Howdy Mycofam,

We’re hosting our weekly online Mycopreneur Incubator today and would love to see you there - as a testament to the quality of the people that come and the discourse that unfolds at our sessions, here’s a quick reference point:

While scouring the internet for mushroom news for today’s newsletter, I came across this article from London Loves Business about European organic mushroom brands “quietly outpacing their Asian counterparts”

I immediately recognized the fellow holding the Lion’s Mane mushrooms in the cover photo as none other than Oliver from Nutraway Science, an individual who has attended numerous Mycoprener Incubators over the last few years.

The topic of the article is also a very interesting emerging theme that we’ve been discussing at length for quite some time in the Incubators — the idea of accurate & clean labeling of mushroom products complete with full ingredient disclosure and traceability of mushroom extracts.

The global mushroom entrepreneurship space is a true frontier market opportunity; the possibilities are so abundant and largely untapped that there is virtually infinite opportunity to create value in new, largely uncontested spaces. The market is so underdeveloped that collaboration breeds far more value than competition at this point. 

“There are endless opportunities for mushroom entrepreneurs to learn from and share with colleagues from other regions of the world,” says Santiago Ongay of Colorado-based Full Canopy Genetics. 

“The best example for us is our collaboration with Valenveras, a company based in Spain. Together we developed a model for the Valenveras NIR enabling us to test for alkaloid potency in mushrooms. We can now run hundreds of analytics in a day, with a portable device. This quantity of data would otherwise be inaccessible or unaffordable through other testing methods such as HPLC. We learned a lot from the Valenveras engineers in the process. 

Another great example of international collaboration for us is Myco-Bag. We have partners in Spain who leverage our genetics and recipes to provide grow kits around Europe. In the process we have learned so much about European culture and developed strong international relationships and networks. These collaborations have created valuable learning & teaching opportunities for everyone involved.”

There are already a number of other concrete examples of U.S. based mushroom startups that are partnering with international events and companies to expand the offerings and reach of everyone involved. Colorado-based analytical potency testing lab Tryptomics recently formed a community partnership with the Tryp Expo in Berlin, clearly laying the foundation for international cooperation and exchange in the niche and largely untapped elevated natural product testing sector.

International collaboration isn’t frictionless. Regulations, language barriers, and economic disparities complicate partnerships constantly. But despite those challenges, the mushroom sector remains unusually open to cross-border experimentation and knowledge exchange. The way through this is to move at the speed of trust, which requires a heightened capacity for developing and cultivating relationships outside of one’s traditional sphere of influence. Fortunately, this ability can be cultivated through traveling and learning about other cultures through firsthand experience. 

There are also an increasing number of European based mushroom brands that are looking to establish partnerships with operators in the U.S.

“The functional mushroom space is growing on both sides of the Atlantic, but the U.S. and European markets are evolving in very different regulatory and consumer environments. That's actually the opportunity,” says Seth Colchester, Founder of Netherlands-based functional mushroom companies Mycogenius and Functionalmushrooms.eu

European brands emphasize third-party testing standards and a deep tradition of transparency, while U.S. brands bring scale, storytelling, and the ability to build community quickly. When founders from both sides start sharing what's working, whether that's extraction methods, supply chain transparency, or how to educate consumers without making claims you can't back up, everyone's product gets better, and the whole category gains credibility. I believe brands that figure out how to collaborate across borders, rather than just compete, are the ones that will define this industry for the next decade.”

In the six years I’ve been running Mycopreneur, this willingness to seek out like-minded individuals and communities operating in the same space from different angles internationally has led to an abundance of growth and opportunity that continues to pay dividends today. Partnerships and collaborations with mushroom companies in places like Canada, Mexico, Finland, England, India and more have all led to ongoing and often unforeseen opportunities that organically emerge through the international mycelial network. 

The mushroom industry may still look from the outside like it operates in fragmented regional silos, but the increasing momentum and number of entrepreneurs building relationships across cultures and borders are already shaping what the next phase of the industry will look like.

And if you’re looking for a place to cultivate these types of international relationships — look no further than the weekly Mycopreneur Incubator.

Today, May 21, 3 pm et U.S. / 12 pm pt

To add the Mycopreneur Incubator to your calendar as a recurring weekly event click here

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87575277676?pwd=w5k1GGlfZ22I3SOtolZbZokYnxpUi8.1

Meeting chat link
https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/jc/87575277676

Meeting ID: 875 7527 7676
Passcode: 038704

Thanks for reading the Mycopreneur Newsletter, and see you at the Incubator today

DW