Wokelo AI

The road to VC funding is far too long and winding for female founders. The numbers on the surface seem bad enough when looking at the share of capital reaching female-founded startups over the last few years. Digging a bit deeper, we see that even those that make it to top of the VC charts must jump through many more hoops than your typical startup. Our recent March-special blog captured some observations on the VC landscape for female founders, and informed a revealing analysis by Startups.co.uk on the high expectations on female founder background and credentials. No doubt an important criteria for investors - the ‘tenure’ in the industry and top-tier pedigree seems to become nearly non-negotiable when VCs are evaluating female founders. None of those interesting dorm room and dropout stories that have come to be synonymous with groundbreaking startups, especially in tech. Most female founders that received the top VC dollar (across stages) in the last few years exhibit a common theme when it comes to credentials - nearly two decades or more of industry experience with big name employers, and advanced degrees (including doctoral and post-doc), often from top-tier schools. A paradoxical trend, while celebrating outstanding academic and professional achievements of these founders, may also be quietly raising the bar so high as to become a hindrance for younger female entrepreneurs and innovators that do not necessarily fit the mold. ???? #investmentinsights #femalefounders #womenledbusinesses #vcfundinggap Read more: https://lnkd.in/gSgqRNBT https://lnkd.in/g6HcbpDK

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Alternative Proteins: The Future of Food or Just Another Bubble? From fast food to fine dining, alternative proteins are becoming a global menu staple. But with economic headwinds and rising skepticism, is this a transformational shift or?a bubble settling into a co-existing niche? The Market is Evolving, Not Slowing Down - Tech breakthroughs in fermentation-based flavors, high-moisture extrusion, and hybrid cultivated meat are driving taste & texture improvements. - Regulatory fast-tracks (FDA, Singapore, Israel) are unlocking new markets for cultivated meat. - Strategic M&A is heating up: *Starco Brands acquired Soylent, signaling that meal replacements are going mainstream. *Nourish You India acquired One Good, marking India’s biggest alternative dairy deal. *Shiok Meats Meats acquired Gaia Foods, accelerating cultivated red meat development. What This Means: - A consolidation wave is favoring well-capitalized players who can scale efficiently. - Hybrid models (blending plant-based & cultivated proteins) are emerging as a path to cost optimization and mass adoption. Capital Still Flows Despite Market Uncertainty While high R&D costs and consumer skepticism pose challenges, major players continue to push boundaries: - Impossible Foods (~$2B) remains a leader in plant-based meat. - meati? ($300M+ funding) is scaling mycelium-based protein production. - Heura Foods (€40M Series B) is expanding rapidly across 22,000+ locations. Beyond a Trend: A Climate Imperative If scaled effectively, alternative proteins could eliminate 0.85 gigatons of CO? by 2030, outpacing aviation decarbonization efforts. What’s Next? As alt-proteins transition from niche to necessity, expect more capital inflows, regulatory shifts, and aggressive partnerships shaping the industry’s next phase. Read our blog (https://lnkd.in/guFr6wYW) on alternative proteins, and check out Wokelo.ai for bespoke investment analysis on food tech in minutes. #FoodTech #AltProteins #Sustainability #FutureOfFood

We’re sponsoring #GCVISummit (Global Corporate Venturing & Innovation Summit) in Monterey, CA on March 18-20!??? Stop by our booth for a quick introduction and to experience firsthand how Wokelo is transforming?private market investments?with AI-powered due diligence. If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time! Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eZiWkHY7

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