. “We see quicker market feedback through food-service due to its shorter product lifecycle compared to CPG.”

Building on this, Wei adds, “Identify the assumptions most critical to your technical feasibility, commercial viability, and customer desirability. Then find the fastest and cheapest ways to test them.”

This methodology encourages startups to bypass long-formulation loops and instead gain targeted insights quickly – a survival tactic when runways are short.

Getting early customer feedback

Early feedback isn’t just about taste tests. For B2B startups, in particular, the report emphasizes commercial intent as a key metric.

“For ingredient innovators, you need a compelling application that shows clear value early on,” says Wei. “Frame each test as a hypothesis: ‘If our ingredient delivers X in Y application, we’ll see Z response’.”

Wei continues: “One of the most actionable forms of feedback in early-stage food innovation is a sign of commitment – not just compliments. Would they run a pilot? Reorder?”

Law echoes this, providing a real-world case study: “Once customer needs are defined, you can rapidly iterate toward the goal. With Multus, we optimized cost and concentration over four cycles – reducing unit costs by 55% and increasing concentration by x 2.1.”

Data as the engine for lean

Most startups now understand that data is essential – but few know how to use it effectively without overcomplicating their operations.

“In the Lean approach, data isn’t just a tool – it’s the fuel for rapid learning,” says Law. “Startups can design simple systems using accessible tools to track what matters.”

Wei reinforces this: “You don’t need fancy dashboards. A shared spreadsheet and regular check-ins can work. Tools like TEA or cost-in-use calculators help link R&D to commercial decisions.”

This measured approach to data helps bridge the often-wide gulf between lab performance and business reality.

Planning for scale

Unlike app developers who can ‘scale’ with server capacity, food-tech companies must plan for physical infrastructure, logistics, and quality assurance at scale – all while still in early-stage R&D.

“Scaling is one of the biggest bottlenecks,” says Law. “TEA helps eliminate unviable options early. Then you can test scale-relevant conditions in the lab to de-risk.”

Wei agrees: “Even at MVP stage, understand how your ingredient behaves in production. Use small batches to test performance in real-world scenarios.”

This emphasis on scale-readiness is crucial as biomanufacturing capacity remains a limiting factor for the industry.

Mindset and culture

Cultural transformation is a recurring theme in the report. Founders from academic or culinary backgrounds often need to shift how they view iteration and learning.

“Many scientists and chefs are already used to iteration,” Wei explains. “Lean Startup just reframes it – zooming out to focus on the strategic hypothesis behind each trial.”

She adds, “It starts with psychological safety. Framing ideas as hypotheses, not certainties, even at the leadership level, fosters cross-functional learning.”

Building that culture of experimentation can unlock faster progress across R&D, commercial, and operations teams alike.

Challenging assumptions

Every sector carries its own myths. One that the whitepaper takes head-on is the notion that more capital guarantees better outcomes.

“One big assumption is that more funding equals success,” says Wei. “Lean Startup challenges that – encouraging teams to test across all fronts, not just technical achievement.”

The implication? Winning teams are not those with the biggest seed round – but those that know what to test, and how fast.

A call to collaborate

In the final sections, Law and Wei extend an invitation to industry stakeholders.

“We hope this whitepaper encourages innovators – startups and corporates alike – to test early and work with the right partners,” says Wei. “To investors, we hope these principles help your portfolios navigate tough times.

“We’d love to work with more partners helping ingredient innovators scale up and get to market faster – especially across Asia.”

The Lean Startup mindset, Law concludes, is not about speed for speed’s sake. It’s about structured learning – across every aspect of the business.

“We weren’t sure Lean Startup would fully apply to food tech,” she reflects. “But what surprised us was how often the most successful teams already applied its principles – just adapted to their reality.”

“They weren’t skipping steps,” she concludes. “They were de-risking tech and business in parallel. That shift – from linear progress to structured learning – is what makes Lean Startup so powerful in food innovation.”‍

You can download the full report here