Why We Invested in Antler Bio: Revolutionising Livestock Through Epigenetics
- Thomas Panton
- Jun 27
- 3 min read
When we met Antler Bio, it was clear they weren’t just another agtech company - they were pioneers, using cutting-edge epigenetics to fundamentally change how we manage livestock.
The global population is expected to hit 10 billion by 2050, and with it, the demand for animal protein will soar - driven largely by a rising middle class in emerging markets. While plant-based diets and alternative proteins are growing, consumer adoption has been slow. Animal farming will remain a vital part of the food system, making it essential to invest in innovations that drastically reduce its environmental footprint.
That’s why we invested in Antler Bio.
The Endgame: Reducing Livestock Emissions
Cows may seem like an unlikely climate villain, but collectively, they emit around 5 gigatons of CO₂ equivalents annually, that’s around 10% of global emissions.
Starting with dairy cows, Antler Bio’s mission is to reduce livestock emissions by improving productivity, animal health, and promote regenerative husbandry. More productive animals mean fewer animals and resources are needed to produce the same quantity of milk. Fewer and healthier animals mean lower greenhouse gas emissions - a win for both farmers and the planet.
A New Era of Precision Livestock Management
Antler Bio, based in Dublin, Ireland, is the first to apply epigenetics - a powerful scientific approach traditionally used in human biology - to optimise livestock performance and sustainability. Through their proprietary EpiHerd platform, they analyse RNA data from dairy cows to make farm-specific recommendations that have proven to boost milk yields by up to 22%, as well as increase quality (up to 6% rise in milk fat, and 5% increase in milk protein). By doing this, they can drastically improve farmer bottom lines - showcasing an average 7x return on investment for farmers.
This isn’t guesswork; it’s data-driven transformation.
Alignment to Thesis:
🐄 Massive Impact: Our analysis estimates that by improving production efficiency, Antler’s solution offers the potential to reduce 160-480 million tons of CO₂ annually from dairy alone. Once they expand to beef cattle and other livestock, the gigaton-level reductions become within reach.
🧬 Validated Tech: As the owner of the world’s largest bovine RNA database, Antler has an unmatched data advantage, and they’ve filed their first patents to protect key biomarkers.
⏩ Asset-Light Model: By leveraging partner labs for RNA sequencing, Antler avoids capital-heavy infrastructure, allowing them to scale efficiently and de-risk operations.
🚀 Near Commercialization: With 100+ farms already onboarded, Antler is already showing strong market validation.
💶 Climate denier proof: Their traction isn’t based on green premiums or farmer goodwill - it’s rooted in delivering measurable, bottom-line results. Farmers are seeing 7x returns on investment, making it a no-brainer for adoption. This is game-changing for the industry, which is faced with very low or sometimes negative margins.
👩🔬 Visionary Team: Maria Jensen, Antler’s CEO, along with Natalie Conte, the scientific brain behind the technology, together leads a team that combines expertise in epigenetics, bioinformatics, and farm operations. The team’s depth in science and business gives us confidence that they can scale this vision globally.
Antler Bio isn’t just a smart investment - it’s a necessary one. The food system must evolve to meet the demands of a growing global population without destroying the planet, and Antler is paving the way. At Endgame Capital, we’re proud to join The First Thirty and Generation-Re to back a company making such a significant impact in both profitability and planetary sustainability.
Stay tuned as we help them scale to the next level.
