BANGKOK & UTAH — Melazyme, a precision fermentation company developing high-performance functional biomolecules, announced the closing of a $2 million Seed funding round led by SeaX Ventures, with participation from Stellaris Venture Partners and Plug and Play Ventures. The funding will support platform development, production scale-up, and early commercial deployment across the company’s portfolio of target molecules.
Founded in 2025 by Perumal Gandhi, co-founder of Perfect Day, and Bonney Oommen, former Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Perfect Day, Melazyme is building a fermentation platform defined by functional depth rather than commodity output, supported by patent-pending proprietary technology covering both the production platform and its applications across multiple industries.
The company develops fermentation-derived specialty proteins — including brazzein, advanced with commercial partners — and is expanding its platform into high-value molecules where fermentation delivers functional advantages that conventional chemistry cannot match.
“Our platform is built around the ability to tune molecular function for specific applications. With melanin, that means the same underlying material can be engineered to solve entirely different problems across industries,” said Perumal Gandhi, Co-founder and CEO of Melazyme.
Among the molecules the platform is advancing, melanin stands out for the breadth of its commercial opportunity. A naturally occurring biopolymer, melanin uniquely combines broad-spectrum UV absorption, chemical stability, and strong affinity for metal ions — positioning it as a high-performance biomolecule across cosmetics and UV protection, functional coatings and advanced materials, and filtration and environmental remediation. Despite decades of scientific interest, consistent and application-ready supply has remained out of reach. Melazyme’s platform changes this, producing commercially viable melanin with tunable functional properties that can be engineered for specific end uses rather than accepted as given.
A particularly differentiated aspect of melanin’s profile is its selective affinity for metal ions, enabling applications in heavy metal sequestration, advanced filtration, and rare earth element recovery. As industries worldwide work to diversify supply chains for critical materials used in clean energy, electronics, and defense, Melazyme’s platform offers a bio-based approach where existing solutions face limitations in cost, selectivity, or environmental impact.
Near-term commercial activity is centered on cosmetics, where melanin’s UV protection and natural pigmentation properties are driving early engagement with global manufacturers.
Precision fermentation is emerging as a major industrial platform, with the global market expected to grow from approximately USD 20 billion today to over USD 70 billion by 2030, and potentially reaching USD 200 billion by 2040 as food, materials, and specialty ingredients transition toward bio-manufacturing.
“Perumal and Bonney bring rare experience building and scaling precision fermentation companies. Melazyme is targeting molecules where fermentation delivers immediate, differentiated value — and a platform whose application space extends well beyond any single market. We believe precision fermentation is entering its defining decade, and Melazyme is positioned to be one of the companies that shapes it. This is the kind of founding team and platform-level technology that comes along once in a generation — and SeaX is proud to back it,” said Dr. Kid Parchariyanon, Managing Partner of SeaX Ventures.
The new capital will support scaling production, deepening partner collaborations, and advancing early deployments across consumer, industrial, and environmental markets.
About Melazyme
Melazyme is a precision fermentation company developing high-value functional biomolecules for cosmetic, industrial, and environmental applications. Founded in 2025 by Perumal Gandhi and Bonney Oommen, former leaders at Perfect Day, the company uses a patent-pending proprietary fermentation platform to produce molecules with engineered functional properties, consistent quality, and reliable supply at scale. Current focus molecules include melanin, with applications ranging from UV protection and natural pigmentation to heavy metal remediation and rare earth recovery, and brazzein, a heat-stable natural sweet protein with applications in food and beverage. For more information, visit melazyme.com
About SeaX Ventures
SeaX Ventures is a global venture capital firm dedicated to investing in deep-tech startups shaping the future through groundbreaking innovations. With a mission to empower entrepreneurs building exponential technologies, SeaX Ventures focuses on sectors with high potential to drive meaningful economic and environmental impact. SeaX leverages relationships with over 500 listed companies, multinationals, and major family businesses in Southeast Asia to support portfolio companies.