Leaders on a Mission
Discussions with leaders with a clear mission of creating a healthier world in today’s most innovative startups across FoodTech, AgTech (Agritech), Synbio, Sustainability, Climate Tech, and Clean Tech. Learn more about precision fermentation, cellular agriculture, alternative proteins, crop protection, biologicals, protein expression systems, carbon capture, plant health, precision agriculture, bioinformatics, human nutrition and what it takes to successfully scale your business in this budding sector.
Leaders on a Mission
Funding the Future of Food: Venture Capital Investing in AgriTech
Hendrik Van Asbroeck shares Astanor Ventures' exciting approach to venture capital, fueling groundbreaking, impact-driven startups revolutionizing the future of food and agriculture.
In this insightful conversation, Hendrik discusses his firm's mission to create a more sustainable and regenerative food system globally, drawing on his own journey from corporate finance to clean tech.
He explains Astanor's focus on balancing financial returns with measurable positive impact, using proprietary methodologies to assess both.
Hendrik also delves into the challenges of scaling sustainable technologies in a highly subsidized industry, as well as the importance of building diverse, international teams to navigate cultural differences in the global food market.
Hendrik shares Astanor's strategies for supporting European startups in the US, and vice versa, to drive widespread adoption of regenerative solutions.
This episode offers a unique window into the world of mission-driven venture capital, providing valuable insights for anyone interested in the future of food, agriculture, and sustainable investing.
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Hey Climate Tech enthusiasts!
Searching for new podcasts on sustainability?
Check out the Leaders on a Mission podcast, where I interview climate tech leaders who are shaking up the industry and bringing us the next big thing in sustainable solutions.
Join me for a deep dive into the future of green innovation exploring the highs, lows, and everything in between of pioneering new technologies.
Get an exclusive insight into how these leaders started up their journey, and how their cutting edge products will make a real impact.
Tune in on…
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadersonamissionNet0
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7o41ubdkzChAzD9C53xH82
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaders-on-a-mission/id1532211726
…to listen to the latest episodes!
00:28: Introduction
01:15 Career journey & joining Astanor Ventures
05:01 Technology & innovation for a better future
08:13 Journey toward a regenerative food system
12:18 Market dynamics and investment challenges
14:53 Finding investors aligned with Astanor’s vision
17:40 Astanor’s unique approach
21:10 Measuring impact beyond financial returns
24:07 Parallels between energy and food sectors
27:52 Potential for success in agricultural food ecosystem
29:47 Differences between U.S. and European markets
33:32 The balance between people and technology
35:47 Challenges with technical founders and key mistakes made
Useful links:
Astanor's website: https://astanor.com/
Astanor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/astanor/
Hendrik Van Asbroeck’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-van-asbroeck-86192965/?originalSubdomain=be
Leaders on a Mission website: https://cs-partners.net/podcasts/
Simon Leich’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/executive-talent-headhunter-agtech-foodtech-agrifoodtech-agritech/