Investment trends – where’s the smart money heading in the food industry?
In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast we are following the money, looking ahead and asking where investors will be putting their cash in 2023.
It is not necessarily a straightforward question, the world continues to be a complex place.
We have had heatwaves and floods, inflation is causing economic turmoil all over the place, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is causing global turbulence as well as devastation for the people and the industry in that country.
So what does this mean for investors? Is food and agri-tech still a good bet?
If we had recorded this episode 12 months ago, alternative meat and ag-tech would be two of the big hits rising up the investment charts.
But there are signs of a slow down in both these areas.
So where are the sharp-eyed investors looking as 2023 approaches? And where is the smart money heading?
Andrew Ive, Founder, Big Idea Ventures
Andrew Ive founded Big Idea Ventures and invests and builds companies in the alternative protein and plant-based sectors as part of their first fund – the New Protein Fund.
Andrew has invested in more early stage/pre-seed food companies than most other investors worldwide.
Andrew is focused on innovation, developing high-growth businesses opportunities and as a business advisor in multiple verticals.
Andrew serves on the Tufts Nutrition Council advisory board, is a Friedman School Entrepreneurship Advisor. A Harvard Business School graduate and Procter & Gamble brand management trained.
Ivan Farneti, Managing Partner, Five Seasons Ventures
Ivan has been an active venture capital investor for the last 20 years and he is the co-founding Partner of Five Seasons Ventures, the first European venture fund fully focused on Foodtech.
He is passionate about product and technology innovation aimed at solving big challenges in the food industry: from alternative sources of proteins, to functional foods, new models of food distribution, and the reduction of food waste.
At Five Seasons he invested in gene editing company Tropic Biosciences, pet nutrition company Butternut Box and three more companies yet to be announced.
His experience from previous venture funds in London, includes structuring venture investments, organisational and strategy development, setting up governance for growth and planning for successful exits.
He was an early stage investor in Everbridge, Inc. (Nasdaq: EVBG), Tridion BV (acquired by SDL Plc), Gomez, Inc. (acquired by Compuware), Plazes AG (acquired by Nokia), among others.
In his spare time he enjoys family life, cooking, fly fishing, and practicing karate and jiu jitsu with his son Adam.
