Every emerging industry eventually faces a turning point — the moment when innovation outpaces infrastructure. For cultivated meat, that moment is now.
While scientists have solved the biology of growing animal cells without slaughter, the sector still struggles with the basics: finding reliable suppliers, scaling production, and defining a cultural identity that consumers can relate to.
That’s where David Bell steps in.
From eCommerce to Cultivated Meat
After a decade in eCommerce and automation, Bell’s path took a turn rooted in conviction.A long-time vegan, he’d followed the progress of cultivated meat since the first $300,000 burger in 2013. But it wasn’t until 2024 — after the passing of his dog — that he decided to take action.
“I’d registered cultivatedmeat.co.uk years earlier,” Bell recalls. “That domain became the starting point for what’s now Cultigen Group.”
His mission is clear: build the commercial infrastructure that moves cultivated meat from labs to mainstream adoption.
One Vision, Multiple Ventures
Cultigen Group isn’t a single company; it’s meant to become a coordinated ecosystem of ventures solving different bottlenecks in the value chain:
Cellbase – a B2B marketplace where producers can source growth media, scaffolds, and bioreactors from specialist suppliers.
Cultideck – the industry’s intelligence layer, tracking funding rounds, regulations, and facility build-outs.
Cultivated Meat Shop – a network of premium domain names (.fr, .de, .es) ready for retail distribution once products hit the market.
The Cultivarian Society – a new identity for those who want meat without slaughter.
The Growth Medium – a content platform amplifying the industry’s voice.
Together, they create a self-reinforcing flywheel: intelligence drives infrastructure, infrastructure drives adoption, adoption drives identity.
Solving the Procurement Gap
Every cultivated-meat company needs equipment and materials — bioreactors, growth media, scaffolds, sensors, cell lines. Yet most still spend weeks chasing quotes from general lab suppliers.
“The science works,” Bell says. “But basic infrastructure like knowing where to buy what you need is still fragmented. Someone has to build the rails. That’s what I’m doing.”
Cellbase, launching this November, aims to become that central hub — connecting qualified suppliers with production companies across the globe.
Infrastructure, Narrative, and Momentum
What makes Bell’s approach distinct is his understanding that infrastructure alone isn’t enough. For real adoption, you need narrative.
“Infrastructure without narrative doesn’t scale. Narrative without infrastructure is just talk.”
Through Cultideck and The Growth Medium, Bell builds trust and awareness. Through The Cultivarian Society, he builds cultural permission. It’s a systems-thinking approach to an industry still defining itself.
An Open Invitation
Bell is calling on suppliers, partners, and investors to rally around the Cellbase platform:
“This isn’t about building my company. It’s about building infrastructure the entire industry needs. The faster we aggregate supply, the faster production companies can move — and the faster cultivated meat reaches consumers.”
If you supply bioreactors, growth media, scaffolds, analytics, or logistics for cellular agriculture — now’s the time to get listed.
📍 Explore the ecosystem: cultigengroup.com🔗 Connect with David Bell: LinkedIn | ✉️ [email protected]
This article is part of our sponsored “Innovation Partner” series, celebrating companies building the foundations of the cultivated meat revolution.