Participated · Series A · Oct 2023

Umiami develops plant-based meat alternatives built around its 'umisation' texturising technology. The company says its products contain under 10 ingredients and are free of texturising agents or controversial additives. It has opened a new factory in Alsace with a capacity of 7,500 tons per production line and plans to grow output to 20,000 tons over time. Umiami is expanding into the US and has appointed John Hatto as Managing Director for North America. The business raised an additional €32.5M as a Series A top-up, bringing the Series A to €59M and total funding to over €100M. The Alsace project and broader industrialisation are supported by the French government's 'France 2030' plan, the BPI (via the SPI fund) and other investors. Umiami has developed a proprietary technology to produce what it says are the world’s first vegan whole‑cuts, including a plant‑based chicken breast made from 100% plant proteins. After two years of R&D the company finalized its first whole chicken breast and reports clients in Northern Europe, North America and South East Asia. Umiami follows a clean‑label approach with products carrying a 'B' Nutri‑Score and reports lower environmental impacts versus conventional meat (25% less energy, 50% less water and land, and roughly half the greenhouse‑gas emissions). The company announced an industrial R&D center near Paris opening in May 2022 to accelerate scale‑up and portfolio expansion. Umiami plans to open a dedicated production plant by 2023 that it says could create up to 200 jobs and produce 15,000 tons of alternative meat per year for global food manufacturing and foodservice customers. It has also announced a partnership with vertically integrated plant‑based marketplace Above Food. Umiami develops a novel manufacturing process that creates thick, whole-piece plant-based meats and fish, allowing control of fiber thickness and direction. Its initial product range includes chicken breasts, cod and nuggets. The company was launched in May 2020 by Tristan Maurel, Martin Habfast and Hugo Dupuis with support from AgroParisTech and the Technical University of Munich. Umiami plans to use the new funds to build a pilot production unit in the Paris region and to continue R&D to expand its product range. The pilot site is slated to start in early 2022 with a capacity of 100 tons per year. Umiami was one of five winners of the Nutrition Lab program in December 2020.

Led · Series A · Aug 2023

Co-founded in 2021 by Maria Shriver and Patrick Schwarzenegger, MOSH positions itself as The Brain Brand® offering functional nutrition primarily in bar format. Its protein bars are formulated with a MOSH Signature Brain Blend anchored by Cognizin® Citicoline and include ingredients such as lion's mane, ashwagandha, omega-3s, and vitamins B12 and D3. MOSH reports distribution in 2,000+ U.S. retail doors and is preparing a nationwide Target launch alongside placements at Sprouts, Albertsons, Kroger, and HEB. The company is expanding its product line with MOSH High Protein, a bar featuring 20 grams of protein, creatine, and the Signature Brain Blend. MOSH directs a portion of proceeds to Alzheimer's research and women's brain health, having raised more than $400,000 and funded three research grants to date. Recent funds from the Series A will be used to scale retail distribution, advance product innovation, support a new research grant, and build marketing, sales, and supply chain capabilities.

Led · Series A · Jun 2023

Founded in 2021, BetterBrand uses a proprietary “grain‑changing” technology combining non‑GMO and clean‑label ingredients to produce a line of better‑for‑you baked goods, including The Better Bagel. The bagel claims 250% more protein, 90% fewer carbs and no added sugar versus traditional bagels and is described as the net carb equivalent of two banana slices. The company has expanded flavors (Classic, Everything, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip, Pretzel, Sesame) and plans to triple its SKU count this year with 16 new product launches as it moves into new categories. Distribution has grown from DTC to more than 1,000 U.S. stores, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Fresh Market, Gelson’s and Bristol Farms. Between 2021 and 2022 the company posted over 800% growth, and in late 2022 it drove more than $1 million in gross sales at Whole Foods during its first five months on shelves. BetterBrand is focused on continued product innovation and geographic expansion as it scales. Better Brand is a Los Angeles–based food tech startup founded by Aimee Yang that uses modified enzyme technology branded as Grain-Changing Technology™ to reformulate refined carbs. Its first marquee product, The Better Bagel, reduces carbohydrate content to the equivalent of two banana slices while delivering 24g of protein. The company plans to apply its proprietary processes across multiple product categories to overhaul consumers' relationship with food. Better Brand launched three months prior to this announcement and has raised over $4M this year after closing an additional $2.5M round. The new capital will be used to further R&D, accelerate hiring, and prepare the company for large-scale retail distribution. Founder Aimee Yang previously became the first sole female founder to raise over $1M in a venture-led pre-seed round across food tech, consumer, and food & beverage industries, per Crunchbase. Better Brand develops low‑carbohydrate versions of traditionally high‑carb foods using an IP‑protected Grain‑changing Technology™, launching with Better Bagel. Better Bagel contains roughly the same amount of carbohydrates as half an orange or two slices of banana and will be sold online at eatbetter.com and in select U.S. retailers. The company’s process uses a main ingredient that is indigestible in the upper GI tract, increases short‑chain fatty acid production, and employs enzymes designed to enhance digestibility. Ingredients are described as non‑GMO, kosher, and plant‑based, and the technology is protected by IP and trade‑secret policy. Founder and CEO Aimee Yang, a first‑time entrepreneur with a background as a CPA, a litigation consultant at Ernst & Young, and a Wharton MBA, says the process could be applied to reinvent other food categories. Yang positions the product as addressing carbohydrate‑driven weight gain and cites the broader market opportunity while the company moves toward retail distribution.

Participated · Seed · Mar 2023

Uravu Labs developed a renewable water technology that harvests atmospheric moisture with liquid desiccants, recovers that moisture, and produces potable water using sustainable energy such as solar, biomass, or waste heat. The company was founded in 2020 by Pardeep Garg, Swapnil Shrivastav, Venkatesh RY, and Govinda Balaji. Uravu has commercial clients including AB InBev and Radico Khaitan and is actively pursuing additional commercial and beverage customers across India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Japan. The firm previously raised an undisclosed pre-seed in 2021 directed by Speciale Invest. Proceeds from the new round will be used to commercialize its renewable water solutions and to expand operations and partnerships. The company is positioning its technology for large-scale commercial deployment in beverage and industrial markets.

Participated · Seed · Mar 2022

Onuu, based in Austin, Texas, targets roughly 166 million Americans of modest means who lack access to basic financial products. The company offers personalized life insurance, savings and credit card products alongside a digital guide and individualized financial literacy experiences at an affordable monthly price. Onuu plans to use AI- and machine-learning-driven approaches to deliver contextual, highly customized financial services within users' financial lives. The founding team—Felix W. Ortiz III and Ryan Wuerch—brings extensive fintech experience, and the company says the founders have over 100 years of combined financial technology experience. Onuu is majority Hispanic-owned, employs a 20-person team, and reports that 60% of staff are minorities or women. The company recently closed a $6 million Seed A round to accelerate product development and launch.