FOOD FOUNDERS Studio Eyes Growth with $1.5 Million Funding and Plant-Based Startup Launch

The studio, founded by Giacomo Cattaneo and Alexandre Morel, is focused on commercializing food technologies developed in European universities that have not yet made it to trade. “The world needs, more than ever, a food system that respects our health and environment” The studio’s primary goal is to bridge the gap between breakthrough food investigation and commercialization. This will be achieved by transforming promising academic technologies into B2B startups .

The backing for the studio came from undisclosed private shareholders, including a Swiss family office that served as the anchor investor. In a LinkedIn post, Morel shared the milestone, stating, “After nearly 2 years of highs and lows, we’re celebrating huge milestones. Cattaneo co-founded EverGrain at AB InBev, and Morel was involved in Mirai , a cultivated meat startup.

Together, they identified the gap in Europe’s foodtech landscape, where promising research often remains trapped in academic labs. “Europe generates incredible food research, and most of it stays trapped in university labs due to ineffective traditional tech transfer mechanisms,” Cattaneo told AgFunderNews . The venture studio is addressing the slow commercialization of food-related innovations, particularly in the plant-based food trade.

Cattaneo observed that, compared to sectors like biotech, food technology has faced challenges in securing financing and support. He explained, “Of all of the commercialized research that comes to market from academia, only 1% is in food.” The studio’s first venture tackles one of the biggest barriers to mass adoption in the plant-based food market: off-flavors in legumes like peas, fava beans , and chickpeas.

Cattaneo described the technology as “simple, cost-effective, scalable, and without regulatory barriers,” focusing on improving the taste of these legumes without compromising their functionality. © tilialucida – stock.adobe.com A hands-on approach to de-risking The FOOD FOUNDERS model centers on de-risking foodtech innovation by closely involving researchers and early-stage founders in the commercialization process. The studio takes a hands-on approach, validating the market need for a technology before developing it into a product.

Rather than pursuing multiple ventures simultaneously, the studio will focus on building one startup per year, ensuring each receives the necessary attention and resources. “We’re not playing the numbers game. We de-risk things by being really hands-on and focusing on bringing ideas to trade that we know are truly solving a problem,” Cattaneo explained.

Per to Flexibility for academics and entrepreneurs Morel as well, the studio’s model offers flexibility for academics who develop technologies. They can either join the startup as CTOs, serve as consultants, or remain in academia.

This provides a balance between full-time startup commitment and staying involved with ongoing academic research. Looking forward, FOOD FOUNDERS Studio plans to raise additional funds to support future ventures.

It is also in the process of appointing its first CEO, who will lead the first venture into marketplace. In his LinkedIn post, Morel expressed the studio’s commitment to making a positive impact. “Europe needs, more than ever, to turn groundbreaking work into real-world value and impact.

The world needs, more than ever, a food system that respects our health and environment,” he wrote.