Issam Abu-Aisheh, MBA (Oxon)

My dear friend and mentor Faraz Khan MBE, recently engaged in a thought-provoking conversation on the NYSE trading floor with Judy Khan Shaw. Faraz discussed the critical importance of ESG and the sustainability transition for businesses, highlighting our commitment to driving sustainable practices across key sectors. Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/d6v7Y43U #NYSEFloorTalk #SEEDVentures #Sustainability #ESG #SpectrEco NYSE Spectreco SEED Ventures

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Over the last year, while I was starting out to build Morrow (Nihilo Food Systems) I had the pleasure to work with a fantastic team at Helm (formerly The Supper Club) and support founders in their scale up journey. This last year has been an incredible learning experience, and while it was pretty tough at times working a full time job and building a business at the same time, it has taught me some invaluable lessons. The biggest lesson I’m taking away is the importance of the people around you. People are a business’ biggest opportunity, as well as the biggest challenge. People can transform a business, they can be the gateway for growth and scale, but they can also be its biggest hurdle and block. Building and leading a great team must be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, challenge for founders. But it’s worth the challenge because a committed, dedicated, ambitious, and purpose driven team can be a game changer not just for the business but your own journey too (at least it was for me! A special thank you to Samuel Lewis and Georgios Kapodistrias whom I learned from every day). I’m humbled by some of the leaders and teams that I have got to know, and look forward to building a team for Morrow, taking on the learnings I’ve made. What does a great team look like for you? Narinder Hayer Sonam P. Georgios Kapodistrias Samuel Lewis Freddie Archdale Jason Basel Andreas Adamides #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #buildingteams #people #businessuccess #trust #commitment #dedication #founderjourney

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It’s an exciting time to be at the forefront of the biotechnology revolution, especially for those of us passionate about the underexplored potentials of mycelium and mushrooms. The buzz around mushroom technology is growing louder with each day, and for good reason. Recently, Sifted featured an article by Sadia Nowshin (the link will be in the first comment) highlighting one of our esteemed alumni from Beamline Accelerator, S.Lab, which is pioneering innovations using mycelium for sustainable solutions. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Mycelium, the root structure of fungi, offers a sustainable alternative for various industries, including food, packaging, and even building materials. Its ability to grow rapidly, adapt to various environments, and decompose organic waste materials, while consuming less water and no arable land, positions it as a champion of sustainable innovation. Our accelerator, Beamline, has been at the vanguard of supporting startups that harness the power of fungi and its derivatives. S.Lab was spotlighted for its groundbreaking work in developing biodegradable materials from mycelium. But they are not alone. MYCEEN and FUNKI are also part of our portfolio, innovating in the food sector to create delicious, sustainable alternatives that appeal to a growing group of eco-conscious consumers. ÄIO (also, a company from our portfolio) might seem a slight outlier at first glance, as they focus on yeast technologies. However, they share the same foundational #biotech spirit that drives all our startups. Yeasts, like fungi, play a crucial role in sustainable biological processes and offer tremendous potential for environmental and health benefits. The mushroom-tech market itself is burgeoning and is projected to grow to an impressive $1.14 billion by 2028 (see the data from World Bio Markets, I will also leave a link in the comments). This growth represents a shift in consumer behaviors and industrial practices towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives. At Beamline, we recognize the critical role these innovations play in shaping a sustainable future. We're dedicated to nurturing startups that are bold enough to rethink traditional industry standards and are eager to tap into the incredible properties of mushrooms and mycelium. Salute to the startups of this challenging niche, they have laid the foundation for a more sustainable and resilient world. #sustainabletech #mushroomtechnology #greentech

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💰 📊 FoodTech startups have already raised $7.3B in 2024   We have some early data points that show that investments have increased by 20% compared with the same period last year: $7.3B have been invested in FoodTech startups in H1 2024 compared to $6.9B in H1 2023. This increase has been driven by a handful of mega-deals, notably: - $700M invested in Wonder, a cloud kitchens / virtual restaurants - $665M for Zepto, an Indian, quick delivery grocery delivery startup - $384M for Picnic Technologies, a Dutch grocery delivery startup - $300M equity investment by Uber in Delivery Hero Alongside this appetite for virtual restaurants and delivery, we observed an increase in AgTech deals with Bioinputs. However, many other categories see a strong decline in funding, notably alternative proteins, with no bounce back in sight. In terms of geographies, if we compare the last quarter to what happened in H1 2023, we observe no major evolution beyond a “re-strengthening” of the North American ecosystem. 👉 Link to the full insight note with much more data and graphs: https://lnkd.in/e3JTPeYJ #foodtech #agtech #funding #deals #startups

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❤️‍🔥 🐾 Excited to announce the beginning of our common journey with Pure Pet Food 🐾 ❤️‍🔥 At Felix Capital we have witnessed over the years a massive cultural shift: Today there are almost twice as many US households with pets vs. children. 58% of millennials choose to own pets over having children. 46% of owners spend the same or more on their pets than on their children. ⚡ Pets are officially the new kids! ⚡ After our recent investment in Lassie, we are excited to embark on this new journey, leading this £15m round with a significant minority stake. Pure Pet Food was founded in 2013 by childhood friends Daniel Valdur Eha and Mathew Cockroft, with just a £300 loan. Their ambition was to revolutionise the ambient #pet #food market by creating an alternative to traditional kibble, through the manufacture and marketing of natural, healthy and easily digestible food for dogs. 🐶 As consumer preferences shift towards healthier and more natural options—not just for themselves but for their pets—we see immense potential in Pure's mission to transform the pet food industry. The business has impressively grown over 200% in the last 24 months to a £25m runrate and had their first months turning EBITDA positive. The company appointed new #CEO Roz Cuschieri in April 2023, who has previously held board roles at Warburtons and Genius Foods to work alongside the founders. This funding round will fuel Pure's expansion both in the UK and new markets, as well as develop its distribution channels and product categories. Welcome Matt, Dan, Roz and the whole Pure Pet team to the Felix family! 🤝 We are thrilled to support Pure as they embark on an exciting next chapter, focused on building a truly loved #brand for both #dogs and their #parents. 🐕 🙌 Read more about our investment thesis on our Medium page here: https://lnkd.in/eJEWP35W #petnutrition #sustainability cc: Alexandra Thornton, Miles Hill, Sarah Doyle, Jan Oosthuizen, Mercia Asset Management PLC

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Healthy food is a pathway for food transformation. There is no better business case than improving human health. The great news is that if you optimise for health, nutrient-dense, wholesome, or even clean food, then you end up with ingredients that have a positive impact on the environment, sourcing from nature-positive or even regenerative food producers. You can only have one with the other. I'm excited to be interviewing and hearing about these 3 innovative food companies: Dominie Fearn, Charlie Gilpin and Sam Moss

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A great article on the state of food tech investing by PeakBridge. The combination of consumer demand, lower capex strategies and large corporates driving M&A activity make for a great time to be investing in the future of food. #foodtech, #agtech, #venturecapital,

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We had a fantastic session with Ash Rust, Managing Partner at Sterling Road, during Monday's weekly Pear Persian Founder Circle (PFC) event.  Ash shared some great advice on how to pitch to VCs, and here some takeaways: 1- Follow the right order when making introductions, and always try for a warm intro.  2- First impressions count. It’s worth investing in a designer for your pitch deck. 3- You can learn to pitch well in just 72 hours if you’re committed and you practice, including recording yourself and watching it back. Then do it again and so forth. 4- Keep things simple at first. Share the big, important numbers—save contextual details in the appendix for when they ask. 5- Persistence pays off. Keep following up until you get a clear answer. Thanks, Ash, for an insightful and motivating talk with our founders! 

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While headline numbers about China’s consumer sector have been bleak, L Catterton has still been investing in the space and our portfolio companies have been able to continue generating robust growth despite challenges in the market. Bloomberg saw that our newest portfolio company in China, Viee, achieved record high earnings last year, on top of others such as Hi!Papa and Trautec also growing manyfold, like we announced previously, and asked how we have been able to do this. It boils down to two things – (i) our research-driven, category-first approach to investing, and (ii) our operating-centric approach to value creation – that we have honed as a consumer-focused firm over the past 35 years. Some further information can be found in the following article: https://lnkd.in/gqDqYD4d

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Impact founders, this one's for you! 🚀 On October 30th, Unrest is launching Impact <> Investor Office Hours where 60 purpose-driven founders get 1-1 time with Europe’s top angels and VC funds, including investors from Speedinvest, Sequoia, Octopus Ventures and many more. This is an incredible opportunity to gather feedback, build relationships, and potentially accelerate your fundraising journey. Why you should apply: 💥 Top Investors: Connect directly with Europe's leading VCs and angels—no warm intro required. 💡 1:1 Feedback: Receive personalised advice and insights from investment experts (serious potential to propel your progress) 👥 Build Relationships: Get the chance to build connections that extend far beyond this initiative 📤 Exposure: Even if you’re not selected, your application will be sent to all participating investors! Having been part of the Unrest spring cohort this year, I have experienced first hand how brilliant the team is to support impact founders finding and making the right connections. I'll definitely be applying for this too. 🚀 Hurry to not miss out, as applications close on October 10th. You can find the application link and more details in the comments. Panayiotis (Pan) Demetriou Orr Vinegold Anas Hassan Liesa MillerShola Forbes

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Key areas to watch include the continued development of alternative protein sources, technologies addressing food waste and supply chain inefficiencies, and innovations at the intersection of food and digital technologies. The potential reshaping of global capital flows, particularly from the Middle East, adds an additional layer of complexity and opportunity to the investment landscape.

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Interesting to see how the Corporate VC world of Saleforce Ventures has ended up feeding acquisitions through to the main Salesforce. The notable exception in this chart is Slack, where SV did not invest in Slack (but probably wished they did), but adopted a partnership over a period of 5 years. #corporatevc #MandA #strategy

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Value selling works... learn more here

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AI is stepping up as a catalyst for change in the food industry. It’s not just about making products, but about making them better for the planet. AI helps companies prioritize sustainability, whether through regenerative farming or eco-friendly packaging, and optimizes supply chains to reduce waste. Plus, it ensures healthier products don’t sacrifice taste. It’s like a sustainability GPS, guiding the industry toward a greener future. PeakBridge Read more about how Tastewise is changing the food industry with AI: https://lnkd.in/dgGsvhAB

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The Capital Access for Seed & Early Stage Investments Vs Later Stage Investments; ---> Roll Call for International Partners wanting to Add Value in the Region. https://hubs.ly/Q02CLVS90

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BIG ANNOUNCEMENT from the #Dirt #King Cliff Fetner. Extremely proud of my father for his continued devotion and dedication to helping aspiring entrepreneurs in the #ConstructionTech ecosystem. I especially agree with his thesis regarding a HUGE gap in the market for #international #ConTech startups seeking GTM advice and networks to successfully launch in the US. Check out Cliff's medium post and tag #founders & #CEOs who you think would benefit from engaging with him. #ConTech #Founders #GTM

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Big News: Minut x Google Nest Integration is now Live! 🚀 Minut works hard on sustainability. We spend a lot of effort on making sure our supply-chain is short and that our products are eco-friendly. Even more importantly, we're also helping Airbnb hosts run their rentals more sustainably! This latest collaboration between Minut and Google Nest is a game-changer in that regard. With this new release hosts around the world can: 💡 Cut energy costs: Automate heating and cooling to keep energy usage low when guests are away. 🛏️ Enhance guest experience: Ensure every guest arrives to a perfectly comfortable space with pre-set temperatures. 🌱 Reduce carbon footprint: Gain control over your heating, reduce energy consumption, and make your property more eco-friendly. Start saving energy and lowering your environmental impact today: https://lnkd.in/eY58wkxV We're particularly proud of this release, so please let us know what you think! 🙏🏻

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I'm looking forward to moderating a panel on June 17th at the Future Food-Tech Alt Protein Conference titled: "Boosting Investor Confidence: Adapting Innovative Financing Models to Overcome the Trough of Disillusionment" ___________________________________________________________________ I'll be joined by a great group of investors in the space, including: Shayna Harris of Supply Change Capital Ashley Hartman of Bluestein Ventures Nadav Berger of PeakBridge Rosie Wardle of Synthesis Capital We plan to hit on various topics: 🔵 Current fundraising environment for alt protein companies 🔵 How this varies by stage 🔵 What investors are looking for that help a company stand out 🔵 What needs to change in the space 🔵 Innovative financing approaches being taken beyond VC 🔵 and more Should be a great discussion, and I'm looking forward to hearing questions from the audience as well - from startups to corporates to other investors - hoping to get questions about what's really on everyone's minds If you'll be at the conference, let me know, as I'd love to connect! 💻 PS: If you were wondering what AI Image Generators create if you type in "Boosting Investor Confidence in Alternative Proteins" the pic below is one of the ones you get. Good? Bad? Odd? Not sure - but who knows what actually goes on within AI

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