The Formula Shifter Gupta's academic aptitude came into play when conceiving Brown Foods. He and his wife were expecting and how their search for a cruelty-free and sustainable alternative to cow milk which provided sufficient nutrition for a pregnant woman, was all in vain

By Saptak Bardhan

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Brown Foods
Sohail Gupta, CEO and co-founder, Brown Foods

"I believe that after software, biology will bring about the next technology revolution," shares Sohail Gupta, CEO and co-founder of Brown Foods. And he, along with his co-founders, is working towards bringing that revolution to life.

Having done his B.Tech and M.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and studied Biodesign at the Stanford University, Gupta's academic aptitude came into play when conceiving Brown Foods. Recalling the time he and his wife were expecting and how their search for a cruelty-free and sustainable alternative to cow milk which provided sufficient nutrition for a pregnant woman, was all in vain, "It was then that I decided to use my education as a biochemical engineer and biotechnologist to create the world's 1st animal-free real milk," he shared.

This gave birth to UnReal Milk, the world's first real animal-free cow milk, which is sustainable and lab secreted. Unlike the plant-based alternatives, it will retain the exact taste, texture and nutritional value of cow's milk. Within the first three months of experimental work, they were able to secrete real cow's milk in a lab, the first company in the world to do so.

It has already received funding worth $2.3 million from the likes of AgFunder, Collaborative Fund, and Kunal Shah among others, and is the 1st smart protein manufacturing Indian startup to be a part of the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator's W22 batch.

So what's his business mantra? He believes that hustle, self-awareness, perseverance, and the ability to learn are keys to one's entrepreneurial success. Knowing how critical food inventions are, Brown Foods is currently in the research phase to refine its products and is yet to launch to the public. "Recently, there has been significant progress in the cultured meat space globally which immensely validates our approach and business," he concluded

Saptak Bardhan

Former Trainee Writer

Former Trainee Writer
Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

News and Trends

Zerodha-backed Rainmatter Invests in Sisters in Sweat to Empower Women Through Sports

With Rainmatter's support, SIS plans to expand to 10 cities by 2026, providing a safe and inclusive environment for women to engage in physical activities.

News and Trends

Recur Club Announces Credit Offerings for Startups Beyond Series A and SMEs

In FY 24–25, the platform also plans to deploy an additional INR 2000 crores through its Recur Swift program for startups.

News and Trends

Ananya Birla Ventures into the Beauty and Cosmetics Market

Having already established herself as a business leader with Svatantra Microfin, one of India's largest microlending firms, Ananya is set to introduce a range of beauty and personal care brands nationally by 2025.

News and Trends

Astra Security Closes USD 2.7 Mn Funding Round Led by Emergent Ventures to Boost AI Integration in Cybersecurity

The fresh funding will enhance cloud vulnerability detection and integrate AI to empower developers and security engineers in building advanced, real-time security detection capabilities.