Investors Back ArkeaBio’s Race to Deliver First Methane-Reducing Vaccine for Cattle

Courtesy: Unsplash - ph. Daniel Quiceno

ArkeaBio, a global agricultural bioscience company developing the world’s first vaccine to reduce methane emissions from cattle, has announced a new chapter in its growth. The company named agtech veteran Frank Wooten as Chief Executive Officer while closing a $7 million Series A1 funding round, co-led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and AgriZeroNZ. The dual milestone positions ArkeaBio to accelerate its transition from research to real-world deployment, with eyes on meeting global climate targets and supporting farmers in the process.

For Wooten, who co-founded and led Vence, the GPS-enabled “virtual fencing” startup acquired by Merck Animal Health in 2022, the move represents a return to tackling one of agriculture’s most pressing challenges. “ArkeaBio has developed an elegant solution to one of the world’s most urgent climate challenges, livestock methane emissions,” he said. “The team has built a remarkable scientific foundation, and I’m humbled to help lead the company into its next phase in delivering both measurable emissions reductions and tangible value to farmers and producers worldwide.”

Wooten’s background, spanning entrepreneurship, investment, and finance, makes him well-suited for the complex task ahead: scaling a novel technology with both environmental and economic stakes. His appointment follows the recent addition of Dr. Zach Serber as Chief Technology Officer, bringing expertise in translational R&D and platform scale-up. Together, the leadership team is preparing ArkeaBio to advance from animal studies into expanded field trials set for 2026–2027, a key step toward commercial launch aligned with the 2030 emissions reduction goals adopted by companies and governments worldwide.

The company’s investors see this moment as pivotal. “Frank brings the entrepreneurial and financial leadership needed to guide ArkeaBio through its next phase of growth and commercialization,” said Carmichael Roberts of Breakthrough Energy Ventures. “His experience scaling agtech ventures positions ArkeaBio to deliver its methane-reducing vaccine to farmers worldwide and unlock a multibillion-dollar market in livestock methane reduction.”

For AgriZeroNZ, which represents a coalition of New Zealand’s government, agribusinesses and banks, the potential is equally compelling. “A vaccine to reduce methane in ruminant animals has the potential to be a low-cost, high-impact solution for a range of farming systems,” said Chief Executive Wayne McNee. “ArkeaBio is a leader in the race to develop a viable methane vaccine, having achieved proof of concept. Our follow-on investment recognises their progress and the immense opportunity for farmers in New Zealand and across the world.”

The new funding round lifts ArkeaBio’s total capital raised to more than $40 million. The company says the financing will support ongoing R&D, pilot programs with farmers, and general operations as it builds momentum toward commercialization. Its solution aims to give cattle farmers—whether smallholders or large-scale producers- a simple tool: one injection that could deliver climate benefits while boosting productivity and creating new revenue opportunities.

Wooten is set to present ArkeaBio’s progress during Climate Week NYC at the Climate and Clean Air Coalition’s “Smarter Feed, Stronger Genes, Healthier Herds” forum, alongside other global leaders working on practical strategies to lower livestock emissions.

With livestock methane accounting for nearly a third of global agricultural emissions, the race for scalable solutions is urgent. ArkeaBio believes its vaccine can become a cornerstone technology, low-cost, farmer-friendly, and globally deployable. As the company enters this new stage of leadership and funding, it is betting that one tiny shot can help transform both farm economics and the climate outlook.