301
301 Inc is the corporate venture capital arm of General Mills, investing equity in early to growth-stage food ecosystem startups and providing operational support across brand building, supply chain, and distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 301 does
301 Inc is the corporate venture capital arm of General Mills (NYSE: GIS), established in 2015 and headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. The firm invests equity capital in early to growth-stage startups operating across the food ecosystem, with stated focus areas covering digital capabilities, emerging food and pet food brands, new go-to-market models, and agriculture and packaging technologies. A three-person core investment team — Managing Director Kristen Harvey, Senior Principal Miles Swammi, and Principal Steven Schweiger — sources deals through direct founder relationships and operates as an active board partner to portfolio companies.
The firm positions itself as a value-added investor beyond capital, offering portfolio companies access to General Mills' manufacturing, logistics, and distribution infrastructure, food safety and regulatory expertise, brand-building and design coaching, route-to-market strategy, and connected-commerce vendor introductions. 301 Inc does not develop proprietary technology; its "platform" is the strategic and operational support it can route from General Mills to portfolio companies.
The business model is investment-return driven rather than fee-driven. Returns are generated through equity appreciation and exits (IPO, acquisition, or secondary sale) from portfolio holdings, which span 25+ companies including active investments such as Keychain, GrubMarket, BeeHero, Calibrate, Smalls, and Numilk, alongside alumni holdings such as Beyond Meat, Instacart, GoodBelly, Kite Hill, and Purely Elizabeth. There is no external LP base; all capital is sourced internally from General Mills, making 301 Inc a strategic optionality vehicle rather than a standalone revenue-generating fund.
301 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 301
- Legal name
- 301 Inc
- Website
- https://301inc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 301 Inc is the corporate venture capital arm of General Mills, investing equity in early to growth-stage food ecosystem startups and providing operational support across brand building, supply chain, and distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
301 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital (Food Ecosystem)
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Corporate Innovation & Technology Scouting Units (with investment mandate) (FSANAHAI)
Keywords
Where 301 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
301 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: 301 Inc generates returns through equity investments in food and food-tech startups. Returns are realized through portfolio company exits via IPOs, acquisitions, or secondary sales. The firm provides strategic value beyond capital through operational expertise and General Mills ecosystem connections.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
301 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
301 Inc is the corporate venture capital arm of General Mills, providing equity investment and strategic support to early to growth-stage food ecosystem startups. The firm deploys capital into companies across digital commerce, emerging food and pet food brands, new go-to-market models, and agriculture/packaging technologies, while offering hands-on advisory across brand building, product development, supply chain strategy, sales analytics, and connected commerce capabilities.
Product overview
301 Inc operates as a venture capital arm of General Mills, offering a single unified investment and strategic support platform rather than discrete product modules. The firm deploys capital into food ecosystem startups and provides portfolio companies with operational expertise in brand building, product development and food safety, supply chain strategy, sales analytics, and connected commerce capabilities. Unlike a traditional product platform, 301 Inc's offering centers on combining financial investment with hands-on advisory services across the food value chain, targeting founders transforming areas including digital commerce, emerging food brands, new go-to-market models, and agricultural and packaging technologies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Keychain: AI-powered B2B platform transforming how CPG brands connect with co-manufacturers
- GDB Circular (MN)
- PitPat
- Calibrate
- BeeHero
- Smalls
- GrubMarket
- Mealogic
- Numilk
- GHOST Lifestyle
- Fera Pets
- Urban Remedy
- No Cow
- Fearless Fund
- Good Catch
- Supply Change Capital
- GoodBelly
- Kite Hill
- Beyond Meat
- Pots & Co.
- Purely Elizabeth
- Good Culture
- Instacart
- Everything Legendary
Products and services
- 301 Inc Investment Services Venture capital investment services providing capital, strategic perspective, technical expertise, and industry connections to early-stage food ecosystem startups. Includes portfolio company support across brand building, product development, supply chain strategy, route-to-market expansion, and connected commerce.
Companies that use 301
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
301 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
301 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
301 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Danone Manifesto Ventures: CVC of Danone focused on food, nutrition, and health-forward brands. Comparable to 301 Inc as a strategic corporate food CVC backing emerging food and health-aligned startups.
- Kellanova Ventures: CVC arm of Kellanova (formerly Kellogg's) investing in next-generation food brands and food technology. Directly comparable to 301 Inc as a major CPG CVC with a focus on early-to-growth stage food ecosystem companies.
- AB InBev Ventures: Corporate venture arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev investing across food, beverage, and consumer technology. Direct peer given similar CVC structure investing in adjacent consumer ecosystem companies.
- Cargill Ventures / investments: Strategic investment arm of Cargill, a major agribusiness and food ingredients company, investing in food tech, agtech, and alternative proteins. Directly comparable to 301 Inc given similar food ecosystem and agriculture technology focus.
- Unilever Ventures: Strategic venture arm of Unilever investing in innovative consumer and CPG brands including food, beauty, and wellness. Comparable to 301 Inc in mandate and stage focus on emerging food/CPG brands.
- Nestlé Ventures: CVC arm of Nestlé investing in food tech, nutrition, and emerging food brands. Direct peer to 301 Inc given shared parent-company CPG backing and focus on transforming the food value chain.
- Mondelez Ventures: Corporate venture arm of Mondelez International investing in snacks, food tech, and wellness brands. Direct peer comparable to 301 Inc in CPG backing, investment stage, and focus on emerging food ecosystem innovators.
- PepsiCo Ventures: CVC arm of PepsiCo investing in food, beverage, and nutrition startups. Direct peer to 301 Inc as both are large-CPG CVCs pursuing emerging brands, food tech, and health-forward bets within the broader food ecosystem.
Emerging players
- Plug and Play Food & Beverage: Innovation platform and investor running a Food & Beverage vertical with corporate partners. Comparable to 301 Inc as a CPG-focused deal-sourcing and investment platform, though operating as an accelerator/venture platform rather than a captive CVC.
- S2G Ventures: Independent venture fund focused on food, agriculture, and energy startups. Comparable to 301 Inc in investment themes (plant-based, agtech, food tech) but operates as an independent firm rather than a CVC.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
301 social profiles
Digital presence301 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
301 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
301 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
301 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments22 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 301
What does 301 do?
301 Inc is the corporate venture capital arm of General Mills, providing equity investment and strategic support to early to growth-stage food ecosystem startups. The firm deploys capital into companies across digital commerce, emerging food and pet food brands, new go-to-market models, and agriculture/packaging technologies, while offering hands-on advisory across brand building, product development, supply chain strategy, sales analytics, and connected commerce capabilities.
Is 301 a public or private company?
301 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was 301 founded?
301 was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 301 based?
301 is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does 301 make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Returns.
Who are 301's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Danone Manifesto Ventures, Kellanova Ventures, AB InBev Ventures, Cargill Ventures / investments, Unilever Ventures, Nestlé Ventures, Mondelez Ventures and PepsiCo Ventures. Emerging players are Plug and Play Food & Beverage and S2G Ventures.
Does 301 have an API?
No public API is recorded for 301.
What industry is 301 in?
301's product category is Venture Capital (Food Ecosystem). Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAHAF, Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms, with a secondary code of FSANAHAI, Corporate Innovation & Technology Scouting Units (with investment mandate). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6211.