Zaara Biotech, a student Biotechnology startup has bagged an investment of $10 million from UAE-based TCN International commerce LLC under The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre scheme of Kerala Startup Mission for its project, entitled “Algae –Seaweed Technology,” under the brand B-lite cookies.

Founded in 2016, Zaara Biotechfocuses on research in energy and food crisis using micro-algae. The company is manufacturing India’s first Algal- Seaweed food products and other FMCG products that ensure complete family care with the support of the Indian Council of Agriculture and Research-CIFT Cochin, Govt. of India.

According to the report jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, India ranked 94 among 107 countries in Global Hunger Index 2020 and is in the 'serious' hunger category with a score of 27.2.
The company aims to eradicate global hunger and malnutrition and ensure the availability of a healthy and balanced diet to the global population through manufacturing healthy and environmentally friendly FMCG products based on natural ingredients.

The company manufactures high-quality food using natural ingredients of high nutritional value and facilitates their availability to the masses at affordable prices.

As the startup was part of the International Startup delegation led by KSUM, its products were showcased at the GITEX 2020 international conference held in Dubai.KSUM is the nodal agency of the Kerala Government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the State.

Najeeb Bin Haneef, Founder, and CEO of Zaara Biotech, and Mohamed Shafi Abdulla, Chairman and Managing Director, TCN International Commerce LLC, signed an MoU in this regard in Sharjah.

TCN International Commerce has its presence in multiple sectors, such as IT, business process management, trading, healthcare, education, FMCG, construction and engineering, defense, critical service providers, aviation, and oil and gas.

The collaboration of the startup with CIFT ( Central Institute of Fisheries Technology) has helped the company to become India's first algal-seaweed food product designer.

The team of Zaara has set up a 'Mushroom Hub' during their first year at the campus before making it into an entrepreneurial venture. The startup has brought India to the forefront of bioengineering by designing photobioreactors using micro-algae.