Lasso, a next-generation food technology company, today officially launched with the unveiling of its proprietary Lasso SpinTech, a physics-based system designed to revolutionize how modern packaged foods are made. The breakthrough technology blends protein and fiber in a completely new way, offering the potential to replace outdated industrial processing methods and usher in a new era of clean-label, nutritious, and affordable food products.
Backed by a fresh $6.5 million funding round, Lasso plans to bring its innovation to global markets through a dual approach—developing its own branded products and licensing its technology to major food manufacturers. This milestone positions Lasso at the forefront of a movement to rethink how the world produces and consumes processed foods.
Guided by CEO Mike Messersmith, the Lasso team spent the past year refining its commercial-scale platform to develop a diverse lineup of products across several high-growth categories. These include protein-packed snacks, pet nutrition, and plant-based meat alternatives, extending beyond the company’s early success with its first brand, Tender Food.
The company’s latest funding round—led by Rhapsody Venture Partners with participation from Safar Partners, Claridge Venture Partners, and other investors—will accelerate the commercialization of Lasso SpinTech and enable strategic partnerships across the global food and beverage sector.
Redefining What’s Possible in Processed Foods
“Consumers are no longer accepting the status quo in packaged food,” said Messersmith. “You can see that everywhere—from the MAHA movement to the vocal pushback against ultra-processed foods and even in how GLP-1 weight management therapies are reshaping consumption patterns and preferences.”
Messersmith emphasized that the global food industry is at a crossroads: “The industry is desperate for innovation but has been held back by machinery and methods that haven’t evolved in over a century. At Lasso, we’re filling that gap. Our patented SpinTech system offers a fundamentally new way to create protein- and fiber-rich foods that are clean, cost-effective, and designed for today’s health-conscious consumer.”
Lasso’s mission centers on reinventing how foods are physically structured. Rather than relying on chemical additives, extreme heat, or heavy processing, Lasso uses precision spinning physics—similar in concept to how fibers are woven—to create natural textures and nutritional balance. The result is a new category of foods that taste and feel indulgent but are built from simple, recognizable ingredients.
From Harvard Lab to Global Commercialization
Lasso’s origins trace back to Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, where founders Kit Parker, Luke MacQueen, Christophe Chantre, and Grant Gonzalez began experimenting with ways to improve food texture and nutrition using novel physical processes.
Over seven years of research and development, the team created what Parker calls “an advanced cotton candy machine for food.” The device uses controlled spinning forces to align and interweave proteins and fibers into structures that mimic the textures of whole foods—without relying on binding agents or artificial components.
That innovation led to the launch of Tender Food in 2020, which became the first brand to apply SpinTech to plant-based meats. Tender Food’s products quickly gained attention for their superior mouthfeel, clean-label ingredients, and affordability compared to other alternatives.
As Lasso transitions into its next chapter, Tender Food will remain part of the company’s growing brand portfolio, soon to be joined by several new consumer-facing lines powered by Lasso SpinTech.
Scaling the Technology: Small Machine, Big Impact
What began as a laboratory-scale concept has evolved into a fully commercial system capable of producing hundreds of thousands of pounds of food annually. Unlike traditional extrusion or thermal processing systems, Lasso SpinTech operates at low temperatures, preserving nutrient quality and reducing the need for added sugars, salts, or stabilizers.
The company’s system is remarkably compact—about the size of a household washing machine—and uses less energy than a toaster oven. This efficiency translates to a fraction of the capital and operating cost compared to conventional equipment.
With its scalability and versatility, SpinTech allows food manufacturers to innovate quickly across a wide range of applications, from high-protein snacks and dairy alternatives to pet food and functional nutrition products.
“The adaptability of Lasso SpinTech is unmatched,” said Grant Gonzalez, one of the company’s co-founders. “We can take nearly any ingredient and transform it into a structured, delicious, and healthy product. That flexibility means food companies can create entirely new categories—or dramatically improve existing ones.”
Funding Innovation for the Next Decade of Food
Lasso’s recent $6.5 million capital raise underscores growing investor confidence in the company’s potential to lead a new generation of food innovation.
“Food processing hasn’t fundamentally changed in a hundred years,” said Craig Berman, Partner at Rhapsody Venture Partners. “Lasso’s SpinTech technology represents a once-in-a-generation leap forward—transformative in its simplicity, scalability, and sustainability. We believe it can redefine how the world thinks about processed foods.”
The new funding will fuel commercial-scale production, expand partnership licensing opportunities, and support continued R&D for new formulations and applications. The company is already in early discussions with several multinational food and consumer goods companies interested in integrating SpinTech into their own product pipelines.
A Healthier, Smarter Future for Packaged Food
The timing of Lasso’s launch aligns with a broader global shift toward healthier eating habits and ingredient transparency. As consumers increasingly reject ultra-processed foods and demand clean-label alternatives, food companies face pressure to deliver products that meet nutritional, environmental, and sensory expectations—all at an accessible price point.
Lasso’s approach provides a clear answer to that challenge. By focusing on the physics of food creation, rather than chemistry or heavy industrial processes, the company’s system aligns naturally with the principles of sustainability, efficiency, and health.
“Our mission is to help food manufacturers innovate without compromise,” said Messersmith. “We’re enabling companies to produce foods that are better for people, better for the planet, and better for business.”
Looking Ahead
As Lasso prepares to roll out new branded products and partner with global producers, it stands poised to become a defining force in the future of food technology.
“This fundraise marks a major milestone,” Messersmith concluded. “We’re introducing truly innovative foods made of simple ingredients everyone can understand. Through both our own brands and strategic partnerships, we’ll bring these products to market faster and more affordably than ever before. There’s nothing like Lasso SpinTech in the world today—and we can’t wait for people to experience it.”
