In a world where supply chains for critical chemicals are increasingly strained by volatile agriculture, energy intensive production methods, and infrastructure bottlenecks, one UK born startup is taking a radically different approach to how complex molecules are made. Anzen Industries, a deeptech biomanufacturing venture built by scientists who believe the future of manufacturing is cell free, has raised $2.2 million in pre seed funding to bring that future closer to reality.
$2.2M Pre Seed Round Led by LocalGlobe, Creator Fund
The funding round was co led by LocalGlobe, Creator Fund, with participation from prominent angel investors across the UK, EU, and US, including biotech strategist Konstantin von Unger, and early stage investor Cory Levy. The round reflects growing investor appetite for new biomanufacturing paradigms that bypass the limitations of existing production systems such as plant extraction, organic synthesis, and fermentation.
Founded by Amy Locks, Pedro Lovatt Garcia, Anzen Industries is one of the few early stage companies globally focused on cell free enzyme manufacturing, a field with the potential to transform how pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, nutraceuticals, and advanced materials are produced.
A New Architecture for Chemical Manufacturing
At the core of Anzen’s platform is its reusable, low infrastructure enzyme reactor technology, purpose built to produce complex molecules without relying on living cells. Unlike fermentation tanks or bioreactors requiring large capital expenditures, strict environmental controls, and significant downstream processing, Anzen’s approach uses modular, small footprint systems that operate with precision and scalability.
The company integrates three pillars into its technology stack:
- Proprietary enzyme reactors, engineered to maintain enzyme stability outside cells
- Enzyme immobilisation techniques, extending enzyme longevity and enabling reactor reusability
- AI driven design, optimising biochemical reactions and enzyme behaviour
Together, these capabilities allow Anzen to perform high specificity reactions more efficiently, with improved yields and at a fraction of traditional production costs.
Why Cell Free Manufacturing Now?
Co founder and CTO Pedro Lovatt Garcia articulates the scientific conviction behind the company:
“We started Anzen Industries because we believe that, from first principles, the future of manufacturing will be cell free. If enzymes can be kept robust outside of the cell, we can carry out the same manufacturing reactions at a fraction of the infrastructure, energy and cost.”
Traditional methods for producing complex chemicals face well known barriers:
- Organic chemical synthesis, involving multi step processes and difficult scale up
- Plant extraction, dependent on agricultural variability and climate conditions
- Fermentation, requiring expensive infrastructure and long purification cycles
Anzen’s system aims to de risk supply chains, dramatically reduce production costs, and accelerate time to market, particularly in sectors where precision, purity, and scalability are critical.
Investor Confidence in a New Biomanufacturing Frontier
LocalGlobe General Partner Julia Hawkins highlighted the transformative potential of Anzen’s first principles approach:
“Anzen is rethinking how critical molecules are produced, to improve speed, resilience, and control across global supply chains.”
The company’s strategy resonates with investors who foresee massive market opportunities arising from the shift toward sustainable, resilient, and decentralised production technologies.
From Europe’s Labs to the U.S. Manufacturing Frontier
CEO and co founder Amy Locks credits Europe’s scientific infrastructure for shaping Anzen’s early breakthroughs:
“Europe’s strong scientific heritage and innovation community allowed us to take our breakthrough from scientific discovery to a viable commercial venture.”
However, Anzen now plans to relocate operations to the United States, where rapid industrialisation, manufacturing incentives, and deep biomanufacturing ecosystems provide fertile ground for scaling.
The new funding will be used to:
- Establish Anzen’s first U.S. manufacturing facility,
- Expand industrial partnerships across chemical, materials, and biotech sectors,
- Scale its enzyme reactor platform into commercial applications
A New Category of Biomanufacturing Emerges
As supply chain fragility and demand for specialty chemicals continue to rise, Anzen Industries is positioning itself to become a foundational player in the next era of biomanufacturing, one where production is modular, cell free, resilient, and globally scalable.
With strong early traction, deep scientific leadership, and a technology platform designed from first principles, Anzen’s $2.2 million raise marks the beginning of a new chapter for biochemical manufacturing, and a notable signal of where the industry is headed next.