The idea for Apollo (formerly Roślinny Qurczak) came to CEO Iga Czubak when she decided to stop eating meat. Since meat is a crucial part of Polish cuisine, Iga had to find an alternative. She experimented with a new technology that allows for producing plant-based chicken made of white beans, and the result was a product that has all the amino acids found in meat as well as a very similar texture to meat.

What started out as a dietary adaptation to personal needs became an idea for a potential business. Iga joined an acceleration program, which helped her turn her new plant-based meat technology into a product for the market. An environmental and ethical motivation stands behind the product, which caters to not only the needs of vegetarians and vegans but also to those who would like to reduce their meat intake.

The company began cooking for big events and then started supplying restaurants. When the pandemic started, Apollo had to adapt to the market’s needs and went online. The company managed to sell out in twenty-four hours of going online and had to produce faster to keep up with the market’s demand. The product is now making its way to major supermarket chains in Poland.

Apollo started with personal funds. The first investment round involved business angels and raised €250,000 ($299,600). This allowed for an eighty-fold increase in production capacity. The next investment round will involve venture capital.