In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- The acceleration in AgTech investments outpaced general VC investment last year, with a 41% increase over 2019 investments. The ag biotechnology and indoor farming technology sectors fueled the increased activity in the AgTech sector.
- A recent report by Numerator found that a majority of consumers have noticed price increases in food products and have concerns about future price increases resulting from supply chain shortages and inflation.
- NotCo, a Chilean AI and plant-based foodtech startup, recently announced a $235 million Series D financing, achieving unicorn status at a $1.5 billion valuation.
- Continuing the trend for investment in plant-based food companies, Nobell Foods, a plant-based cheese company utilizing bioengineering soybeans to develop protein, announced the closing of its $75 million Series B financing.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is The GoodFood Accelerator (GFA).
Based in Chicago, GFA is the nation's first accelerator focused on building supply chains for sustainable local food. The program typically includes the following:
- Six-month curriculum delivered by program staff and industry experts, focuses on the key components of a well-structured business: Entrepreneurial Financing, Leadership, Operations, Go-to-Market Strategy, and Fundraising
- Free work space and resources at 1871, Chicago's innovation hub
- Opportunity to be showcased at the Good Food Financing & Innovation Conference and other events
GFA provides competitively selected fellows with coaching, mentoring, strategic support, and access to resources and sources of capital so they can thrive commercially and have a powerful ripple effect on the local economy.
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Beeflow Raises $8.3 Million to Save the Bees and Put Them to Work
- NovoNutrients Raises $4.7 Million to Complete Its Pilot Program for Alt-Protein Made From CO2 Inputs
- Meati Must Meet Manufacturing & Scale Challenges Head on After Its $50 Million Series B Coup
- ConverseNow Raises $15 Million for Restaurant AI Assistant Tech
- Next Gen Foods Announces $20 Million Extended Seed Round as It Brings ‘TiNDLE’ Plant-Based Chicken to the U.S.
- AppHarvest Secures $91 Million Financing to Fuel 2025 Indoor Farming Ambitions
- Farm Tech Investing Is Accelerating Faster Than Food Tech and General VC - New Report
- Inflation Is Changing Purchasing Behavior for Majority of Consumers, Numerator Reports
- Food Tech Pioneer NotCo Announces $235 Million Series D Round at $1.5 Billion Valuation
- Plant-based Cheese Maker Nobell Foods Raises $75 Million for Expansion
- Millennium Food-Tech Partnership Leads $3.5 Million Series A Round in Yofix
EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Naturally Bay Area's 2021 Quick Bites Series:
Sampling Is Back! Now What?
After 15+ months without demos and lifestyle events, brands now have opportunities to sample their products to shoppers in store and other venues. How should a natural brand evaluate opportunities? How does sampling fit in with the increase in digital marketing and e-commerce?
Join this Quick Bites discussion led by Mary Tarczynski of Parabolic and representatives from shelf stable and perishable brands who are addressing these questions as they plan for Q4 and beyond.
Naturally Bay Area's 2021 Quick Bites Series:
CPG Corporate Venture Funds: How Big Food Invests in Emerging Brands
Wednesday, September 15, 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. PST
Hear how the venture investment arms of leading global food companies are supporting emerging food brands with investment capital and both strategic and operations resources.
Plant Futures Initiative
- Plant Futures Initiative (PFI) is a collaboration of UC Berkeley's Center for Responsible Business and Ideagarden Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
- Its mission is to educate, equip and empower the next generation of ethical leaders and entrepreneurs to accelerate transitions to healthy, regenerative and just food systems.
- PFI will provide the missing bridge between college education and rewarding jobs for the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders in the plant-based food sector.
- The next Plant Futures Symposium will be held online on January 14-15, 2022.
- PFI Challenge Lab industry partners are being recruited now for specific problem-solving projects that student teams can be deployed to run.
- Contact Will Rosenzweig at wbrose@ideagarden.com for additional information.
Please check out DWT's newly re-launched Startup Law Blog
At DWT, we are proud to have one of the largest Food & Beverage legal practices in the country, with over 40 attorneys representing food innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors at every level of the food chain, from Farm to Label.
The facts, laws, and regulations regarding COVID-19 are developing rapidly. Since the date of publication, there may be new or additional information not referenced in this advisory. Please consult with your legal counsel for guidance.
DWT will continue to provide up-to-date insights and virtual events regarding COVID-19 concerns. Our most recent insights, as well as information about recorded and upcoming virtual events, are available at www.dwt.com/COVID-19.