Visits to the Protein Brewery, Revyve, Protix, and Cosun highlighted the economic opportunities offered by the food transition, but also emphasized the importance of a robust financing landscape to accelerate transitions.
Under the name the Scale-Up Plant of Europe, REWIN, the province of North Brabant, and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) are working hard to scale up companies focused on plant protein production. Thanks to its strategic location between innovation hubs such as Ghent, Delft, and Wageningen, North Brabant boasts a powerful ecosystem of leading companies, knowledge institutions, and testing facilities.
Investment leader
Brabant is the province where Invest-NL invests the most and most frequently (33% of the number of direct investments, 27% of the total investment volume). Investments in plant-based initiatives also occupy an increasingly large share within Invest-NL's portfolio. The transition towards a sustainable and climate-neutral food system and value chain is one of the focus areas of BOM and Invest-NL for good reason.
Yesterday, at the invitation of the colleagues from BOM Noord-Brabant, I visited with a strong focus on all the wonderful developments in the field of protein transition. And it definitely left me wanting more! With inspiring company visits and a beautiful roundtable discussion with many other parties about the scaling challenges for plant-based innovations. And yes, financing is certainly one of them.
Rinke Zonneveld, CEO
Capital intensive
During the discussions at the work visit, the capital needs of plant-based startups and scale-ups were emphasized. Scaling for these companies is very capital intensive due to costly facilities and the relatively long time to market. Public financing is crucial to also attract private investments and accelerate this process and thus the transition. Invest-NL is playing an increasingly important role as an investor in this. The Scale-Up Plant of Europe was seen by those present as an ecosystem-strengthening initiative.
It is good to see that the joint effort for a healthy plant-based food chain results in a strong Brabant presence of players like Cosun, Protix, Revyve, and Protein Brewery. Examples of both international world players and start- and scale-ups. The mutual cooperation is close and results in even more innovations that are so necessary for a sustainable and delicious food chain.
Brigit van Dijk – van de Reijt, CEO
The collaboration of BOM with Invest-NL has a long history. Previously, there was active collaboration in the establishment of the Deeptech Fund and various other direct and fund-to-fund investments. Invest-NL and BOM also work together to mobilize institutional investors, including pension funds, as investors.