The world’s food systems sit at a crossroads. Agriculture drives nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and livestock alone account for a staggering portion of methane output. In response, Australian startup Number 8 Bio just closed an $11 million Series A funding round to attack this challenge head-on — literally from inside the cow’s stomach.
A Bold Plan for Climate-Smart Agriculture
Number 8 Bio focuses on reducing methane from livestock through synthetic biology. The startup engineers methane-inhibiting feed additives that target the microbial activity inside ruminant animals such as cows, sheep, and goats.
Methane forms when microbes in the animal’s gut, known as methanogens, break down food. These microbes emit methane as a byproduct, which animals release through burping. While invisible, this gas carries enormous climate consequences. Each ton of methane traps over 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide during its first two decades in the atmosphere.
Instead of waiting for large-scale shifts in diets or farming systems, Number 8 Bio plans to change the biology of methane production directly at its source. By altering or inhibiting methanogens, the company’s solution can reduce methane emissions without altering the animal’s diet, growth rate, or milk yield.
Investors Rally Behind Climate-Driven Innovation
The Series A round, worth US$11 million (AUD 17.2 million), drew participation from several top-tier investors in agritech and climate tech. Main Sequence Ventures, Horizons Ventures, and Grovers Creek Capital led the round, with contributions from several individual backers passionate about sustainable agriculture.
Main Sequence Ventures, which originated from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), has a long history of supporting science-led startups. Its investment in Number 8 Bio fits its broader mission to decarbonize food production.
Horizons Ventures, known for backing breakthrough tech companies like Impossible Foods and Zoom, views Number 8 Bio as part of a new frontier in biology-driven climate solutions. The firm’s partner Patrick Poon called the company’s technology “a scalable lever for one of the toughest emissions problems on the planet.”
With this funding, Number 8 Bio plans to expand its R&D operations, accelerate field trials, and scale manufacturing capacity to bring its methane-reduction solutions to market within the next 24 months.
How the Technology Works
Number 8 Bio’s approach combines synthetic biology and precision fermentation. The startup designs microbial strains that can live symbiotically in the rumen (the largest compartment in a cow’s stomach) and interfere with methane-producing pathways. These engineered microbes produce bioactive compounds that block enzymes methanogens use to generate methane.
This method differs from other feed additives like Asparagopsis (a red seaweed), which also reduce methane but rely on chemical compounds such as bromoform. Instead of adding something new to the feed, Number 8 Bio integrates its solution directly into the natural microbiome of livestock.
The company’s scientists emphasize that this design ensures long-term effectiveness, low cost, and ease of delivery. Farmers can introduce the microbial solution through a feed supplement, drench, or capsule, depending on herd management practices. Once established, these microbes maintain methane suppression without frequent re-dosing.
The Startup’s Roots and Mission
Number 8 Bio began in Sydney in 2021 as a spin-out from the University of Sydney’s School of Life and Environmental Sciences. Founders Dr. Belinda Clarke, a microbiologist, and Dr. Andrew Condon, a synthetic biologist, built the startup on a shared conviction: the livestock sector can become part of the climate solution if equipped with the right tools.
They saw an opportunity to apply cutting-edge biology to agriculture — a space often overlooked by high-tech investors. Instead of reinventing animal farming, they decided to reinvent the microbiology that drives it.
Clarke often describes Number 8 Bio’s mission in straightforward terms:
“We want cows to burp less methane without changing how farmers raise them.”
That simple sentence captures a powerful idea. The company’s work doesn’t challenge the existence of animal agriculture; it transforms its environmental footprint.
Pilot Results Show Promise
In early trials conducted across New South Wales and Queensland, the startup achieved up to 70% reductions in methane emissions from treated cattle. The results stayed consistent for over 90 days, showing that the microbial solution can persist in the animal’s gut.
Farmers who participated in these pilots reported no changes in feed intake, milk yield, or animal health — an important validation point for future commercial use.
With Series A funds in hand, Number 8 Bio will extend trials to New Zealand, the U.S., and Latin America, where dairy and beef operations produce a significant share of global methane. The company has already signed preliminary research agreements with Fonterra in New Zealand and Cargill in the U.S.
The Global Stakes
Methane reduction from livestock represents one of the most cost-effective opportunities to slow climate change. According to the UN Environment Programme, cutting methane emissions by 30% by 2030 could prevent 0.3°C of global warming.
However, achieving that goal requires widespread deployment of technologies that farmers can actually afford and trust. Number 8 Bio’s model addresses both factors. Its microbial solution costs less than 2% of typical feed expenses and requires minimal behavior change from farmers.
If deployed at scale, it could offset hundreds of millions of tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually — a game-changing figure in global climate accounting.
Challenges Ahead
Despite its promise, Number 8 Bio faces significant hurdles. Regulatory approval remains one of the biggest obstacles. Each market — from Australia to the U.S. to the European Union — requires extensive testing to ensure microbial safety and environmental stability.
The company also competes with a growing roster of methane-focused startups, including DSM’s Bovaer, Symbrosia, and Blue Ocean Barns. While most competitors focus on feed-based solutions, the regulatory race and market education challenge remain similar.
Dr. Clarke acknowledges these difficulties but remains optimistic.
“We see competition as validation. Everyone recognizes the problem. What matters now is scale, reliability, and farmer adoption.”
The Broader Climate Tech Momentum
Number 8 Bio’s raise underscores a broader surge in climate biotech funding. Investors increasingly back companies that bridge biology and decarbonization — from carbon-capturing microbes to bio-based fertilizers.
Australia, traditionally dependent on mining and agriculture, now positions itself as a hub for agri-biotech innovation. Programs like CSIRO’s Main Sequence Ventures and government-backed Agriculture Innovation Hubs provide early funding and technical support for startups tackling climate resilience.
As a result, the Australian startup ecosystem now hosts a new generation of scientists-turned-entrepreneurs who treat biology as a climate tool rather than just a lab discipline.
Looking Ahead
Number 8 Bio plans to use its new capital to double its workforce, expand laboratory facilities in Sydney’s Eveleigh precinct, and build pilot-scale production capacity. The team also aims to file patents in six new jurisdictions and prepare its first regulatory submissions by mid-2026.
Dr. Condon envisions a future where every cow or sheep globally carries an improved microbiome that reduces emissions effortlessly.
“Farmers shouldn’t have to choose between profitability and sustainability,” he says. “Our job is to make both happen at once.”
If the company meets its goals, the world could soon see livestock farming — once seen as a climate villain — become part of the global climate solution.
Also Read – What Small Businesses Get Wrong About Tech