Alternative proteins jury member: Rosie Wardle

Rosie Wardle is Co-Founder and Partner at Synthesis Capital, an investment manager transforming our food system through food technology. Before Synthesis, Rosie was an Investor at CPT Capital, where she helped to build a portfolio of leading alternative protein companies including Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Memphis Meats, Perfect Day, Redefine Meat and Geltor. Rosie has a background in food sustainability and ESG, and in 2015 she launched the FAIRR Initiative, a global investor coalition focused on ESG risks and opportunities in protein production. Since launch, FAIRR has built a network of institutional investors with combined assets of almost $50 trillion, which is working with large global food companies on issues such as protein diversification. Rosie holds a BA (Hons) and MA from the University of Oxford, and an MA from the Courtauld Institute.

What excites you about the future of feed & food tech innovation?

What excites me about the future of feed and food tech innovation is] the incredible potential for breakthroughs in technology to solve some of the world’s most important challenges. From my perspective, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of innovation potential in the food sector, and there is so much more to come. The next few years will see a rapid acceleration in technology breakthroughs and scale-up, which will drive a paradigm shift in food production.

 

Why is this Challenge & the acceleration it can provide important to the future of feed & food tech?

The Nutreco Feed & Food Tech Challenge is an important catalyst for innovation in the sector. Previous Challenges have attracted high quality applicants with diverse perspectives from all over the globe, and I’m excited to see the applicants this year!

 

What are you looking for in the pitches and business plans that will be presented in this Challenge?
A clear articulation of how your technology solution will address key industry challenges, how it is differentiated versus other existing solutions on the market or in development, and the potential for scale.

 

What is one piece of advice you would have for participants in the Challenge?

Make sure to focus on your differentiation to other start-ups in the sector. This is a sector that is growing incredibly quickly, especially the alternative proteins category. So focusing on what makes your innovation uniquely valuable is a necessity.