Washington, DC - April 16, 2018 - Village Capital today announced the twelve early-stage food and agriculture startups that were selected to take part in Food and Agriculture: US 2018, an investment-readiness program run in partnership with Campbell Soup Company, QBE and UBS.
The program will train and invest in food and agriculture startups that expanding access sustainable, healthy and accessible agricultural goods to drive a better food and agriculture system.
The startups are:
This is Village Capital’s seventh investment-readiness program focused on food and agriculture - which has yielded investments in 14 companies, including Masienda, Kuli Kuli Foods and Spensa Technologies, which was acquired last week by DTN. At the end of the program, the top two companies in the cohort, as selected by their peers, will receive an offer of US$75,000 each.
“Big data has opened up a new world of ideas around the way we grow and transport food, and entrepreneurs are rethinking the science and business of sustainable farming, transforming a food and agriculture sector that just a decade ago, was stuck in the mud when it comes to innovation,,” said Village Capital Managing Director Allie Burns. “Thee twelve food and agriculture startups selected to participate in this year’s cohort have significant potential for growth and impact.”
“We’re thrilled to be supporting these twelve startups that are spearheading innovation in the food and agriculture industry,” said Daniel Sonke, Director of Sustainable Agriculture, Campbell Soup Company. “Consumers are paying more attention than ever to how and where their food is grown. At Campbell, we’re focused on supplementing conventional agricultural wisdom with fresh thinking, new business models, and an ecosystem of innovative partners.”
“At QBE we look forward to applying our expertise in crop, agricultural technology and innovation to advise start-up entrepreneurs creating solutions in food security and addressing the challenges faced by small farmers,” said Josie Barnett, QBE’s Foundation Manager. “The QBE Foundation, Crop and Ventures teams are excited to partner with Village Capital to assist in implementing market-based solutions to de-risk our global food system.”
“We’re excited to support a diverse group of early-stage entrepreneurs solving some of the biggest challenges in food and agriculture," said Jamie Sears, Head of Community Affairs and Corporate Responsibility – Americas, UBS. "UBS' partnership with Village Capital is an extension of our firm-wide focus on supporting communities through impact investing, inclusive entrepreneurship and strategic philanthropy initiatives.”
The twelve companies will participate in three four-day workshops where they will work with Village Capital’s award-winning investment-readiness curriculum and engage with potential customers, strategic partners, investors, and sector experts. The programs will feature:
UBS is supporting the program as part of a larger project, VC Pathways, that supports the pipeline of diverse startups in several US cities by giving underrepresented (Black, Latinx, female) founders access to investors and strategic partners in their area.
Reach out to Ben Wrobel (ben.wrobel@vilcap.com) to learn more about the program.
About Village Capital:
Village Capital builds bridges for entrepreneurs who are creating an inclusive and sustainable world. Our programs connect high potential, early-stage entrepreneurs with the people, institutions, and capital they need to succeed. Since 2009, Village Capital has supported more than 1,000 entrepreneurs through our programs, and partnered with affiliated investment funds, including VilCap Investments, that have invested seed capital in more than 90 program graduates.
About Campbell Soup Company:
Campbell (NYSE:CPB) is driven and inspired by our Purpose, “Real food that matters for life’s moments.” We make a range of high-quality soups and simple meals, beverages, snacks and packaged fresh foods. For generations, people have trusted Campbell to provide authentic, flavorful and readily available foods and beverages that connect them to each other, to warm memories and to what’s important today. Led by our iconic Campbell’s brand, our portfolio includes Pepperidge Farm, Bolthouse Farms, Arnott’s, V8, Swanson, Pace, Prego, Plum, Royal Dansk, Kjeldsens, Garden Fresh Gourmet, Pacific Foods, Snyder's of Hanover, Lance, Kettle Brand, KETTLE Chips, Cape Cod, Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps, Pop Secret, Emerald, Late July and other brand names. Founded in 1869, Campbell has a heritage of giving back and acting as a good steward of the planet’s natural resources. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. For more information, visit www.campbellsoupcompany.com or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo. To learn more about how we make our food and the choices behind the ingredients we use, visit www.whatsinmyfood.com.
About QBE Foundation:
QBE North America is an integrated specialist insurer, which is part of QBE Insurance Group Limited, one of the largest insurers and reinsurers worldwide. QBE NA reported Gross Written Premiums in 2017 of $4.6 billion. QBE Insurance Group's 2017 results can be found at www.qbena.com. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 31 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The North America division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through its property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. QBE insurance companies are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and "A+" by Standard & Poor's. Additional information can be found at www.qbena.com, or follow QBE North America on Twitter.
About UBS:
UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. The operational structure of the Group is comprised of our Corporate Center and five business divisions: Wealth Management, Wealth Management Americas, Personal & Corporate Banking, Asset Management and the Investment Bank. UBS's strategy builds on the strengths of all of its businesses and focuses its efforts on areas in which it excels, while seeking to capitalize on the compelling growth prospects in the businesses and regions in which it operates, in order to generate attractive and sustainable returns for its shareholders. All of its businesses are capital-efficient and benefit from a strong competitive position in their targeted markets.
UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in 52 countries, with about 34% of its employees working in the Americas, 34% in Switzerland, 18% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 14% in Asia Pacific. UBS Group AG employs approximately 61,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).