Lever VC is a U.S.-Hong Kong venture capital fund founded by Managing Partner Nick Cooney and investing in early stage companies in the alternative protein sector (plant-based and “clean”/cell-based meat, egg and dairy companies). Lever VC operates globally, with offices in Hong Kong and the U.S. and staff in the US, Hong Kong, Europe, and Israel. Entrepreneurs and startups interested in connecting with Lever VC about possible investment can reach the team and submit information about their company at http://www.levervc.com. Managing Partner Nick Cooney is the Co-Founder and former Managing Trustee of New Crop Capital, a private venture capital trust vehicle investing in the alternative protein space, and is Co-Founder of the Good Food Institute, the world’s largest non-governmental organization working to grow the alternative protein space. The General Partners at Lever VC have deployed over $1.5 billion in capital over the past decade across a variety of sectors, including over thirty deals in the alternative protein space.
Gavan is a company that specializes in the extraction of natural proteins aimed at enhancing food quality through sustainable practices. Founded in 2018 in Acre, HaZafon, Israel, by Allen Hazan and Uri Jeremias, Gavan employs proprietary technology to extract high-purity proteins from plants while maintaining their natural structure and functionality. This innovative approach allows the food industry to create healthier and more environmentally friendly products without the use of animal-derived ingredients. By protecting the integrity of the biomass during the extraction process, the company ensures that additional ingredients can be harvested without harming the environment, promoting a sustainable model for food production.
Clever Carnivore
Seed Round in 2023
Clever Carnivore is a Chicago-based cultivated meat company founded in 2021 by Dr. Paul Burridge and Dr. Virginia Rangos. The company focuses on creating sustainable and cost-competitive cultivated meat products, primarily pork, using optimized cell lines and bioprocesses. By leveraging biotechnology, Clever Carnivore aims to offer accessible and delicious meat alternatives that cater to the increasing global demand for food while promoting ethical consumption. Currently, the company is developing a range of pork products, including bratwurst, breakfast sausage, and Italian-style meatballs, in preparation for its upcoming fundraising efforts.
THIS
Series B in 2023
THIS is a plant-based meat brand that specializes in creating alternative meat products designed to appeal to meat lovers. The company focuses on developing items made from plant-based ingredients that are fortified with essential nutrients such as vitamin B12 and iron. By doing so, THIS aims to provide consumers with the sensory experience of traditional meat while ensuring that no animals are harmed in the process. The brand's offerings cater to those seeking satisfying meat alternatives, promoting a sustainable and ethical dietary choice.
New School Foods
Seed Round in 2023
New School Foods specializes in developing plant-based seafood alternatives that replicate the texture, flavor, and nutritional benefits of traditional seafood. The company's flagship product is a plant-based filet designed to resemble wild salmon, providing consumers with a similar cooking experience and taste. By offering these whole-muscle seafood substitutes, New School Foods aims to contribute to a more sustainable food system and promote kinder consumption practices.
NuCicer
Seed Round in 2022
NuCicer is focused on transforming chickpeas from a niche ingredient into a staple superfood by developing new varieties with enhanced agronomic and quality traits. The company specializes in producing chickpeas that feature increased protein content, improved flavor, and tailored nutritional properties. Utilizing a diverse chickpea breeding library alongside a proprietary breeding innovation platform that integrates plant genetics and machine learning, NuCicer aims to address the growing demands for nutritious and sustainable food sources. Their efforts not only enhance the nutritional value of chickpeas but also aim to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, supporting the needs of the alternative-meat sector and promoting a more sustainable food system.
Bond Pet Foods
Venture Round in 2022
Bond Pet Foods is a Boulder, Colorado-based company that specializes in creating sustainable pet food products using biotechnology. Founded in 2015, the company develops meat proteins derived from animal cells without the need for animal slaughter, and utilizes fermentation processes similar to those found in craft brewing. The proteins are cultivated in fermentation tanks and are supplemented with a nutrient-rich broth containing vitamins, sugars, and minerals, ensuring they meet the nutritional needs of companion animals. By offering all-natural and animal-free alternatives, Bond Pet Foods aims to provide environmentally friendly options for pet owners while supplying its innovative ingredients to pet food manufacturers for incorporation into their recipes and product lines.
Avant Meats
Venture Round in 2022
Avant Meats is a biotechnology company specializing in the production of cell-based animal protein products, particularly fish and marine proteins. The company has developed an innovative platform that allows for the creation of nutritious and flavorful fish proteins directly from fish cells, eliminating the need for traditional methods such as raising, catching, or slaughtering animals. This approach enables the sustainable cultivation of animal-free proteins in a controlled environment, ensuring that the products are free from pollutants. Avant Meats aims to provide consumers with sustainable protein options for food, skincare, and functional applications, while also focusing on technology, product innovation, and the development of a robust intellectual property portfolio.
Melt&Marble
Seed Round in 2022
Melt&Marble is a plant-based industry enabler focused on producing alternative fats that enhance the taste and quality of plant-based foods. Utilizing precision fermentation, the company engineers microbial metabolism to create fats that mimic the structure and properties of traditional animal fats without the need for animals. By developing yeast cell factories through advanced bioengineering techniques, Melt&Marble enables food manufacturers to formulate plant-based products that are both healthy and flavorful, effectively bridging the gap between plant-based and animal-based food experiences.
Mooji Meats
Seed Round in 2022
Mooji Meats is a sustainable food manufacturing company specializing in the production of plant-based steaks designed to replicate the taste and texture of real meat. Utilizing a proprietary platform, Mooji Meats mimics muscle structure with plant fibers, offering consumers an alternative to traditional rib-eyes that meets their culinary desires while prioritizing health and environmental considerations. The company focuses on providing a luxury experience without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO), aiming to satisfy both ethical and taste preferences in the growing market for plant-based alternatives.
Good Food Technologies
Seed Round in 2022
Good Food Technologies is a Hong Kong-based startup specializing in innovative food research and development, as well as manufacturing. The company focuses on creating plant-based meat products using non-GMO soy as the primary protein source. By offering vegetarian alternatives, Good Food Technologies aims to provide consumers with healthier and sustainable options to replace traditional meat.
NuCicer
Seed Round in 2022
NuCicer is focused on transforming chickpeas from a niche ingredient into a staple superfood by developing new varieties with enhanced agronomic and quality traits. The company specializes in producing chickpeas that feature increased protein content, improved flavor, and tailored nutritional properties. Utilizing a diverse chickpea breeding library alongside a proprietary breeding innovation platform that integrates plant genetics and machine learning, NuCicer aims to address the growing demands for nutritious and sustainable food sources. Their efforts not only enhance the nutritional value of chickpeas but also aim to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, supporting the needs of the alternative-meat sector and promoting a more sustainable food system.
Nude
Series A in 2022
Nude is a food technology company that specializes in creating plant-based food products using organically-grown oats sourced from small producers. Committed to sustainability, Nude aligns its operations with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and focuses on delivering flavorful and healthy alternatives to traditional foods. The company emphasizes transparency by calculating the carbon footprint of its products, allowing consumers to make informed choices about their dietary options. Led by women, Nude aims to simplify the consumption of vegetable-based alternatives while championing environmental responsibility.
Marvelous Foods
Angel Round in 2022
Marvelous Foods is a plant-based snack food start-up that specializes in producing and retailing dairy-free coconut yogurt, known as yeyo yogurt. The company aims to nourish consumers and the planet by providing healthy, delicious, and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional dairy products. By focusing on gut-healing and allergy-friendly options, Marvelous Foods caters to individuals seeking natural and diet-inclusive food solutions. The brand originated by sharing yogurt with friends, neighbors, and local eateries that appreciated wholesome, sustainable food choices.
NoMoo Plant-Based
Series A in 2021
NoMoo Plant-Based specializes in the production of plant-based dairy alternatives, focusing on fermented cashew nut cheeses and yogurts. The company aims to provide sustainable options to traditional animal-based products by creating a variety of vegan offerings, including cheese, yogurt, mayonnaise, and French-style fermented butter. By utilizing locally sourced cashews, NoMoo Plant-Based offers consumers a taste of Brazilian cuisine while promoting a plant-based lifestyle.
Welldone
Series A in 2021
Welldone is a producer of plant-based meat products that focuses on providing nutritious and affordable alternatives to animal-based foods. The company offers a diverse range of items, including cutlets, minced meat, and patties, designed to meet the nutritional needs of consumers while promoting ethical eating practices. With strong research and development capabilities and sourcing operations in Russia, Welldone aims to establish itself as the leading brand in the country, catering to a market of over 140 million people. The company is also targeting international expansion and aims to achieve price parity with traditional meat products, enabling it to reach a broader audience.
THIS
Series A in 2021
THIS is a plant-based meat brand that specializes in creating alternative meat products designed to appeal to meat lovers. The company focuses on developing items made from plant-based ingredients that are fortified with essential nutrients such as vitamin B12 and iron. By doing so, THIS aims to provide consumers with the sensory experience of traditional meat while ensuring that no animals are harmed in the process. The brand's offerings cater to those seeking satisfying meat alternatives, promoting a sustainable and ethical dietary choice.
Marvelous Foods
Seed Round in 2021
Marvelous Foods is a plant-based snack food start-up that specializes in producing and retailing dairy-free coconut yogurt, known as yeyo yogurt. The company aims to nourish consumers and the planet by providing healthy, delicious, and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional dairy products. By focusing on gut-healing and allergy-friendly options, Marvelous Foods caters to individuals seeking natural and diet-inclusive food solutions. The brand originated by sharing yogurt with friends, neighbors, and local eateries that appreciated wholesome, sustainable food choices.
New Singularity
Seed Round in 2021
New Singularity is a startup that produces plant-based seafood using mycelium fermentation technology.
The New
Seed Round in 2021
The New is a Brazilian food technology company that specializes in the production of plant-based meats as alternatives to traditional animal-based foods. The company utilizes ingredients such as pea protein, coconut fat, and beetroot to create various meat alternatives, including beef burgers, chicken tenders, and salmon fillets. Its products are designed to be gluten-free and contain no added sugar, appealing to health-conscious consumers seeking sustainable dietary options.
Avant Meats
Seed Round in 2020
Avant Meats is a biotechnology company specializing in the production of cell-based animal protein products, particularly fish and marine proteins. The company has developed an innovative platform that allows for the creation of nutritious and flavorful fish proteins directly from fish cells, eliminating the need for traditional methods such as raising, catching, or slaughtering animals. This approach enables the sustainable cultivation of animal-free proteins in a controlled environment, ensuring that the products are free from pollutants. Avant Meats aims to provide consumers with sustainable protein options for food, skincare, and functional applications, while also focusing on technology, product innovation, and the development of a robust intellectual property portfolio.
Bond Pet Foods
Convertible Note in 2020
Bond Pet Foods is a Boulder, Colorado-based company that specializes in creating sustainable pet food products using biotechnology. Founded in 2015, the company develops meat proteins derived from animal cells without the need for animal slaughter, and utilizes fermentation processes similar to those found in craft brewing. The proteins are cultivated in fermentation tanks and are supplemented with a nutrient-rich broth containing vitamins, sugars, and minerals, ensuring they meet the nutritional needs of companion animals. By offering all-natural and animal-free alternatives, Bond Pet Foods aims to provide environmentally friendly options for pet owners while supplying its innovative ingredients to pet food manufacturers for incorporation into their recipes and product lines.
The Better Meat
Seed Round in 2020
The Better Meat Co. is a business-to-business company based in West Sacramento, California, that specializes in producing plant-based protein formulas for foodservice providers and meat processors. Founded in 2018, the company offers a range of products, including Damona for ground beef, Albina for ground pork, and Thunderbird for ground chicken, all designed to enhance the flavor and nutritional profile of traditional meat products. By utilizing fermentation technology to create mycoprotein ingredients, The Better Meat Co. provides solutions that are not only allergen-free but also promote sustainability in the meat industry. Its products enable food manufacturers to produce blended meat items such as burgers, meatballs, and sausages while reducing environmental impact and catering to health-conscious consumers.
Bond Pet Foods
Seed Round in 2019
Bond Pet Foods is a Boulder, Colorado-based company that specializes in creating sustainable pet food products using biotechnology. Founded in 2015, the company develops meat proteins derived from animal cells without the need for animal slaughter, and utilizes fermentation processes similar to those found in craft brewing. The proteins are cultivated in fermentation tanks and are supplemented with a nutrient-rich broth containing vitamins, sugars, and minerals, ensuring they meet the nutritional needs of companion animals. By offering all-natural and animal-free alternatives, Bond Pet Foods aims to provide environmentally friendly options for pet owners while supplying its innovative ingredients to pet food manufacturers for incorporation into their recipes and product lines.
Avant Meats
Seed Round in 2019
Avant Meats is a biotechnology company specializing in the production of cell-based animal protein products, particularly fish and marine proteins. The company has developed an innovative platform that allows for the creation of nutritious and flavorful fish proteins directly from fish cells, eliminating the need for traditional methods such as raising, catching, or slaughtering animals. This approach enables the sustainable cultivation of animal-free proteins in a controlled environment, ensuring that the products are free from pollutants. Avant Meats aims to provide consumers with sustainable protein options for food, skincare, and functional applications, while also focusing on technology, product innovation, and the development of a robust intellectual property portfolio.
Marvelous Foods
Seed Round in 2019
Marvelous Foods is a plant-based snack food start-up that specializes in producing and retailing dairy-free coconut yogurt, known as yeyo yogurt. The company aims to nourish consumers and the planet by providing healthy, delicious, and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional dairy products. By focusing on gut-healing and allergy-friendly options, Marvelous Foods caters to individuals seeking natural and diet-inclusive food solutions. The brand originated by sharing yogurt with friends, neighbors, and local eateries that appreciated wholesome, sustainable food choices.
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