FTW Ventures

FTW Ventures, based in San Francisco, is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing in innovative hardware, software, and biotech solutions within the global food system. Led by General Partner Brian Frank, a seasoned entrepreneur turned investor, the firm aims to improve food quality, accessibility, and enjoyment through responsible science and technology.

Jenn Burka

Principal and Investor

Tawny Scanlan

Investor

12 past transactions

Heritable Agriculture

Seed Round in 2025
Heritable Agriculture is a technology-driven company specializing in agricultural innovation. It employs advanced breeding techniques, biotechnology, and genetic research to enhance crop resilience against diseases, pests, and environmental stress. The company's mission is to develop crop varieties that yield more, require fewer resources, and adapt better to changing climates. By leveraging artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and traditional breeding methods, Heritable Agriculture aims to create a more sustainable and efficient agricultural system, offering clients services such as phenotype prediction, causal gene identification, and genome editing design.

Earthodic

Seed Round in 2024
Earthodic is an Australian materials science company that specializes in the development of bio-based coatings aimed at minimizing reliance on non-renewable resources. The company's flagship product is a biobased, water-resistant coating designed for use on pulped or paper products. This innovative coating can be applied by manufacturers and converters to enhance various applications, including packaging, agricultural materials, and construction products. By offering a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic coatings, Earthodic supports industries in transitioning towards more environmentally friendly practices.

Boston Bioprocess

Seed Round in 2024
Boston Bioprocess is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in the commercialization of microbial fermentation processes. The company offers a comprehensive range of services, including strain evaluation, process development, and scale-up solutions, to support clients in optimizing the production of yeast, bacteria, and fungal microbes. By providing strain testing and feedback under conditions that mimic commercial manufacturing, as well as optimizing fermentation processes to enhance yields and reduce costs, Boston Bioprocess enables fermentation-based companies to efficiently transition from pilot scale to industrial scale. Additionally, the company focuses on downstream processing optimization and effective technology transfer, ensuring that clients have the necessary equipment and expertise to facilitate commercial testing and improve overall production efficiency.

Nfinite Nanotech

Seed Round in 2024
Nfinite Nanotechnology is an advanced materials company specializing in open-air atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology to produce functional nanomaterials. The company focuses on enabling innovations in various sectors, including sustainable packaging, batteries, and photovoltaics. Nfinite has developed a rapid open-air nanocoating system that delivers large-area, high-quality ultrathin films at speeds up to 100 times faster than traditional ALD methods, significantly reducing costs. This technology sets new industry standards by providing packaging manufacturers with the ability to create cost-effective, sustainable packaging solutions that are fully compostable, recyclable, and capable of preserving product freshness and shelf life. Through its innovative approach, Nfinite aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of transformative technologies for a sustainable future.

Izote Biosciences

Pre Seed Round in 2024
Opeator of a fermentation technology company intended to improve the economics of industrial fermentation. The company develops an anaerobic process that facilitates a more straightforward, more productive fermentation design, its system includes highly predictable performance scaling, the ability to extend fermentation runs for days, and the use of low-cost bioreactors, enabling industries to improve performance and process robustness.

Yali Bio

Seed Round in 2022
Yali Biosciences is a food tech company focused on utilizing synthetic biology and genomics to develop climate-smart and sustainable food options. The company operates a synthetic biology platform that leverages computational biology to design and produce specialized fats aimed at enhancing alternative dairy products. By prioritizing renewable resources, Yali Biosciences enables the food industry to create delicious and sustainable alternatives to traditional dairy, contributing to ecological responsibility within the sector.

Phytoform

Seed Round in 2021
Phytoform Labs Ltd, established in 2017 and headquartered in London, specializes in agricultural biotechnology. The company offers genome editing services to crop breeders worldwide, aiming to accelerate plant breeding from decades to years. By leveraging new gene editing technologies and artificial intelligence, Phytoform helps breeders create diverse, sustainable crops with improved yields, ultimately enhancing the economics of breeding for customers.

Plantible

Series A in 2021
Plantible Foods, Inc. is a company that focuses on developing and producing sustainable plant-based protein. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, the company extracts flavors from lemna and utilizes aquatic plants to create its products. Plantible operates a proprietary agricultural manufacturing platform designed to help food companies innovate while minimizing costs. Its plant-based protein is all-natural, organic, and free of major allergens, exhibiting functional characteristics similar to those of egg whites, whey protein, or casein. This allows clients to enhance the quality of their products while benefiting from a more sustainable and cost-effective protein source, ultimately contributing to the optimization of the food industry.

Plantible

Seed Round in 2020
Plantible Foods, Inc. is a company that focuses on developing and producing sustainable plant-based protein. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, the company extracts flavors from lemna and utilizes aquatic plants to create its products. Plantible operates a proprietary agricultural manufacturing platform designed to help food companies innovate while minimizing costs. Its plant-based protein is all-natural, organic, and free of major allergens, exhibiting functional characteristics similar to those of egg whites, whey protein, or casein. This allows clients to enhance the quality of their products while benefiting from a more sustainable and cost-effective protein source, ultimately contributing to the optimization of the food industry.

Debut

Seed Round in 2020
Debut Biotechnology, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Diego, California, established in 2019. It specializes in biomanufacturing solutions for high-value molecules, focusing on the development of specialty enzyme solutions and continuous manufacturing processes. The company offers a range of services, including biomanufacturing cartridges, fermentation, and the immobilization of cells and enzymes. Debut Biotechnology is dedicated to creating novel immobilization techniques for enzymes, achieving high success rates and providing immobilized enzymes for continuous manufacturing systems. Its innovative approach enables the production and modification of small and large molecules, catering primarily to the pharmaceutical and specialty chemical industries. By harnessing natural enzyme technologies, Debut aims to deliver sustainable and cost-effective ingredient solutions to its clients.

Spoiler Alert

Seed Round in 2016
Spoiler Alert is a Boston-based software company that provides an inventory liquidation platform specifically designed for perishable consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. The company operates primarily at the manufacturing plant or distribution center level, enabling food and beverage brands to effectively manage their excess and slow-moving inventory. Spoiler Alert's platform allows these brands to digitize their liquidation processes within a private network of discount retailers and nonprofit organizations. By focusing on maximizing value recovery and enhancing customer relationships, the company aims to streamline the typically manual sales processes faced by supply chain managers. Founded by MIT alumni, Spoiler Alert collaborates with prominent brands, including Campbell's, Danone, HelloFresh, and Kraft Heinz, while also working to support a network of discount channels dedicated to improving food access and reducing food waste.

Geltor

Seed Round in 2016
Geltor, Inc. is a biodesign company focused on producing bioactive, animal-free collagens and proteins for a range of applications including beauty and nutrition. The company offers innovative products such as Collume, a bio-designed collagen technology that supports skincare cellular regeneration, and HumaColl21, which enhances the skin's appearance by boosting collagen, elastin, laminin, and fibronectin levels. Geltor also provides vegan collagen peptides and other novel proteins for use in functional foods and nutraceuticals. Established in 2015 and based in San Leandro, California, Geltor is committed to sustainable practices and aims to support a plant-based future through its clinically validated, biocompatible materials.
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