Investment Climate Podcast: Paul Shapiro of The Better Meat Co., How to Get Funded in 2025

The Investment Climate Podcast with host Alex Shandrovsky features interviews with investors discussing benchmarks for funding Alt Proteins in 2025 and shares the investment playbooks of successful Climate Tech CEOs and Leading VCs. In episode 45, Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co., discusses the company's recent success in securing a Series A funding round despite challenges in the alternative protein market. Shapiro highlights the importance of long-term investor relationships, transparency in board meetings, and the balance between mission and pragmatism in building a truly scalable sustainability solution.

The Better Meat Co. aims to create meat that is better for the planet, animals, and public health, and recently raised $31 million in Series A funding co-led by Future Ventures and Resilience Reserve. The company's pragmatic strategy focuses on positioning as an ingredient supplier to the meat industry, producing hybrid meat products that reduce animal use at scale, and pioneering cost-competitive mycoprotein through continuous fermentation. Shapiro emphasizes the critical role of transparency and education in engaging investors and navigating challenges in the alternative protein market.