In this episode of the Investment Climate Podcast, Giacomo Cattaneo and Alex Morel, co-founders of FOOD Founders Studio, discuss their unique approach to building B2B food tech ventures from untapped European academic IP. They have raised $1.2M toward a CHF 3M holding-company model that funds and co-founds 3-4 ventures, aiming for faster M&A-driven exits while maintaining meaningful founder ownership. They emphasize the importance of starting with validated industry problems and then sourcing university tech to solve them, rather than the traditional approach of tech looking for a use.

The founders share insights from their year-long raise, highlighting the importance of persistence and delivering value to secure investments. They stress the need for partners aligned with pragmatic derisking, including investors, universities with commercialization-ready IP, seasoned CEOs, and food companies interested in piloting their technology. Through their experience, they showcase the power of perseverance and strategic partnerships in securing funding for innovative ventures.