Indonesian Genomics startup, Moosa Genetic raises new funding led by East Ventures

• Angel investors participated in this round 
• Funds will be used to build a lab, expand the team & enhance marketing efforts

Moosa Genetics, an animal genomics and biotechnology startup based in Indonesia announced it has secured funding led by East Ventures, a pioneering, sector-agnostic venture capital firm in Southeast Asia, with the participation of a number of angel investors. The funding amount was not disclosed.

The startup outlined plans to utlise the funding to build a laboratory, expand its team, in marketing efforts, and establish a partnership for wagyu products to meet customer demand.

Dr Ivan R Sini, chairman and co-founder of Moosa Genetics, and chairman of the Indonesian Genomics Association said the investment validates the firm’s vision to advance Indonesia’s cattle industry landscape. 

"We believe that Moosa Genetics is at the forefront of unlocking the full potential of local cattle breeding. Through our modern animal reproductive and molecular technologies, we enable lower cost and better meat yield and quality, eventually bringing substantial benefits to the industry and consumers. We look forward to contributing more to this space in the future," he added.

Founded in 2016 by Sini and supported by co-CEO, Dr. Deddy F. Kurniawan, co-CEO and managing director, Jeremia Michael Sutandy, chief scientific officer, Prof Arief Boediono and chief geneticist officer, Sigit Prastowo, Moosa Genetics aims to set new standards in Indonesia’s cattle industry.

In Indonesia, approximately 80% of the cattle industry is dominated by smallholder farmers, mainly on the island of Java, with East Java alone accounting for 30% of the country's cattle population. Smallholder farmers often raise cattle for savings rather than the commercial market, hindering domestic meat supply potential. 

Most cattle breeders are low-skilled farmers facing challenges in expanding their businesses, including limited access to finance. Domestic production meets only about 40% of Indonesian beef demand, leading to dependence on beef imports, especially from Australia.

Moosa Genetics has introduced biotech-enabled innovations to revolutionise cattle and beef breeding, leveraging technologies like embryo transfer and CRISPR for selective DNA modifications to enhance meat quality, increase yield, and reduce costs. The startup's vision is to elevate the local breed, known as "Sapi Merah Putih," to superior standards and improve economic opportunities and meat quality in the Indonesian cattle and beef sector. However, the complexity of breeding requires collaborative efforts with industry stakeholders and researchers to empirically prove traits like disease resilience and meat marbling for their economic value.

Sini underscores the importance of collaboration between industry stakeholders, the platform provider, and dedicated researchers to thoroughly assess and measure the magnitude of improvements over current cattle breeding standards.

Avina Sugiarto (pic), partner at East Ventures, believes Moosa Genetics' innovative approach to cattle breeding through biotechnology has the potential to revolutionise the livestock industry. 

“This approach addresses critical challenges and demands in agriculture, ensuring sustainable food production and enhancing domestic food security. East Ventures sees significant opportunities in Indonesia and believes that Moosa Genetics is driving positive change and growth in this space,” she said. 

Presently, Moosa Genetics operates in two locations in West Sumatera and plans to collaborate with breeders in various regions.