Philipp Hasler, Investment Director at Emerald Technology Ventures AG, Switzerland will present the talk: “Venture Capital as a Collaboration Platform” at the Plant-Based Start-Ups & VCs Summit to take place during the 14th Plant-Based Foods Summit Europe in Lille, France, 2-4 October 2019.
What can you tell us about the content of your presentation and your experiences?
I will share some of our experience in the collaboration with startups and large corporate organisations. Emerald is a globally active venture capital firm that has been investing in the most promising future leaders since 2000. To date, we invested in over 60 different companies across multiple industries in mostly North America, Europe and Israel. We have been investing in Ag and food since we started. Our interest, commitment and exposure markedly increased over the last 2-3 years. We see some major trends such as meat alternatives, food safety or novel farming that are emerging and creating multiple new developments and investment opportunities.
Young innovators have the desire to grow quickly and become the next global leader in their markets. In that regard, investors are fully aligned with the entrepreneurs. We are convinced that leveraging and collaborate with partners in the value chain is of essence and an important growth driver. Unfortunately, few of these partnerships or alliances work out as originally planned and lead to a lower growth than anticipated. Here is where entrepreneurs can benefit from the vast experience of an investor like Emerald.
What do you hope will be the outcome of this Summit?
We attend several events like this and expanding our network is an important element. It is always a pleasure to meet many people and exchange ideas. By speaking to both entrepreneurs and industry thought leaders, the stakeholders will gain a better understanding of the needs and get a good pulse check where the industry stands. I believe this is both crucial for success and an inspiring experience for everybody
What is your sweet spot and personal interest in the transition based on your role or background?
We are an investment firm and as such we do not develop food products. Our target is to select and invest in the most promising companies in this area, share our experiences with the entrepreneurs, identify partnership opportunities and provide guidance on their journey to success. We want to be seen as enablers and contributors to the success of tomorrow’s leaders.
How does your ‘moonshot’ regarding the protein transition look like?
I am not so hang up on moonshots, as I believe that several stars have to align to make this transition happen. On the product level, taste and value for money clearly are key elements. However, timing, market entry strategy as well as proper execution of viable business models are of equal critical importance.
An emerging company typically has a narrow product offering and a narrow time window to enter its markets. It has to get it right from the beginning. We are of the opinion that the collective knowledge and understanding of the industry needs and characteristics will help the entrepreneurs to succeed. In our view, collaborations and partnerships with both investors, corporates and customers are of essence to accomplish this.
About Philipp Hasler
Philipp Hasler is an Investment Director with Emerald Technology Ventures in our Zurich office and focuses on emerging energy technologies, advanced materials and AgriFood.
Emerald Technology Ventures is globally recognized as a pioneer and leader in industrial technology investments. Since 2000, we backed over 60 outstanding entrepreneurs and partnered with dozens of multinational corporations on open innovation. In AgriFood, our most recent investments are in CRIPSR and cultured meat.
Philipp has been with Emerald since 2001 and fields of expertise within the AgriFood sector include digital solutions for the agricultural industry and supply chain, process technologies and alternative proteins. In his tenure at Emerald, Philipp is or has been serving as Board Director or Observer of several Emerald portfolio companies. He also is a frequent speaker and jury member at international conferences.
Prior to join Emerald in 2001, Philipp has been a senior project manager for nine years at a process engineering company and five years as a senior researcher in fuel cell development.
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About the 14th Plant-Based Foods Summit Europe, 2-4 Oct., Lille (FR)
This Summit is a key and unique opportunity to: Validate, Develop & Execute your Business & Innovation Strategies:
- What is the opportunity for new plant-based foods from a consumer, retailing, nutrition and food processing point of view?
- What are the future directions for new plant-protein ingredients from a user, supply, food, processing, sustainability, and value chain perspective?
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