FoodLabs
FoodLabs is a Berlin-based venture capital firm and venture studio founded in 2016, investing $100K–$2M tickets across pre-seed to Series B+ in European foodtech, agtech, climate, biotech, and consumer health startups through its €105M Fund III and pre-idea Studio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FoodLabs does
FoodLabs is a Berlin-based venture capital firm and venture studio founded in 2016 that invests in early-stage startups across food technology, agriculture, climate, biotech, and consumer health. The firm operates two integrated arms: the FoodLabs Studio, a pre-idea venture studio that provides catalyst financing and operator support from day zero, and a series of Article 8 SFDR-classified venture capital funds (Atlantic Food Labs Fund I and FoodLabs Fund III, the latter closed at €105 million in December 2025) that deploy tickets of $100,000 to $2 million at pre-seed through Series B+ stages into 80+ portfolio companies to date, including Formo, Infinite Roots, InPlanet, MicroHarvest, and Voltrac.
FoodLabs generates revenue through two streams: recurring fund management fees on committed LP capital across its fund vehicles, and performance-based carried interest and equity returns from portfolio investments. Its distribution model relies on direct founder engagement via an online Typeform pitch submission portal, event-based sourcing across European and Asian conferences, and a network of 80+ portfolio founders, operating partners, and industry experts. Strategic corporate limited partners — most prominently REWE Group, Henkel, and Bitburger Holding — provide both capital and downstream commercial distribution channels for portfolio companies, including retail launches at REWE Nord and Billa Plus.
The firm is regulated by BaFin as an alternative investment fund manager (FoodLabs Manager GmbH, ID 10159103), certified as a B Corporation (score 102.5, April 2025), and operates as a UN PRI signatory since 2019. FoodLabs is the sister organization of Atlantic Labs within the broader AtlanticLabsFoodLabsPlatform, sharing team resources, careers infrastructure, and portfolio-day events. The firm is led by Founding Partner Christophe Maire and General Partner/Managing Director Patrick Noller, supported by a ~20-person Berlin-based team.
FoodLabs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FoodLabs
- Legal name
- FoodLabs Manager GmbH
- Website
- https://foodlabs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FoodLabs is a Berlin-based venture capital firm and venture studio founded in 2016, investing $100K–$2M tickets across pre-seed to Series B+ in European foodtech, agtech, climate, biotech, and consumer health startups through its €105M Fund III and pre-idea Studio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FoodLabs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early-Stage Venture Capital
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Systems & Value Chain Development for Nutrition (BPADAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)
Keywords
Where FoodLabs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
FoodLabs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fund Management Fees: Recurring management fees on venture capital funds under management, including Atlantic Food Labs Fund I (Art. 8 SFDR product, closed for fundraising) and FoodLabs Fund III (Art. 8 SFDR product, closed for fundraising). FoodLabs Manager GmbH is regulated by BaFin as an alternative investment fund manager.
- Carried Interest & Investment Returns: Performance-based carried interest and equity returns from portfolio company investments across pre-seed, seed, Series A, Series B+, and exit stages. Portfolio of 80+ companies since 2016 spanning consumer, supply chains, farming, climate & resilience, health, synbio, and bio tech.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Pre-seed to Seed investments: $100K-$2M tickets |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
FoodLabs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FoodLabs is an early-stage venture capital firm and venture studio that backs bold entrepreneurs tackling planetary and human health challenges in food, agriculture, climate, biotech, and consumer sectors. The firm manages venture capital funds (Atlantic Food Labs Fund I and FoodLabs Fund III, the latter closed at €105 million) and runs a pre-idea venture studio program that builds companies from zero to one. FoodLabs writes pre-seed to Series B+ tickets ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000 and supports founders with scientific expertise, a network of industry experts, and ESG-integrated operational guidance.
Product overview
FoodLabs operates as a Berlin-based venture studio and early-stage venture capital firm investing in foodtech, agtech, climate, and health startups across Europe. Its offering combines a venture studio arm (FoodLabs Studio) providing pre-idea catalyst financing with multiple venture capital funds (FoodLabs Fund I and the current FoodLabs Fund III at €105 million) that support startups from pre-seed through Series B+ with ticket sizes between $100,000 and $2 million. Together, the studio and fund form an integrated platform: the studio sources and builds pre-idea companies, while the funds provide follow-on and primary capital across a portfolio spanning consumer, supply chain, farming, climate & resilience, health, synbio, and tech-bio categories with notable investments including Formo, Infinite Roots, Voltrac, InPlanet, Microharvest, Kynda Biotech, Pacifico BioLabs, Klim, Ahead, and Holy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FoodLabs Studio Pre-idea venture studio program that provides catalyst financing to founders tackling challenges in climate, health, food, agriculture, and consumer sectors, supporting founders from the earliest stages with operational and scientific expertise to complement the firm's venture capital funds.
- FoodLabs Fund III FoodLabs's third venture capital fund, closed at €105 million in December 2025, investing in early-stage foodtech, climate-tech, health, and agtech startups across Europe from pre-seed to Series B+ with ticket sizes between $100,000 and $2,000,000. Classified as an Article 8 product under the EU SFDR.
- Atlantic Food Labs Fund I First FoodLabs venture capital fund (Atlantic Food Labs Fund I GmbH & Co. KG), an Article 8 SFDR product that is closed for fundraising, having invested in portfolio companies shaping the future of food and sustainability.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80+ portfolio companies invested since 2016
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use FoodLabs
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FoodLabs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
FoodLabs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Atlantic LabsflagshipSister organization and close collaborator. Co-host of first-ever joint 'From the Labs' Portfolio Day (September 2024), Future Founder Meetups, and No-Meat Summer BBQ networking events. Shares team resources and joint career platform at jobs.atlanticlabsfoodlabsplatform.com.
- DealroomcoreCo-author of annual 'Food for Climate' research report analyzing European sustainable FoodTech and AgTech investment trends (2023, 2024 editions). Provides deal-level market intelligence to FoodLabs investment thesis.
- European Investment Fund (EIF)coreCoalition partner in developing the 'Impact Handbook' together with EIF and other leading European impact-driven VC practitioners. Handbook covers practical approaches to measuring impact in venture capital portfolios, linking impact to carried interest.
- EmbarcminorCo-host of 'Future Founder Meetup' events (July 2024) with Atlantic Labs, FoodLabs, and Heartfelt. Jointly engages founders in the Berlin ecosystem.
- HeartfeltminorCo-host of 'Future Founder Meetup' events (July 2024) with Atlantic Labs, FoodLabs, and Embarc.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FoodLabs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AgFunder: San Francisco-based venture capital firm specializing in agrifood tech investments globally. Directly comparable as a thesis-driven food/agtech VC with a similar investment stage focus and LP base of strategic corporates.
- Bits x Bites: China-based VC investing across the food tech value chain from ag to consumer. Comparable as a specialist foodtech VC with similar thesis-driven approach and portfolio construction philosophy.
- CPT Capital: London-based alternative protein-focused VC fund investing in plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated meat companies. Closely comparable given FoodLabs' heavy concentration (70%+) in alternative proteins and climate-food.
- Lever VC: Hong Kong and US-based early-stage fund backing food tech and alternative protein startups globally. Direct peer with comparable thesis, ticket sizes, and stage focus (pre-seed through Series A).
- Atlantic Labs: Berlin-based early-stage VC and venture studio, sister organization to FoodLabs (formerly Atlantic Food Labs). Shares team resources, joint portfolio day events, and a career platform — directly comparable in stage, geography, and operational model.
- Ananda Impact Ventures: Munich-based early-stage impact VC backing purpose-driven companies across food, health, and sustainability. Closely comparable as a European thesis-driven impact investor with similar LP base and ESG positioning.
Regional players
- Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL): London-based investment firm focused on sustainable infrastructure and resource efficiency. Comparable as a European sustainability-focused alternative investment manager with similar LP audience, though primarily infrastructure rather than VC.
Broad incumbents
- Creandum: Leading European early-stage VC with a generalist thesis but meaningful exposure to consumer and health tech. Comparable as a Berlin/Stockholm-based European VC competing for similar deal flow and LP relationships.
- HV Capital: Munich-based tech VC with broad European exposure and consumer/sustainability investments. Comparable as a DACH-region VC competing for early-stage food and consumer deals.
Emerging players
- GoodFood VC: Early-stage investor focused on food tech and agtech startups. Comparable as a specialist food-focused VC operating in a similar thesis domain, though smaller and US-based.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FoodLabs social profiles
Digital presenceFoodLabs compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
FoodLabs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FoodLabs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles21 records
FoodLabs subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
FoodLabs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FoodLabs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments94 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FoodLabs
What does FoodLabs do?
FoodLabs is an early-stage venture capital firm and venture studio that backs bold entrepreneurs tackling planetary and human health challenges in food, agriculture, climate, biotech, and consumer sectors. The firm manages venture capital funds (Atlantic Food Labs Fund I and FoodLabs Fund III, the latter closed at €105 million) and runs a pre-idea venture studio program that builds companies from zero to one. FoodLabs writes pre-seed to Series B+ tickets ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000 and supports founders with scientific expertise, a network of industry experts, and ESG-integrated operational guidance.
Is FoodLabs a public or private company?
FoodLabs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FoodLabs founded?
FoodLabs was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FoodLabs based?
FoodLabs is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does FoodLabs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fund Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest & Investment Returns.
Who are FoodLabs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AgFunder, Bits x Bites, CPT Capital, Lever VC, Atlantic Labs and Ananda Impact Ventures. Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Creandum and HV Capital. GoodFood VC is listed as an emerging player.
Does FoodLabs have an API?
No public API is recorded for FoodLabs.
What industry is FoodLabs in?
FoodLabs's product category is Early-Stage Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAJAG, Food Systems & Value Chain Development for Nutrition, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAA, Food Assistance & Food Banks.