David Kay shares his experience as the first employee at Upside Foods, offering a deep dive into the cultivated meat industry's challenges, successes, and political landscape. As an animal advocate who entered the alternative protein space, he provides unique insights on depolarising the conversation around cultivated meat and building bipartisan support.›

• Difference between focusing on environmental/health versus animal welfare messaging
• David's journey from animal advocacy to becoming the first employee at Upside Foods
• How cultivated meat differs from plant-based products as "real meat" grown from cells
• Where hundreds of millions in investment funding goes in cultivated meat startups
• State-level bans on cultivated meat and fighting political polarisation
• How industry is organising through trade associations like AMPS Innovation
• Importance of elite institutions in normalising animal advocacy
• Recent FDA approval for Mission Barns' cultivated pork fat

Add David on LinkedIn to follow his work and learn more about his perspectives on the alternative protein industry.

Resources:

• Animal liberation book
• GFI website 
  • State of the industry reports 
• AgFunder – Elaine Watson
• Mission Barns FDA Approval
• David Kay LinkedIn

With thanks to Tom Felbar (Ambedo Media) for amazing video and audio editing!

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