In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Moolec Science, a foodtech startup that utilizes molecular farming technology to develop alternative proteins, announced that it acquired ValoraSoy, a plant-based ingredient business that develops functional soy proteins, for $6 million.
- Liberation Labs, a startup that is developing efficient processes for alternative protein production, announced that it secured $30 million in equipment financing. The company plans to use the funds to build its first commercial-scale precision fermentation plant in the US.
- Carbon Robotics, a startup that uses robotics to target and eliminate weeds, announced that it raised $30 million in its Series C round.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund is CircleUp Growth Partners.
- CircleUp Growth Partners is a San Francisco based early stage consumer investment fund, founded in 2012. It has a data-driven, scalable approach to investing. It has invested in companies across a variety of categories ranging from food and beverage to beauty, pet, household products, restaurants, and apparel.
- One of its highlights is the proprietary machine learning platform – Helio, which collects and analyzes billions of data points across more than 1.2 million companies to understand and predict their future success.
- Companies backed by CircleUp include:
- Nutpods
- 4505 Meats
- Partake
- Pop&Bottle
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Alternative Proteins Sector is Growing and Needs Government Support, Reports Say
- Cultured Meat Collaborations Drive Innovation, Flags ADM and Believer Meats as New Partnership Takes Off
- Liberation Labs Bags $30 Million to Kit Out ‘First-of-a-Kind’ Biomanufacturing Hub In Indiana
- Farm.One Announces New Investment and Re-Opening of its Brooklyn Indoor Vertical Farm
- ClimateAi Raises $22 Million in Series B Funding to Advance Global Climate Change Adaptation Efforts
- Carbon Robotics bags $30 Million to Fight The War on Weeds With Autonomous Laser Bots
- Moolec Science acquires ValoraSoy for $6 Million
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally Bay Area
CEO & Founders Forum Meeting
Thursday, April 20, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. PT
Location: Mattson, 343 Hatch Drive Foster City, California
This meeting will focus on innovation. Pete Brennan, Naturally Bay Area Board Member and VP of Innovation at Mattson, will facilitate this interactive session and take you on a tour of the Mattson facility.
Stay after the Forum Meeting for a community-wide networking event with food and beverages hosted by the Mattson team (please register for both events if you plan to stay.)
You must be a paid member of Naturally Bay Area, and be a Founder or CEO of a Natural Products CPG brand to participate.
Naturally Bay Area
Sustainable Innovation Networking Night at Mattson
Thursday, April 20, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. PT
Location: Mattson, 343 Hatch Drive Foster City, California
Connect with the Naturally Bay Area community and celebrate Earth Day at Mattson, in Foster City. Enjoy food and beverages and learn about precision fermentation, organic and regenerative agriculture, and more!
Naturally Bay Area
Quick Bites: Category Trends with Top Retail Buyers
Wednesday, April 26, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PT
With EXPO West fresh in everybody's mind, Naturally Bay Area has invited buyers from top retailers to reveal the industry trends they are excited about and share tips on how to be successful at their stores. Hear about the trends they're seeing, review timing and criteria, preferred marketing support tactics, and how to set yourself up for success.
Speakers:
- Jen Berliner, Head of Marketing, Sales and Ecommerce at Patagonia Provisions
- Monika Coyle, Executive Director Local and Emerging Brands of Whole Foods Market
- Thuy Nguyen, Category Manager at Thrive Market
- Tobi Seriki, National Category Manager at Albertsons
Naturally Bay Area
5th Annual Pitch Slam + Community Celebration
Wednesday, May 10, 3:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Let's celebrate the Bay Area's up-and-coming Natural Products Industry brands with a community celebration and pitch competition. A select group of entrepreneurs will pitch to the industry's premier investors, retailers, and industry peers for a chance to win prizes worth tens of thousands of dollars, including a booth at EXPO East and the opportunity to pitch on the national stage!