Lever VC
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.
30 past transactions
Good Planet Foods LLC
Series A in 2020
Our Mission is to do GOOD and be GOOD for YOU and the PLANeT. In everything!
When we say everything we mean it. We strive to create value in our relationships, customer interactions, and innovative products. We are constantly on a quest to find new ways to do GOOD and be better. We live and breathe our mission every day, as a brand, company, and individuals. Our mission is more than a statement, it is a lifestyle.
Avant Meats
Pre Seed Round in 2019
They focus on technology, commercial product innovation, and branding as well as intellectual property portfolio building in the area of ‘cell-based’ animal protein food products.
GROUNDED
Seed Round in 2020
Grounded is a food and beverage company that manufactures healthy natural drinks. Its drinks make everyday functional products natural by using only raw ingredients straight from nature. It was founded in 2016 and is based in London, England.
Marvelous Foods
Seed Round in 2019
Marvelous Foods was created in Beijing, China to address needs for gut-healing and allergy-friendly foods.
Welldone - plant-based meat
Series A in 2021
WE MAKE DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS AND AFFORDABLE PLANT-BASED MEAT. AND WE ARE GOING WELL. Plant-based meat producer leveraging strong R&D and sourcing in Russia. We are building brand #1 in country to cater plant-based meat to 140+ mln people and to expand abroad. Targeting to reach price parity with meat in 2022 to address the wider consumer audience.
Avant Meats
Venture Round in 2022
They focus on technology, commercial product innovation, and branding as well as intellectual property portfolio building in the area of ‘cell-based’ animal protein food products.
Avant Meats
Seed Round in 2019
They focus on technology, commercial product innovation, and branding as well as intellectual property portfolio building in the area of ‘cell-based’ animal protein food products.
Avant Meats
Series A in 2022
They focus on technology, commercial product innovation, and branding as well as intellectual property portfolio building in the area of ‘cell-based’ animal protein food products.
Marvelous Foods
Seed Round in 2021
Marvelous Foods was created in Beijing, China to address needs for gut-healing and allergy-friendly foods.
Bond Pet Foods
Venture Round in 2022
Bond Pet Foods makes pet food from real animal protein, without the animal by working with biotechnology. Bond Pet Foods develops meat proteins obtained from animal cells (no slaughter required) and natural microbes. It is fed a nutrient-rich broth of vitamins, sugars, and minerals in fermentation tanks, without the pharmaceuticals.
Bond Pet Foods was founded on 2015 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
THIS.CO
Series A in 2021
THIS is a plant-based meat brand that provides alternative meat products for meat lovers. The company's products are made of plant-based ingredients that are fortified with vitamin B12 and iron, enabling meat lovers to get the real feel of having meat-based products and satisfy their tastes without killing animals.
Mission Barns
Series A in 2021
Mission Barns is making the juicy, savory meats they all love in a sustainable, more efficient way. At Mission Barns, they are cultivating animal cells to sustainably grow meat without the negative impacts of intensive animal agriculture. They start with a handful of cells from select animals, grow them in a nutrient-rich environment, and harvest delicious, savory meat. Working at the convergence of biotech and food science, they’re on the path to creating a more sensible food system for the world.
Hero Protein
Pre Seed Round in 2021
Hero Protein operates as an alternative protein company. Hero Protein produces juicy, delicious meat from plants.
Mission Barns
Seed Round in 2019
Mission Barns is making the juicy, savory meats they all love in a sustainable, more efficient way. At Mission Barns, they are cultivating animal cells to sustainably grow meat without the negative impacts of intensive animal agriculture. They start with a handful of cells from select animals, grow them in a nutrient-rich environment, and harvest delicious, savory meat. Working at the convergence of biotech and food science, they’re on the path to creating a more sensible food system for the world.
Bond Pet Foods
Seed Round in 2019
Bond Pet Foods makes pet food from real animal protein, without the animal by working with biotechnology. Bond Pet Foods develops meat proteins obtained from animal cells (no slaughter required) and natural microbes. It is fed a nutrient-rich broth of vitamins, sugars, and minerals in fermentation tanks, without the pharmaceuticals.
Bond Pet Foods was founded on 2015 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
TurtleTree Labs
Pre Seed Round in 2020
TurtleTree Labs is a startup addressing the value gap created by an insufficient and unsustainable animal-based dairy industry. It has created patent-protected technologies to make full-composition, full-functionality, full-flavor milk referencing humanely selected dairy cow cells then mimicking the natural process of milk production in the lab, essentially making real milk without the pollution, inefficient use of land, water and energy (natural resources), pathogen and disease risk, and tangled regulatory politics.
The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Singapore.
Bond Pet Foods
Convertible Note in 2020
Bond Pet Foods makes pet food from real animal protein, without the animal by working with biotechnology. Bond Pet Foods develops meat proteins obtained from animal cells (no slaughter required) and natural microbes. It is fed a nutrient-rich broth of vitamins, sugars, and minerals in fermentation tanks, without the pharmaceuticals.
Bond Pet Foods was founded on 2015 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
The Better Meat Co.
Seed Round in 2020
The Better Meat Co. makes plant-based proteins that foodservice providers and meat companies can seamlessly blend directly into ground meat. Their products improve taste and texture; reduce calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol; and improve the environmental footprint of ground meat products, all in a cost-competitive way.
The Better Meat Co. is founded in 2018 by Joanna Bromley and Paul Shapiro and is based in Sacramento, California.
Avant Meats
Seed Round in 2020
They focus on technology, commercial product innovation, and branding as well as intellectual property portfolio building in the area of ‘cell-based’ animal protein food products.
Good Planet Foods LLC
Seed Round in 2019
Our Mission is to do GOOD and be GOOD for YOU and the PLANeT. In everything!
When we say everything we mean it. We strive to create value in our relationships, customer interactions, and innovative products. We are constantly on a quest to find new ways to do GOOD and be better. We live and breathe our mission every day, as a brand, company, and individuals. Our mission is more than a statement, it is a lifestyle.
The Good Spoon Co
Seed Round in 2019
The Good Spoon Co manufactures and distributes gourmet eggless sauces and plant-based mayos made using microalgae or microscopic seaweed condiments. The company’s products include Supernaise, Garlinaise, Currynaise, and Spicynaise sauces. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Paris, France.
