TRENOS SiGINT Epic Angels Backs Opo Bio as Female-led Biotech Gaining Ground in ANZ

JC Analyst 16th May, 2025

Summary:

Singapore’s Epic Angels has invested in New Zealand biotech startup Opo Bio, co-founded by 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree Olivia Ogilvie. Epic Angels is known for supporting women-led startups with early cheques of $50K–$500K USD, and this move signals growing confidence in ANZ-based cultivated meat infrastructure. Opo Bio’s serum-free cell lines enable other foodtech companies to reduce production costs and complexity, serving as a biotech backbone for the alt-protein industry.

With additional backing from WNT Ventures, Booster NZ, Inventors Fund, and Callaghan Innovation, Opo Bio is now positioned to expand its partnerships across Asia-Pacific, aided by the Epic Angels network. The investment also reflects broader investor interest in female-led innovation, particularly in foundational biotech and deeptech segments.

Human Impact:

By scaling sustainable, animal-free cell line production, Opo Bio could lower barriers to entry for emerging cultivated meat brands across APAC, potentially opening doors for lower-cost, culturally adapted alt-protein solutions in local markets. The move also shines a light on gender equity in venture capital, with women-led funds backing women-led companies building solutions for everyone.

TRENOS Metrics Snapshot

Metric	Value	Note
Investor Name	Epic Angels	APAC’s largest female-only angel investor network
Founder Recognition	Forbes 30 Under 30	Olivia Ogilvie, 2024 Healthcare & Science category
Funding Round	Undisclosed	Epic Angels typically invests $50K–$500K USD
Company Focus	Cultivated Cell Lines	Scalable, serum-free solutions for alt-protein & biomedical use
Regional Expansion Target	APAC	Investor links expected to aid in strategic partnership formation
Gender Lens Investing	Core Value	Female-led investor backing a female-led biotech startup

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