Vevolution Joins Big Idea Ventures to Fuel the Future of Food Innovation

Courtesy: Vevolution

In a move that underscores the growing need for connected infrastructure in the food and climate tech sectors, Big Idea Ventures (BIV) has acquired the assets of Vevolution, a UK-based investment platform known for linking startups with mission-aligned investors in the bioeconomy. The acquisition is set to enhance BIV’s ability to discover, fund, and support next-generation companies tackling food system transformation at scale.

Founded in 2017 by Damien Clarkson and Judy Nadel, Vevolution began as a grassroots event and media platform championing the early plant-based movement. By 2020, amid pandemic-driven digital shifts, it had pivoted into a curated investment platform — enabling founders to connect with angel investors, VCs, and corporate backers through a user-friendly digital interface. That evolution helped catalyze more than $60 million in funding across startups such as MeliBio, Fermify, POSEIDONA, and De Novo Foodlabs.

With the backing of investors like Capital V, Kale United, and Cult Food Science, Vevolution grew rapidly. By 2024, it had onboarded over 8,000 users — including 2,200 startups and 1,000+ investors — creating one of the most active niche marketplaces in the sustainable innovation space.

Now part of Big Idea Ventures, the platform enters a new phase of growth. “Vevolution has built something truly valuable — not just a tool, but a community,” said Andrew D. Ive, Managing General Partner of BIV. “We’re integrating it into our global infrastructure to support earlier-stage discovery, improve investor-startup matchmaking, and ultimately help scale the solutions this planet urgently needs.”

Andrew Ive

For BIV, which has invested in more than 150 startups and manages over $150 million across multiple funds, the move strengthens its position as a central node in the global food tech investment ecosystem. The firm plans to use Vevolution to deepen regional ecosystem-building efforts, run investor syndicates, and host targeted demo days focused on agrifood, climate, and bioeconomy verticals.

Clarkson and Nadel, who recently exited their other venture — vegan pet food brand THE PACK — welcomed the acquisition as a natural progression. “We’ve always believed that collaboration is the engine of meaningful change,” they said in a joint statement. “With Big Idea Ventures, Vevolution will not only scale its impact but also stay true to its mission of enabling innovation where it matters most.”

The acquisition also reflects broader shifts across the alternative protein and climate tech sectors. While global interest in sustainability remains high, investor activity has softened. VC funding for alternative proteins declined by 27% in 2023, and climate tech overall saw a 38% drop. In this climate, platforms that can de-risk early-stage investments and streamline capital deployment are gaining new relevance.

Michiel van Deursen, Vevolution’s third co-founder and founder of Capital V, sees the move as timely: “We need better infrastructure to make innovation funding more inclusive, faster, and smarter. This partnership brings together capital, community, and technology in a way that can make that happen.”

As new technologies emerge to address food security, climate adaptation, and biological resilience, the question isn’t just where innovation will come from — but how fast it can scale. With this acquisition, BIV and Vevolution are betting that smarter connectivity is the missing link.