UK biotech seeks Japanese partners to co-develop plant-made human collagen for cosmetics, food, and biomaterials (EUREKA GlobalStars Japan)

LeafyColl Ltd (UK) is a synthetic biology startup developing a patented plant-based expression platform for producing 100% bioidentical human collagen and other high-value proteins. We are forming a UK–Japan consortium for the EUREKA GlobalStars Japan call and are seeking Japanese companies, universities, and R&D institutes to collaborate on joint development, validation, and scale-up.

Our platform expresses human collagen (Types I, II, III) directly in plants, delivering high yield, low cost, and fully animal-free biomaterials suitable for Japanese markets in:

• Cosmetics & skincare (anti-aging, dermal repair, functional actives)

• Functional foods & nutraceuticals (beverages, gummies, supplements)

• Biomaterials & medical applications (scaffolds, hydrogels, wound repair)

• Alternative proteins & food innovation

• Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine

We seek partners with expertise in formulation, analytics, CEA/plant factory systems, purification, regulatory affairs, or product development. Japanese companies interested in sustainable biomaterials and next-generation collagen alternatives are highly encouraged.

LeafyColl will contribute its patented platform, plant engineering know-how, protein purification workflows, analytical capabilities, and regulatory expertise (UK/EU). Together, we aim to co-develop commercial products, validate market applications, and build a strong UK–Japan innovation collaboration under the GlobalStars programme.

We welcome interest from cosmetics, food-tech, biomaterials, synthetic biology, CEA/indoor farming, and medical materials companies.