Fundraising Fox

Lever VC

Venture capitalActively deployingoperating company · company profile

New York · Pre-Seed–Series A · 14 people tracked

Also known as LEVER VC FUND II TECHNICAL ADVISORS LLC

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Investment thesis

Lever VC invests in the transformation of food and agriculture, driven by consumer trends toward health and sustainability and a growing, more affluent population increasing demand for efficient, sustainable food production. The firm believes technological breakthroughs, expanding government support, and a focus on resource allocation are disrupting traditional agriculture. It backs entrepreneurs building the future of food and agriculture, spanning areas such as crop genetics, animal health analytics, plant-based proteins, and fermentation-based ingredient production.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 25, 2026.

Stage
Pre-Seed–Series A
Check
$100K – $5M
HQ
New York, US
Leads rounds
Leads
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2018
Last 12 months
2 investments
Tracked investments
49

Team · 14 people

from the firm's website & public directories
Clémence Landeau· Venture Partner
Thomas Chen· Associate

What they invest in

from 38 of 49 portfolio companies

FoodTech ×34Consumer ×19Direct to Consumer ×15Biotech ×12Climate Tech ×7AgTech ×5AI & Machine Learning ×5Wellness & Fitness ×3

HQs:United States×15United Kingdom×4Brazil×1China×1Sweden×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 19 portfolio companies
89%
solo founders
17 of 19 mapped founding teams

Founding team size:solo founder×172 founders×13 founders×1

Investments · 49 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2026 · 12025 · 12024 · 12023 · 22022 · 22018 · 12015 · 19 dated

Clever Carnivoreclevercarnivore.comin𝕏Nov 2025 · $7M✓ verified

Clever Carnivore develops cultivated meat — beef, pork, and chicken grown from animal tissue samples in a food production facility — as an alternative to industrial farm-raised meat.

BiotechClimate TechFoodTechChicago, US

BURRIDGE PAUL(Founder & CSO)RANGOS VIRGINIA(Executive Officer, Director)Virginia Rangos(Founder & CEO)inSTEPHANIE HARRISON(Executive Officer)NICHOLAS RANGOS(Executive Officer)RUSSELL THOMAS(Chief Product Officer)

Board seatJames Caffyn· per SEC Form D

Co-investorsNewfund CapitalStray Dog CapitalValo VenturesMcWin Capital Partners

Blackbird Foodsblackbirdfoods.cominDec 2023

Blackbird Foods makes plant-based foods including seitan, crispy tofu, battered wings, and frozen pizza, sold direct to consumers via shipping.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechLong Island City, US

Emanuel Storch(Executive Officer, Director)inYaqi Gao Grover(Director)Craig Cochran(Director)Mark Mebus(Director)

Board seatNick Cooney· per SEC Form D

Co-investorsSustainable Food VenturesWefunder

Bond Pet FoodsJun 2022

Produces real meat proteins from precision fermentation as ingredients for the pet food sector.

Boulder, US

Board seatNick Cooney· per SEC Form D

Co-investorsAgronomicsArgonautic VenturesCavallo VenturesiSelect Fund

Boston Bioprocessbostonbioprocess.cominJul 2024

Boston Bioprocess provides fermentation and bioprocess development services—including scale-up across 1.5L to 1,500L vessels, downstream process development, regulatory guidance, and tech transfer to CMOs—for companies bringing biomanufactured products to production.

AI & Machine LearningBiotechSaaSChampaign, US

Michael Tai(Executive Officer, Director)Ted Netland(Executive Officer, Director)

Board seatJames Caffyn· per SEC Form D

Co-investorsClear Current CapitalFTW VenturesSiddhi Capital

A Dozen Cousinsadozencousins.comin

A Dozen Cousins makes ready-to-eat packaged foods—including seasoned beans, bone broth rice, and seasoning sauces—inspired by Creole, Caribbean, and Latin American recipes.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Ibraheem Basir(Founder)in

Co-investorsECP GrowthRCV Frontline

Avantavantmeats.comin𝕏Oct 2015

Avant develops cultivated animal protein as an alternative to wild-caught fish, aiming to produce seafood protein without contaminants such as heavy metals, microplastics, and parasites.

BiotechFoodTechChicago, US

Mario Chin(Biotech Expert / Co-founder)Siddharth Mehta(Director)Adam Hughes(Executive Officer)Adam Jiwan(Director)Anna Fridman(Executive Officer)Steven Joung(Director)

Co-investorsAlwyn CapitalBrincParticle

Bettermeatbettermeat.coin𝕏

The Better Meat Co. develops fermentation-based technology to produce alternative protein ingredients, aiming to build a more sustainable food system.

BiotechClimate TechFoodTechNew Materials

Paul Shapiro(CEO & Board Member)in

Co-investorsEvolution VC PartnersGreen Circle Foodtech VenturesFuture Ventures

Birdmanbirdmanlife.com

Birdman makes vegan, plant-based nutrition products including protein powders, creatine monohydrate supplements, and functional blends with ingredients like BCAAs, prebiotic fiber, and vitamins.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerWellness & Fitness

Bluubluu.bioin

BLUU develops marine cell-based ingredients derived from cultured fish cells for personal care, health, and food applications.

BiotechDeep TechFoodTech

Dr. Sebastian Rakers(Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer)in

Co-investorsLBBW Venture Capital GmbHManta Ray VenturesNorrsken VC

Bondpetsbondpets.comin𝕏

Bond Pets develops brewed meat proteins using precision fermentation for pet food products that are marketed as better for pets, farm animals, and the planet.

BiotechFoodTechBoulder, US

Rich Kelleman(CEO & Founder)

Co-investorsAgronomicsCavallo VenturesGenoa VenturesiSelect Fund

Cellxcellx.cn

Co-investorsAgronomics

Floxflox.aiin

FLOX provides an automated intelligence system for poultry producers that replaces manual weighing and delayed reporting with continuous flock tracking, instant alerts, and a daily dashboard.

AgTechAI & Machine LearningFoodTech

Co-investorsIlluminate Financial

Gavangavan.bioin

Gavan develops advanced fat technologies from natural ingredients for food companies to create healthier and more sustainable products.

Circular EconomyCleantechFoodTech

Co-investorsMoreVC

Good Planet

Produces plant-based cheese products including shreds, slices, wheels, and cream cheese.

Good Planet Foodsgoodplanetfoods.comin𝕏Jan 2023

GOOD PLANeT Foods makes plant-based cheese made with olive oil, offering products with minimal saturated fat and good melt as an alternative to dairy cheese for consumers.

Advanced ManufacturingConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechBellevue, US

David Israel(Founder)Joe Essa(Director)Michael Frey(Director)Dan Gross(Director)Josh Wand(Director)Jay Bauer(Director)

Co-investorsCleveland AvenueGreatPoint VenturesStray Dog Capital

Groundedgrounded.co.ukin

Grounded makes dairy-free, plant-based protein shakes with 20g of protein per serving, made from real ingredients and no artificial sweeteners.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Harkensweetsharkensweets.comin

Harken Sweets produces plant-based candy bars made from date fruit, containing 14g of prebiotic fiber and no added sugar at 150 calories per bar.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechWellness & Fitness

Co-investorsMelitas Ventures LlcSelva VenturesTaste Tomorrow Ventures

HerdDogg, Inc.herddogg.comin

HerdDogg makes Bluetooth-enabled smart ear tags and solar-powered transmitters that continuously monitor cattle movement and temperature, using AI to generate real-time health and estrus alerts.

AgTechAI & Machine LearningHardwareIoTSeward, US

MELISSA BRANDAO(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Andrew Uden(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Peck(Executive Chair)Jonathan Moyes(VP of Engineering)inTHOMAS TRONE(Director)

BoardJason Wrone(Director)

Co-investorsInnova Memphis, Inc.Invest NebraskaiSelect FundPortland Seed FundSerra Ventures

Heuraheurafoods.com𝕏

Heura Foods makes plant-based meat alternatives — including burgers, chunks, fillets, cold cuts, nuggets, sausages, and mince — using ingredients such as soy and pea protein and extra virgin olive oil.

Climate TechConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Co-investorsUnovis Asset Management

Incaptoincapto.comin𝕏

Coffee-as-a-Service platform with in-house roasting, IoT bean-to-cup machines, and a subscription model, avoiding single-use capsules.

Co-investorsBStartupBynd Venture CapitalCardumen CapitalMcWin Capital PartnersP101 Ventures

Lyrolyro.comin𝕏

Lyro Robotics builds machine vision and robotic automation systems for food production and supply chain operations, using proprietary Variability Intelligence to handle products that vary in size, shape, and quality.

AI & Machine LearningFoodTechRobotics

Co-investorsStray Dog Capital

Marvelous Foodsmarvelousfoods.com

Marvelous Foods makes Yeyo, a coconut-based yogurt brand marketed as China's first coconut yogurt, along with related granola, super-food powders, and coconut frozen desserts.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Athena Zhu(Founder)in

Co-investorsNew Climate Ventures

Melt&Marblemeltandmarble.comin

Melt&Marble uses precision fermentation, microbial metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology to produce fats and ingredients aimed at creating more sustainable food products.

BiotechClimate TechConsumerFoodTechNew MaterialsGothenburg, SE

Anastasia Krivoruchko(Co-founder & CEO)inFlorian David(Co-founder & CSO)inJens Nielsen(Co-founder & Chairman of the Board)inThomas Cresswell(Chief Business Officer)inTue Holdal(Chief Technology Officer)in

Co-investorsBeiersdorf Innovation FundCatalyze CapitalChalmers Ventures ABIndustrifondenNordic Foodtech VC

Mezclaeatmezcla.comin

Mezcla makes plant-based snack bars with a light, crispy texture, offering flavors such as Matcha Vanilla and Peanut Butter Chocolate with plant protein and fiber.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Griffin Spolansky(Founder)in

Co-investorsHabitat PartnersBluestein VenturesTONIC VENTURES

MFLmed-food-lab.com

The Mediterranean Food Lab (MFL) uses proprietary solid-state fermentation to turn grains, legumes, and vegetables into additive-free culinary flavor ingredients that replicate the depth of meat- and bone-based dishes.

BiotechFoodTech

Co-investorsPeakBridge VC

Mission Barnsmissionbarns.comin𝕏Nov 2018

Mission Barns produces cultivated meat products, primarily pork-based items like meatballs, bacon, and sausages, combining lab-grown pork fat with plant protein for consumers seeking sustainable alternatives to conventional meat.

Climate TechFoodTechBerkeley, US

Ilan Eitan Fischer(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardDavid Bowman(Director)

Co-investorsAir Street CapitalBabel VenturesBetter Ventures Central LlcBloom8Blue Ledge CapitalJoyance Partners+6 more

Mozzamozzafoods.comin𝕏

Mozza Foods develops casein protein grown in soybeans as an ingredient for the dairy industry, aiming to replace cow-dependent supply chains using existing agricultural infrastructure.

AgTechBiotechFoodTechLos Angeles, US

Adam Tarshis(Founder)Natasha Sharma(Director)

BoardRose Eva Wardle(Director)

Co-investorsStray Dog CapitalSynthesis Capital

Mush Foodsmush-foods.comin

Mush Foods produces 50CUT, a line of mushroom root (mycelium) and mushroom products designed to be mixed with ground meat or poultry to reduce emissions and add nutrition.

AgTechClimate TechFoodTechChicago, US

Ashley Thompson(Executive Officer, Director)Joanna Dutta(Executive Officer)Guillermo Freile(Executive Officer)

BoardSam McBride(Director)

Co-investorsViola VenturesSiddhi Capital

New School Foodsnewschoolfoods.co

New School Foods makes plant-based salmon designed to match the appearance, cooking behavior, flavor, and flaky texture of real fish.

ConsumerFoodTech

Co-investorsAlwyn CapitalBlue Horizon CorporationBlue Revolution Investments G.P.Clear Current CapitalClimate CapitalGood Startup+3 more

No Cownocow.comin

NoCow makes plant-based protein bars that are dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, and vegan.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Daniel Katz(Founder)

Co-investorsAssembled BrandsSun Mountain CapitalValor Equity Partners

NoMoonomoo.com.br
NuCicernucicer.cominOct 2022

NuCicer develops improved crop varieties through selective breeding, starting with high-protein chickpeas designed for better nutrition.

AgTechAI & Machine LearningFoodTechDavis, US

Kathryn Cook(Executive Officer, Director)inDouglas Cook(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardPaimun Amini(Director)inJerry Steiner(Director)inCarsten Boers(Director)in

Co-investorsBetter Ventures Central LlcBlue Horizon CorporationIllumina VenturesRhapsody Venture PartnersStray Dog Capital

Nudeheynude.com.brin

Nude is a Brazilian foodtech that makes oat-based plant milk with few ingredients and lower environmental impact, positioned as an alternative to dairy milk.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Co-investorsCapria Ventures

Offbeastoffbeast.comin

Offbeast manufactures plant-based whole-cut steaks using a proprietary fiber-alignment technology to achieve texture comparable to conventional meat products.

Climate TechConsumerFoodTechNew York City, US

Insa Mohr(Founder)in

Co-investorsGlobal BrainY CombinatorCollaborative Fund

Offbeastmoojimeats.com

Mooji Meats develops a proprietary Cross-Fiber Assembly platform that adds meaty whole-cut textures to plant-based and real-meat proteins at scale, with a flagship line of plant-based filet mignons.

BiotechDirect to ConsumerFoodTechBaltimore, US

Insa(Founder)

Co-investorsY CombinatorClear Current CapitalSiddhi Capital

Omniomni.pet

Omni is a UK-based pet food company that makes novel protein, allergy-friendly food for pets, aimed at improving pet health while reducing environmental impact.

ConsumerDigital HealthDirect to ConsumerE-commerceFoodTechHealthtech

Guy Sandelowsky(Co-Founder)Shiv Sivakumar(Founder)Dr Guy Sandelowsky(Founder)

Co-investorsArtesianBrincCompanion FundIW CapitalMiroma VenturesCraft Ventures+1 more

Omniomni.network𝕏Jun 2026 · $14.5M

Nomina is a unified trading terminal for perpetual future decentralized exchanges (perp DEXs) that lets DeFi users run and automate advanced cross-exchange trading strategies.

Crypto & Web3Data & InfrastructureFintech

Tyler Tarsi(Co-Founder and CTO)Austin King(Founder)in

Co-investorsPantera CapitalCraft VenturesDigitalis VenturesICONIQIW CapitalRedrice Ventures

Ooblioobli.comin

Oobli develops sweet proteins derived from equatorial fruits and berries, using a fermentation process to produce a sugar alternative that is thousands of times sweeter than sugar.

BiotechCleantechFoodTechImpact & Social Good

Jason Ryder(Founder & CTO)

Co-investorsGlobal BrainPiva CapitalKhosla VenturesPETRONAS Ventures

Smash Kitchensmashkitchen.comin

Smash Kitchen makes pantry food products formulated without GMOs, artificial flavors, sweeteners, dyes, high fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated oils.

ConsumerFoodTech

Sameer Mehta(Founder)in

Co-investorsAurumCosmic Venture Partners

The Better Meat Co

Produces novel fermented mycelium protein as an ingredient for meat alternatives and hybrid meat products.

Co-investorsEPIC VENTURESGreen Circle Foodtech VenturesHemisphere Ventures LLC

The Good Spoonworldfoodinnovations.com
The Mediterranean Food Lab

Produces flavorings via multi-stage fermentation as ingredients for plant-based foods.

The Newthenewfoods.com.br
The New Butchers

Leading high-quality plant-based meat brand in Brazil producing beef, chicken, and fish products.

THISthis.co

THIS manufactures consumer products positioned as environmentally and socially responsible, with B Corp certification validating both product and business practices.

Circular EconomyConsumerFoodTech

Co-investorsFive Seasons VenturesManta Ray Ventures

Tibatempehtibatempeh.com

Tiba Tempeh makes tempeh products using a slow fermentation method, offering a range that includes a smoky block, marinated pieces, burgers, and mince as plant-based food options.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Turtletreeturtletree.comin

TurtleTree produces LF+, an animal-free lactoferrin made through precision fermentation, marketed as an ingredient for vitamins and supplements, functional beverages, sports nutrition, skincare, and plant-based products.

BiotechFoodTechWellness & FitnessSacramento, US

Fengru L(Founder)

Co-investorsK2 Global

Welldonewelldone.green𝕏
XOXOdrinkxoxo.com

XOXO makes prebiotic sparkling sodas containing 6g of prebiotic fibre and low sugar, sold in seven fruit flavours as a gut-health-focused alternative to regular soda.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Rory Paterson(Founder)in

Co-investorsGGFGreen Generation FundHeartfelt CapitalSamos Investments

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Lever VC made?
Lever VC has 45 tracked investments.
What stage does Lever VC invest at?
Lever VC invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
What is Lever VC's typical check size?
Lever VC typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
What sectors does Lever VC focus on?
Lever VC focuses on AgTech, Biotech, FoodTech.
Where is Lever VC located?
Lever VC is headquartered in New York, US.
Does Lever VC lead rounds?
Yes, Lever VC leads investment rounds.
Who does Lever VC co-invest with?
Lever VC most often shares deals with Stray Dog Capital, Agronomics, iSelect Fund, among 73 tracked co-investors.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

MBS585- The Future of Food: Investing in Alternative Protein with Nick Cooney of Lever VC

Matt Brown Show · Nick Cooney

Nick Cooney of Lever VC

Cultured Meat and Future Food Show · Nick Cooney

Images

Lever VC photoLever VC photoLever VC photo

Co-investors · 5

Better Ventures Central Llc

Better Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm backing mission-driven technology companies working to build a better world across climate, health, and workforce sectors.

Both backed · 2
$500K – $1.5M
Bitkraft Esports Ventures

BITKRAFT Ventures is a global investment platform focused on gaming, interactive media, and related technologies, backing companies building at the convergence of physical and digital worlds (which it calls Synthetic Reality).

$100K – $5M
Business Growth Fund

BGF provides minority growth capital and support to entrepreneurial small and medium-sized businesses across the UK and Ireland, from university spinouts to established brands.

$3.8M – $38M

Firms observed investing alongside Lever VC, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Lever VC's recorded portfolio.

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