Proeon Expands Plant-Based Protein R&D Efforts in the Netherlands
The India-based alternative protein company receives funding and collaborates with Planet B.io in the Dutch agrifood ecosystem
The specialist in plant-based protein ingredients has recently received significant Dutch funding to further accelerate its R&D in sustainable food solutions. Proeon identifies the best plant-protein sources and converts them into highly functional and formulation-friendly ingredients. To drive meaningful breakthroughs in the protein transition, Proeon is partnering with Wageningen University. This collaboration also opens the door to expanding their team with leading scientists specializing in plant-based protein modification.
Funding helps advance sustainable food solutions
Proeon is located at the Planet B.io campus in Delft, where it has been actively collaborating in the agrifood ecosystem since 2022. The Netherlands location is both an R&D and commercial hub.
In 2024, Proeon successfully financed its production location in India through a loan by Invest International under the Dutch Good Growth Fund. And this year, Proeon was granted a 1 million Euro subsidy for a hybrid egg alternative product with European funding in a consortium with Vivici, Planet B.io and Delft based Getinge. These fundings and investments have been combined with other relevant Dutch government incentives for R&D activities, for example the Tax Credit for Research and Development (WBSO).
Proeon’s innovation is the next generation of plant based protein ingredients that are the building blocks and core ingredients of vegan products such as vegan eggs and plant-based dairy products. Proeon’s R&D begins with developing pure proteins, in other words the extraction of proteins. They assess different raw materials on criteria such as nutrition content, functionalities (like solubility, gelation, emulsification) and sensory profiles (taste, smell, colour, mouthfeel) to see if they will be suitable for a new pure protein.
Making positive impact on health and the environment
Proeon’s founders are Ashish Korde and Kevin Parekh. After decades in the ingredients industry, they saw the coming trends and grew to understand “that there’s a huge shift that is coming in global consumer preferences, where people want to eat plant-based foods.” They saw that consumers don’t want to compromise on the traditional experience of eating non-plant-based products but “they want to eat something that’s healthier, more sustainable, and more animal friendly.”
Their motivating factors moving into the plant-based protein field were the enormous market opportunities, the chance to do truly innovative work, and the massive environmental impact that they could accomplish.
Support from the Invest in Holland network
Proeon is supported in its continued growth in the Netherlands by the Invest in Holland network, including Innovation Quarter and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency.
Sources: Innovation Quarter and Planet B.io
7 August 2025