Big Idea Ventures

?? Excited for the GFRP Team's visit to the Texas A&M University System and?Texas A&M University on December 4, 2024! ?? Texas A&M continues to lead the way in agricultural innovation and research, and we’re thrilled to engage with this extraordinary institution. ???? One highlight we’re eager to celebrate is the opening of the Norman E. Borlaug Building — an 85,355-square-foot facility dedicated to advancing research in nutrition, food insecurity, precision nutrition, and responsive agriculture. ???? The legacy of Dr. Borlaug, the "Father of the Green Revolution," is alive and thriving in this state-of-the-art space, where groundbreaking work will shape the future of food systems and health. ??? The commitment to excellence, innovation, and sustainability showcased in this project is truly inspiring. The potential for global impact is boundless, from cutting-edge labs to collaborations among AgriLife entities. ?? Looking forward to exploring this incredible facility and connecting with the brilliant minds behind these transformative efforts. Read more here ?? https://lnkd.in/esqfdAjR ? At Big Idea Ventures, we are supporting university-led IPs and research with the goal of commercializing the most relevant technologies through our Generation Food Rural Partners Fund (GFRP). Find out more about GFRP here ?? https://rfr.bz/l5k5tng Van N. Truskett Bill Arnold Frank Klemens Tom Mastrobuoni Elsa Swanson Sareen Emily Linett #GFRPVisit #TexasAM #NormanBorlaugLegacy #InnovationInAgriculture #PrecisionNutrition #FoodInsecuritySolutions #GFRPTeam

??The Generation Food Rural Partners (GFRP) Fund had the opportunity last month to attend and support the Innovation Institute for Food & Health, UC Davis Summit, where we spent 2 days learning about exciting advances in human health and food. This was the culmination of 10 years since the founding of the Institute. ??To top it all off, Justin Siegel's (Faculty Director of IIFH) dissertation adviser, David Baker, was awarded The Nobel Prize in Chemistry just as the Summit was getting started for his contributions to computational protein design. ??Our time at the Summit included conversations with a number of other partners, which we hope will lead to more innovation in food and health. University of California, Davis #GFRP #innovation #foodandhealth #uncommoncollaboration Bill Arnold Van N. Truskett Frank Klemens Tom Mastrobuoni Emily Linett Elsa Swanson Sareen

This week, Big Idea Ventures hosted the Next Generation Pet Food Program in partnership with Mars Petcare and in collaboration with AAK and Bühler Group ?? ?? A huge congratulations to the five companies, BiomeMega, Pawsible Foods, KIDEMIS, String Bio Private Limited, MiAlgae, that pitched their groundbreaking ideas at the event! These companies were selected from 100+ startups?worldwide, and went through an intensive 2 month?program dedicated to advancing sustainable innovations in the pet food industry ?? ?? We’re deeply grateful to the Mars Petcare team for being such fantastic partners and to Bühler Group and AAK for their invaluable support in making this program a success. The journey doesn’t stop here ?? If you’re an organization passionate about driving innovation and would like to partner with us for future initiatives like?this, we’d love to collaborate. Reach out now ?? https://lnkd.in/eRUtuViC #PetFood #PetFoodInnovation #Sustainability #Startups #FoodTech #BigIdeas Andrew D Ive Emily Linett Audrey Yoo Rachel Sheppard Aparna Venkatesh Jurgen Kennedy Niall Sands Adriano Barrichello Carsten Petry Thierry Duvanel Sten Estrup Beata Rozek Cherrie Kin Dr Gustavo De Cerqueira Armaan Dhanda Samyak Baid Constantin Marakhov Prasad Nair Christopher Haacke Karin del Rey

We're thrilled to announce our upcoming visit to Prairie View A&M University on December 3, 2024! ?? The energy and innovation at PVAMU are truly inspiring, and we can't wait to connect and learn from this incredible institution. One achievement we're especially excited to highlight is Prairie View A&M University's Excellence in Agriculture! ???? Dr. Clarence Bunch and his exceptional team have secured a remarkable $3M in grant funding from the USDA to launch the Climate-Smart Farm Planning Program. This initiative is set to revolutionize farming across Texas, aiding historically underserved farmers in implementing carbon-smart, regenerative practices. ???? Read more here ?? https://lnkd.in/e-fkiEag ? At Big Idea Ventures, we are supporting university-led IPs and research with the goal of commercializing the most relevant technologies through our Generation Food Rural Partners Fund (GFRP). #bigideaventures #sustainableinnovation #prairieview #climatesmart #gfrp Tom Mastrobuoni Frank Klemens Van N. Truskett Bill Arnold Elsa Swanson Sareen Emily Linett

?? The Generation Food Rural Partners (GFRP) Fund’s Innovator Fellow, Saeed Karimzadeh, from the Innovation Institute for Food and Health (IFFH) at UC Davis, recently attended the AgriNext Conference in Dubai. This event provided a valuable opportunity to connect with international CEOs and industry leaders active in the Middle East, fostering collaborations that align with the GFRP mission to drive economic growth in rural U.S. communities by commercializing university-led breakthroughs in food, protein, and agriculture. ???? #Innovation #Agritech #Sustainability #GFRP #RuralDevelopment #GlobalImpact Frank Klemens Tom Mastrobuoni Elsa Swanson Sareen Bill Arnold Emily Linett Van N. Truskett

Through the Generation Food Rural Partners (GFRP) Fund, we focus on commercializing groundbreaking technologies from our university partners, driving forward innovations that address some of today’s most pressing challenges. ?? DisSolves is a prime example, transforming the future of food packaging with its all-natural, dissolvable films—a sustainable and convenient solution tackling the global issue of petroleum-based plastic pollution. We’re excited to share that DisSolves’ President, Scott Bolin, delivered the opening remarks at the Plastic Waste Free World Conference & Expo, showcasing the company’s leadership and commitment to creating meaningful change in the industry. #GFRP #BigIdeaVentures #SustainableInnovation #PlasticFreeSolutionsm #SustainablePackaging #FutureOfFood Frank Klemens Tom Mastrobuoni Elsa Swanson Sareen Emily Linett Bill Arnold Van N. Truskett

?? ?? We're pleased to announce the five exciting companies selected for the Next Generation Pet Food Program, run in collaboration with Mars Petcare, AAK, and Bühler Group. Each company brings a unique approach to pet food innovation, leveraging cutting-edge science to address the evolving needs of pets and their owners. The selected companies are: ? BiomeMega?(Australia): Pioneering sustainable omega fatty acids from probiotic bacteria, Biome Mega’s products have broad applications, including animal nutrition, food, and cosmeceuticals. ? KIDEMIS?(Switzerland): This Swiss food tech company uses mycelium-based fermentation to transform low-value side streams into high-value protein, offering a sustainable solution across industries. ? MiAlgae?(Scotland): Innovating in pet and livestock feed, MiAlgae produces nutrient-rich microalgae as a sustainable alternative to fishmeal, bringing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to the table.? ? Pawsible Foods?(Singapore): Through advances in fungal strain engineering and bioreactor design, Pawsible Foods has developed Kavaka? Mycoprotein—a high-quality, nutrient-dense protein for pets derived from upcycled food side streams. ? String Bio Private Limited?(India): Leveraging its SIMP platform, String Bio produces sustainable, traceable raw materials across sectors using methane, driving the future of pet nutrition, agriculture, and personal care. ? This talented cohort will showcase their groundbreaking solutions at Singapore International AgriFood Week on 19th November. Join us as they present how their innovations will?reshape the future of pet food ???? ?? Congratulations to all five companies—we can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make! #PetFood #PetFoodInnovation #Sustainability #Startups #FoodTech #BigIdeas Andrew D Ive Emily Linett Audrey Yoo Rachel Sheppard Aparna Venkatesh Jurgen Kennedy Niall Sands Adriano Barrichello Carsten Petry Thierry Duvanel Sten Estrup Beata Rozek Cherrie Kin

Are you a Food & Beverage (F&B) industry professional based in the UAE and/or a MENA-based F&B startup, investor, consultant, or other industry professional? Following the success of our events in UAE, we are pleased to confirm the following networking opportunity. This is our 6th Foodpreneurs Collective Breakfast-time Networking event in Dubai and we are particularly keen to connect with anyone attending the Organic & Natural Products Expo or the Halal Trade Expo this week and/or those interested in networking with these event delegates. *** RSVP NOW Join us for our “10th Foodpreneur Collective Breakfast Networking - Dubai” (Mon, 18th Nov | 8.00-10.00am GST/UTC+4) at Caffè Nero, Dubai World Trade Centre. Network with those interested in the event by joining the Linkedin event page: https://lnkd.in/gHCD5DwH And register officially and join the Pitch Lounge newsletter by clicking on the website link in the comments. *** ? IMPORTANT This networking event is free to attend but you will have to pay for your own drinks and food. Please register in advance for our Breakfast Networking Event so we have an idea on numbers. *** Venue: Caffè Nero Address: Dubai World Trade Centre - Sheikh Zayed Rd - Trade Centre 2 - Dubai Co-hosts: Sascha Dutta (nee Taylor), Founder (Foodpreneurs Collective & Ambassador (FoodHack Dubai) Nader Amiri, General Partner (Homegrown Ventures) Ahmad Shamieh, General Partner (Homegrown Ventures) Event Organisers Associated with: Foodpreneurs Collective Pitch Lounge FoodHack Dubai Homegrown Ventures www.meiraj.ai from Meiraj A.I. *** Event Promoters Sascha Dutta (nee Taylor) from Foodpreneurs Collective, FoodHack Dubai, Free From Food & Health Ingredients , Forward Fooding, and GourmetPro - Food & Beverage Experts. Jamal Maxey from Pitch Lounge, Investors for Climate, Forward Fooding, TheFoodCons (Top 100 FoodTech Global Shapers), and formerly Techstars Saudi Arabia. They run pitch, panel, and networking F&B Pitch Lounge & Foodpreneurs Collective events matching founders to investors and industry professionals from companies including FoodHack, FLORA Ventures, Gulfood Green, RSVP BUSINESS ANGEL, RePlate Ventures, ProVeg Incubator, IndieBio, Big Idea Ventures, EIT Food, Fusion VC, FRESH START FoodTech Incubator IL, and others. *** #FoodStartup #FoodEntrepreneur #FoodTech #PitchEvent #FoodAndBeverage #FoodBusiness #Dubaievent #Organic #NaturalProducts #Expo #Halal #FreeFrom

?? Our Team had an incredible time visiting Texas Tech University! ?? Not only did we have engaging discussions on innovation ??, but we also had the privilege of attending the inspiring Inventor Celebration! ?? What an amazing experience recognizing the brilliant minds shaping the future! ???? Thank you to the fantastic faculty and staff who gave us such a warm welcome ?? and made the visit memorable. We’re excited for what’s to come as we continue building strong connections with this vibrant community and explore future opportunities for collaboration! ???? #GFRP #Innovation #TexasTech #InventorCelebration ?? Simon Hill Frank Klemens Van N. Truskett Tom Mastrobuoni Elsa Swanson Sareen Emily Linett Research Commercialization at Texas Tech

?? Calling All Visionary Leaders! Are you passionate about driving change in sustainable food and agriculture? If that’s a YES, keep reading! ?? ? We’re on the lookout for dynamic CEOs to lead groundbreaking startups through our Generation Food Rural Partners Fund (GFRP). Share your information to be considered for future opportunities! APPLY NOW ??https://lnkd.in/d-ndk5Bf ?? GFRP has launched 7 companies driving innovations across sustainable materials, bio-based technologies for fertilizers and pesticides, and alternative meats. Here’s how we make an impact: ? Scout IP from top U.S. universities to identify the best commercialization opportunities. ? Invest in cutting-edge research to create new companies from university breakthroughs. ? Support startups in rural communities near our partner universities. Learn more about GFRP ?? https://lnkd.in/e8VT86WQ #agtech #foodtech #bigideas #agrifoodtech #innovation #futureoffood Bill Arnold Frank Klemens Tom Mastrobuoni Van N. Truskett Elsa Swanson Sareen Emily Linett