Singapore’s regulatory landscape, diverse population, and openness to emerging technologies have created an attractive test ground for cultured meat. [Dutch cultivated meat company] Meatable hopes it provides a launching pad for global expansion.

“Let’s see if we can get it into different jurisdictions,” says [CTO Daan] Luining. “It’s all about practice, because doing this is pioneering work.”

In Europe, however, the path to regulatory approval is a long one.

The EU must provide approval before any cultivated meat is sold in the union. The bloc’s regulatory requirements are typically clearly defined, but time-consuming to meet.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, is increasing domestic support. In March, the Dutch government passed a motion to legalize public samplings of cultured meats. Four months later, Meatable’s founders finally tasted their first product: pork sausages.

Funding has also increased. In April, the Dutch government allocated €60 million for the development of cellular agriculture. The grant was the largest ever sum of public funding for the sector.

…

The country may have lost its head-start in the sector, but it’s starting to catch up again.

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