Wavemaker Partners’ Post

🚀 Last week I had the privilege of supporting Startupbootcamp Australia and ADAR Technologies as an Entrepreneur in Residence, where we kicked off the #FoodTechTasmania2024 program. This experience reminded me just how crucial the human drive to create and innovate really is—and honestly, it’s so rewarding to be part of this journey! 🌍✨ Startups have the unique ability to bring novel solutions to life, drive industries forward, and improve lives on a global scale. The ingenuity and resilience in these early-stage ventures can transform entire sectors. This is particularly true in FoodTech, where sustainable solutions are more vital than ever. 🌱💡 I'm excited to see how these founders will not only meet but exceed the challenges they’ve set out to solve—bringing meaningful change to the market. 💡 Are you curious about how research processes and market alignment can elevate novel technologies? Let’s chat! Reach out to me or Community & Kelsey to explore how we can drive innovation and positive impact together. 🌱🚀 🔔 I post every Thursday at 11:30 AEST. Follow me for weekly insights and updates on my work. 🙌 #TheHumanExperience #CommunityAndKelseyThoughtsThursday #Innovation #Startups #FoodTech #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability

Calling all circular economy startups in the Philippines! 💡♻️ The Circular ClimAccelerator Philippines is here to support startups that are developing solutions to transition from a linear to a circular economy.    Eligibility criteria: ✅ Startups in sectors like waste management, sustainable packaging, upcycling, circular agriculture, or other circular business models ✅ Early or growth-stage startups with a validated proof of concept or demonstrable growth potential ✅ Based and operating in the Philippines ✅ Registered with SEC/DTI or other local authorities Get ready to accelerate your startup’s growth with tailored mentoring, follow-on funding opportunities, and access to a global network. 🔗 Apply Now: https://lnkd.in/gGf2HczF 📅 Deadline: January 19, 2025 (11:59 PM +8 GMT) For more information, visit: https://lnkd.in/gQgvqnTP Circular ClimAccelerator Philippines is designed and implemented by Villgro Philippines in collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC. #ClimAccelerator #CircularEconomy #ClimateAction #Sustainability #ImpactInnovation #VillgroPhilippines #ClimateKIC ClimAccelerator

🌿 The True Essence of Being a Mediterranean Green Startup 🌿 The Mediterranean region is a cradle of innovation and cultural richness, making it the perfect breeding ground for green startups which intertwine social, economic, environmental, and cultural aspects into a holistic approach to sustainable entrepreneurship. 1. Startups such as @GabRaa are deeply rooted in their communities, creating job opportunities and fostering inclusive growth. 2. The Mediterranean region is renowned for its biodiversity and natural beauty, and green startups here are committed to preserving it. Learn more about this with @AtlasKasbah’s sustainable tourism. 3. Embracing and safeguarding cultural heritage by blending centuries-old traditions and local wisdom with modern sustainable practices, as demonstrated by @AishaDesign. At The Switchers Products, we are proud to support and showcase these inspiring startups. If your organization shares these values, you can join us to gain visibility for your products/services and become part of our community driving positive change.🌱✨ Visit us at 👉 https://lnkd.in/dYr4rjVi #MediterraneanGreen #SustainableStartups #EcoInnovation #CulturalHeritage #TheSwitchersProducts

Calling all circular economy startups in the Philippines! 💡♻️ The Circular ClimAccelerator Philippines is here to support startups that are developing solutions to transition from a linear to a circular economy.    Eligibility criteria: ✅ Startups in sectors like waste management, sustainable packaging, upcycling, circular agriculture, or other circular business models ✅ Early or growth-stage startups with a validated proof of concept or demonstrable growth potential ✅ Based and operating in the Philippines ✅ Registered with SEC/DTI or other local authorities Get ready to accelerate your startup’s growth with tailored mentoring, follow-on funding opportunities, and access to a global network. 🔗 Apply Now: https://lnkd.in/gGf2HczF 📅 Deadline: January 19, 2025 (11:59 PM +8 GMT) For more information, visit: https://lnkd.in/gQgvqnTP Circular ClimAccelerator Philippines is designed and implemented by Villgro Philippines (@villgroph) in collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC (@climate.kic and @climaccelerator). #ClimAccelerator #CircularEconomy #ClimateAction #Sustainability #ImpactInnovation #VillgroPhilippines #ClimateKIC 

TIME FOR CHANGE... 😁 After two and half fantastic years at GREENFORCE time has come to move on. I leave feeling extremely grateful and proud of the incredible journey together, making Greenforce the No1 food startup brand in Germany, a top 3 player in the German market responsible for 25% of the category growth since 2021 and one of the fastest growing plant-based food companies in Europe! But most of all I'm extremely proud of helping build one of the best teams in the industry and grateful for the opportunity to work with a group of very talented people. Teamwork makes the dream work 💪 I will continue my mission to drive food system change, but change the approach to create a bigger impact. No matter how successful, one startup won’t change the world. My goal is to help accelerate sustainable food innovation at scale. Why? Well, our food system has reached its limits and despite all good initiatives, change is too little and too slow... ☹️ 75% of startups or corporate ventures don't deliver the expected results. ☹️ 70% of corporations have no interest in acquiring the startups from the CVC branch. ☹️ Startup acquisitions have a failure rate between 70% and 90%. ☹️ Corporate Accelerators have a mortality rate of +60% within 2 years. ☹️ 45% of corporates and 55% of startups are (very) dissatisfied with their corporate – startup collaborations. ☹️ And of the new ventures who make it past the valley of death, 90% fail to scale. (Sources: Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Harvard Business Review, CB Insights, Verne Harnish) The question should not be whether a corporate finds innovation before a startup gets access to resources and distribution. We should create an approach where small and big work together building on each other’s strengths! The good news is that most CEO’s see new venture building as one of the best value creation opportunities for a company, with ventures focused on environmental sustainability rating second in importance for the next five years (source McKinsey & Company) This week I'm in Singapore for the Singapore International Agri-Food Week to speak with founders, investors, knowledge partners and food companies about the need to develop a systemized and strategically focused approach to deliver innovation at scale with structural collaboration between startups, corporates and investors. The key to driving food system change is better and faster innovation 📈 To be continued... #venturebuilding #venturecapital #futurefoods #foodsecurity #foodsystemchange #sustainability #startups #corporateventures #cvc #foodindustry #innovation #greenforce

It’s #friyay once more, folks, and here’s our #ICYMI [In Case You Missed It] roundup of top agri & food tech news in the MENA region that caught our eye this week.🫶 ➡️ In case you’ve been #OOO, this coming Monday EOD is the application deadline for the Green Shoots Pitch Competition, powered by Gulfood Green, taking place in Dubai, 24-26 Sept! Founders, apply now: https://lnkd.in/dAAjicaJ Sascha Dutta (nee Taylor) | Jamal Maxey | Meiraj A.I. 💚 ➡️Speaking of #innovationchallenges , the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2025 has attracted a gazillion [nearly 6k] submissions across 6 tracks, including Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, etc., according to MENAFN - The Middle East North Africa Financial Network: https://lnkd.in/gDrvECKe ➡️New accelerator alert! The Middle East News Agency (MENA) reports the launch of the Climate Adaptation Innovation Accelerator Programme for food security, by Egypt and the United Nations World Food Programme: https://lnkd.in/g6kxp49C ➡️Meantime, the inaugural 2024 cohort of the Mega Green Accelerator includes agritech startups, says Entrepreneur Middle East: https://lnkd.in/gv7DwuTR ➡️Business Outreach spotlights HeroGo, the food tech startup included in Oraseya Capital’s $1 mn+ investment in 7 tech startups. Each of the startups from SANDBOX’s fourth accelerator program will receive $150k. https://lnkd.in/gYQvw9nf ➡️It keeps coming! From Arabian Business comes the news of UAE-based food delivery & marketplace platform MealPlanet raising USD 6 mn in a seed round led by regional VCs. https://lnkd.in/g2cxyBXU ➡️Over in the Kingdom, Enterprise Saudi reported on homegrown food pick-up app TWLM تولم raising SAR 1 mn (USD 270k) in a funding round, while Abu Dhabi-based F&B giant Agthia turbocharges expansion with a SAR 90 mn protein manufacturing facility in Jeddah’s First Industrial City. https://lnkd.in/gsRnfudn. ➡️ I enjoyed this read in Enterprise Climate about ag tech FarmERP - how about you? https://lnkd.in/gyHfcVhh 🚀Lastly, amazing ag tech news from MAGNiTT - in H1 2024, Ag bounded up 12 spots to rank in the top 5 industries in KSA, primarily due to VC funding via agritech iyris (formerly RedSea), which raised $16mn in Series A back in May. Access that report here [paywall applies] https://lnkd.in/gffBK2Rj Hard to believe that the summer season is halfway over…we can already feel that the ecosystem is revving up for a very hectic Q3 & Q4, can’t you?🔥 Until next week, my friends, let’s eat well, live well, BE WELL!🍃 #storytellingwithpurpose #agtech #foodtech #foodsustainability #MENA #GCC #KSA #UAE #Dubai

I attended a startup event focused on space in Hokkaido last week, and I was truly impressed by its potential! Hokkaido has a bright future ahead. By combining its vast natural resources with advanced technology, it has great potential in the space industry. The expansive land in Hokkaido could provide suitable locations for space-related facilities and space development. Additionally, Hokkaido has promising prospects in various industries such as environmentally friendly energy resources and food production. The future of Hokkaido looks very promising. I look forward to seeing further advancements in the space industry and other sectors in Hokkaido! 🚀 The budget for the country's space program in 2024 is 894.5 billion yen, and it is expected to reach a trillion yen in the near future. 🚀60% of the startups related to Hokkaido are selected for space-related projects. 🚀Businesses that can be converted to tourism and agriculture and environment. 🚀There is rocket launch site in 大樹city in Hokkaido run by #spacecotan Rockets fly eastward to match the rotation of the Earth, so it is necessary to choose areas without public roads or residential areas in the east side of launch site. Therefore, it is difficult to create new launch sites. 🚀There is no long standby like Kennedy and Baikonur . 🚀There are cities within a hour distance. https://lnkd.in/gR8KBNGe

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀! Sinar Mas Land’s breakthrough in Smart City development is just the beginning. With Living Lab Ventures (LLV) as the investment arm, the company is poised to further solidify its position as a leading City Builder in the region. We are proud to be at the forefront of Sinar Mas Land’s mission to develop BSD City into an integrated smart and digital city. Our role as the investment arm is to channel smart investments that drive innovation and build a future-ready urban ecosystem. Living Lab Ventures is committed to supporting this vision by accelerating and funding tech startups that are reshaping digital lifestyles. To reach this objective, we offer comprehensive support to startups through our four main pillars: Strategic Investment, Global Partnerships, Venture Building, and Market Access Advisory. At LLV, we’re not just investing in businesses—we’re building a thriving ecosystem that drives sustainable economic growth and positions BSD City as a global leader in smart city innovation. Learn more about our initiatives: https://lnkd.in/gYQTkMXQ #LivingLabVentures #SinarMasLand #StrategicInvestment

Exciting news in the world of startups! 🌱🚀 Amwoodo, a bamboo products maker, has just secured an impressive funding round of USD 1 million from Rainmatter, a strategic investment fund backed by Zerodha. This investment is set to further propel Amwoodo's mission of creating sustainable and eco-friendly products. #Amwoodo, known for its innovative use of bamboo, has been making waves in the market with its range of beautifully crafted products. From furniture to home decor, their creations combine functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability. With this funding boost, they are well-positioned to expand their product line and reach a wider customer base. #Rainmatter, the investment arm of Zerodha, a leading Indian fintech company, has been actively supporting innovative startups that align with their vision of driving positive change. Their investment in Amwoodo demonstrates their commitment to fostering sustainable practices and finding exciting opportunities in the market. #Sustainability is at the core of Amwoodo's business. By using bamboo, a fast-growing and renewable resource, they are contributing to the reduction of deforestation and carbon emissions. Their products are not only environmentally friendly but also durable and stylish, making them a preferred choice for conscious consumers looking to make a difference. The funding from Rainmatter will enable Amwoodo to enhance their manufacturing capabilities, invest in research and development, and scale their operations. This injection of capital will undoubtedly accelerate their growth trajectory and allow them to solidify their position as a leader in the sustainable materials market. In an era where sustainability is a priority for individuals and businesses alike, Amwoodo's success story is an inspiration. They have tapped into a niche market, addressing the growing demand for eco-conscious products, and are now poised for even greater success. We congratulate Amwoodo on their funding achievement and look forward to witnessing their continued growth and positive impact on the environment. 🌿💪 #startupnews #fundinground #sustainability #zerodha #Rainmatter #Amwoodo #bambooproducts #ecofriendly #sustainableliving #innovation #growth #positiveimpact

𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 In the vibrant city of Bangkok, a small startup set out to revolutionize sustainable living in Thailand with innovative eco-friendly products. The founders, driven by a passion for environmental sustainability, created a biodegradable alternative to plastic bags using local materials like banana leaves and bamboo. The journey was challenging, with hurdles in sourcing sustainable materials and convincing businesses to adopt their product. The turning point came when they engaged with the community, educating locals about plastic waste and showcasing their solutions. This grassroots effort garnered media attention and community support. A partnership with a major retailer provided the exposure and revenue needed to expand. The startup reinvested profits into new products like reusable utensils and eco-friendly cleaning supplies, earning recognition and awards for their sustainability efforts. Today, the startup stands as a beacon of green entrepreneurship, inspiring others and contributing to a cleaner, greener Thailand. Their success story underscores the importance of innovation, community engagement, and strategic partnerships. Navigating Thailand's complex legal and regulatory landscape can be daunting for any business. Mahanakorn Partners Group (MPG) offers peace of mind by managing these complexities, allowing you to focus on what matters most: growing and succeeding in your business. With MPG, you're not just compliant; you're positioned for sustainable growth and success. #StartupSuccess #EcoFriendly #SustainableLiving #Innovation #ThailandBusiness #GreenEntrepreneurship #CommunityEngagement #EnvironmentalSustainability #BusinessGrowth #MahanakornPartnersGroup #MahanakornPartners #MPG #LegalSupport #BusinessSuccess #Sustainability #GreenBusiness #BangkokStartups #EcoProducts